Thank god this place is nice and clean. I don’t think I
could take another day without becoming utterly obsessed with cleanness and hugging
the hand disinfectant bottle every 5 minutes. Strangely enough Graham seems to
cope reasonably well. He hated Agra none the less, but does not show any of the
‘ I’m about to lose it symptoms that I have’. My stable rock in the storm.
Khajuraho is so nice that the temple tiredness that we had
developed and caused us not to take the effort to go and see Fatapur Sikri just
outside of Agra fade away. Around the temples they have nice tarmac roads and footpaths.
Rickshaws are not allowed, creating a tranquil atmosphere and the peace and
quite that we have been craving for. The group of temples of the Western group
is located in the town and surrounded with nicely kept grass fields with flower
beds and the occasional tree. It’s like a nice park, with some incredible
temples in it. They are build around 1050 AD by the Chandela dynasty, who were
mainly at war and very fond of women. Two things that they depict in detail on
the temples. Making them famous for the 3 D depiction of Kama Sutra poses. In
cases the 2D versions were not explicit enough for you. It surely looks like
all those people were very enthusiastic yoga practitioners as arms and legs are
in positions that make you wonder if those people had cartilage for bones. And
the women are of such a voluptuous shape that Lolo Ferrari would get jealous. I
have yet to spot the India women meeting this ideal so I wonder where they got
their idea’s but hey all men are the same I guess. I can imagine that this
would ensure the men to turn up for the rituals every day a bit more than seen
out the life of a saint.
Besides those particular carvings, the rest of the buildings
are beautifully done and most of them have gone through some form of restoration
of some sort. I guess the sandstone wears away to fast.
Graham turns into a bit of a celebrity as he is been asked
to have a picture with the various men walking around there. I categorically refuse, or more accurate,
Graham does for me as they usually address him. I still don’t want to end up on
some boys bedroom wall.
Our little cycle though the area is entertaining as well as
some very needed exercise, as we wave at the passing kiddies with their cute
school uniforms, complete with knee high socks(seriously, it’s not British climate here you know) and Ariel
the mermaid school bags.
On the way back we nip into one of the many great places to
eat. It’s about twice the price you pay here for food as in other places. But
the quality is equally higher and we both feel like we’re in heaven when we
find out that the Italian place does amazing fresh Italian food. And the Raja
café has a mean chocolate brownie and ice coffee with scoop of ice-cream. It’s better for us that we leave today as
this would not benefit our figure.
