The First Glimpses
I often wonder, why we are so contemptuously demanding to Mother Nature. We fancy rain, but only when we are indoors. If it pours when we are out, we get viciously annoyed. We yearn for sunshine, but desire it just strong enough to put our sunglasses on, not more than that. The chill in the wind should only be apt for our designer pullovers. Tailor-made climate and weather on-demand, is what we seek.
The same was in our case also. Being slouched in the car for so long we became increasingly exasperated with rain. Our hunger pangs got us better and then thought to finish our lunch first. There are many decent looking restaurants across the road facing the Western Group of Temples. Incidentally, the temples of Khajuraho are clustered and named Eastern, Southern and Western Group of Temples. The Western group is most illustrious and thus attracts most visitors.
The striking facet of the restaurants here is that, most have well organized shaded roof-tops. The Blue Sky Restaurant even has a Tree-House. However, we climbed the roof-top of Raja Café being drawn by its set-up. The look at the menu convinced us that the prices are reasonable and items are varied, from Mediterranean to Italian to Chinese and off-course our desi Thalis. We ordered Boiled rice with chicken, one cooked in white sauce and another in tomato sauce, two plates each, along with Dal Tarka…Continental and Indian fusion food at its best. The food was indeed sumptuous. On the tables we were discussing with ourselves how due to rain our trip is marring. Just then, a young waiter came towards us and with glint in his eyes said, “Saheb, you people are lucky to us. It has not rained a drop since last 4 years here at Khajuraho. I heard you were saying that you came 3 just hours back. It has started to rain since then only, Saheb. You all are Rain Makers to us”. We were taken aback with his words and realize how inane we were of the rain
The same was in our case also. Being slouched in the car for so long we became increasingly exasperated with rain. Our hunger pangs got us better and then thought to finish our lunch first. There are many decent looking restaurants across the road facing the Western Group of Temples. Incidentally, the temples of Khajuraho are clustered and named Eastern, Southern and Western Group of Temples. The Western group is most illustrious and thus attracts most visitors.
The striking facet of the restaurants here is that, most have well organized shaded roof-tops. The Blue Sky Restaurant even has a Tree-House. However, we climbed the roof-top of Raja Café being drawn by its set-up. The look at the menu convinced us that the prices are reasonable and items are varied, from Mediterranean to Italian to Chinese and off-course our desi Thalis. We ordered Boiled rice with chicken, one cooked in white sauce and another in tomato sauce, two plates each, along with Dal Tarka…Continental and Indian fusion food at its best. The food was indeed sumptuous. On the tables we were discussing with ourselves how due to rain our trip is marring. Just then, a young waiter came towards us and with glint in his eyes said, “Saheb, you people are lucky to us. It has not rained a drop since last 4 years here at Khajuraho. I heard you were saying that you came 3 just hours back. It has started to rain since then only, Saheb. You all are Rain Makers to us”. We were taken aback with his words and realize how inane we were of the rain
Tree House of Blue Sky Restaurant
After about one hour since we finished our food, the rain mellowed to a mild drizzle. It was already thirty past five in the afternoon. We decided to damn the drizzle and make a round of the temples, how brief it may be. As we entered through the gate we typically were thronged by guides. We decided that since it’s already late of the day and its still drizzling, it might not be feasible to hire a guide. Anyway, being impressed with the tone of voice and lingo of one guide who introduced himself as Rajesh Tiwari; we took his mobile number and promised to contact him tomorrow.
We fell awestruck at the first glimpse of the Temples. The magnitude and the detailing of the inscription on the temple walls were spell bounding. Those fifteen minutes which we spend there was both intoxicating and irritating on other way, because the drizzle and darkness obstructed our desire to gaze at them. We decided to come back tomorrow, first morning.
View from Restaurant Roof-top
Landscape
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