Ours is a beach generation – a shack, a beer and a beach in Goa. That’s all we need to unwind from crazy routines at work. And if that’s not reason enough, how about ‘getting high by the beach’? 😀

I have no such favorites. I can enjoy a scenic beach as much as I can celebrate living along a gorgeous waterfall. I think our love is less for the place and more for the personality of water. Some enjoy the roars and thunders while some want to muse along the soothing, flowing music of ever moving rivers.

Also read: the beach of Kovalam

Also read: milky, misty Jog falls 

Also read: Naini lake

This time, on my trip to Gwalior and Orchha, I discovered the beautiful ‘Betwa’. After living all my life with Hindon (Ghaziabad) & Yamuna (Delhi), I almost believed in the non-existence of blue-colored rivers. Any river flowing by the city is bound to have debris, garbage and waste in it. By the time, the river flows out of the city, it’s no longer a river. It’s much, much dirty and reeks of smells that often emanate from sewages.

So, when I discovered ‘Betwa’ in Orchha, I was surprised. People of Orchha love their river and they don’t wish to spoil it ever. The place has no big schools, no fancy colleges and no esteemed universities. And still, Orchha, with a populace under 1 lakh is educated and aware enough to not disturb the sanctity of their river, ‘Betwa’. 

Also read: Orchha – the erstwhile capital of Bundelkhand

Betwa felt like a treasure that’s been just discovered. It’s cleaner than you would think & enchanting. You can see your reflection in its water. And that’s a feeling I can’t describe in words. You got to experience that. People of Delhi – you may reserve one of your weekends and spend time with quiet, calm Betwa & relish your Life on Weekends. Betwa welcomes one and all & Betwa is in hurry.

Near the cenotaphs of Orchha, Betwa flows peacefully like it’s in no hurry. Remember childhood when dad would take all the time to get ready for office. He would go to office daily, but take hours to get ready. I remember my dad’s routine. He would spend an hour reading the newspapers over two cups of highly sweet tea. Then, he would watch news on Television, shave his stubble, take a bath, leisurely wear clothes & have one more cup of tea before leaving for work. In fact, he would spend 10 more minutes in saying ‘Hello’ to neighbours while kicking his Bajaj scooter. I can still hear the sound of him scooting away. He had no metro to catch, no early morning meeting to attend & no emails to reply to. He was never in a hurry. That’s how I felt by the bank of Betwa – relaxed and at peace like there is no need for hurry in life.

By the bank of the river:

It was a beautiful evening of the month of November. We had seen the Orchha fort in the afternoon & were totally mesmerized by the architecture and design of the fort. We were in search for cenotaphs. We had heard that there were many vultures around that area. In that pursuit, we reached the bank of ‘Betwa river’ behind the cenotaphs.

We didn’t plan on making a stop over and still we both took a stop there. There were a bunch of kids jumping around the area, taking a bath, giggling & laughing & pushing each other in the river.

It was an evening to remember.

Have you ever sat on the bank of a river & listened?

Have you sat on a rock in the middle of a flowing river and gazed at the forever moving water?

Have you ever tried to steal a glance of your face in the crystalline water of a river?

Share your experiences with us.