The road to Khajuraho – Part 1

There are three ways to get to Khajuraho from Delhi: a flight is the most convenient, a train link is less so given that the train only goes on certain days of the week and getting a reservation is tough and the third is a train-plus-road method by which travellers go to Jhansi by train and from there on, take a 176 km drive. It is this last method that is the most used.

While Khajuraho is a globally acknowledged heritage destination, what is less known is that the road to the town from Jhansi is littered with several interesting sites. Orchha, Barwa Sagar and Garh Kundar (this last accessed via a short detour) are just a few example. There is also Nowgong.

Once an important military station and cantonment in British India, Nowgong was home to the Kitchener College, a training institution for Army officers. The College, which began functioning in 1929, remained in operation till 1964 when it was relocated to Pune.

However, the cantonment at Nowgong pre-dated the College and has also outlasted it. The cantonment came into being in the middle of the 19^th century and remains in place till today. One symbol of the British era that also stands tall here is a church. The church, built in the Gothic style of its age, was founded in 1869.

The church yard is overgrown with vegetation and the church itself remains closed through the week, opening for its congregation only on Sundays. Located on the right of the highway, it makes for an interesting, though brief, stopover en route to the temple town.