CHAMBAL

Short walks from the Lodge are an opportunity to explore rural landscapes where the vast majority of the Indian population continue to live. Unlike the gleaming modernity of the busy cities and tourist hotspots, rural India remains rooted in its traditions. The villages of Jarar and Narhauli, located on either side of the Lodge, are an interesting mix of the old and the new, presenting visitors with the prospect of taking in local sights, sounds and spectacles. Many a spontaneous interaction ensues with young & old, men, and some women, stopping for a chat or inviting guests home for tea. ...read more

Guests are very strongly advised not to give any gifts or handouts to community members they encounter during their time in Chambal. The residents take great pride in showing guests around and understand that tourist engagement benefits the local economy. read less

Shouripur is an ancient settlement, located deep in the Yamuna ravines about 3 kms from Bateshwar. Both the Shwetambar and the Digambar Jain traditions maintain temples here. The site finds mention in the Mahabharata, and is believed to be the birthplace of the 22nd Tirthankar Neminath ji. Excavated by Cunningham in the late 19th century, and whilst several of the ancient artifacts found were moved to the museums in Calcutta, Mathura, and Delhi, quite a few old statues are still worshiped within the temples. ...read more

A grand new marble temple has recently been added to the complex and provides an interesting insight into the evolving Jain religious traditions.
Shouripur is 15 km from the Lodge, a 20+ minute drive. read less

Holipura Village, located at the edge of the Yamuna Ravines near Bateshwar, is a stronghold of the Chaturvedi clan who claim descent from Alexander's Greek army. Many of the clan rose to positions of great prominence and built substantial havelis (grand homes). Constructed over many generations, incorporating styles from Mughal to Colonial eras, and tailored to fit a rural setting, the havelis showcase a distinctive architectural fusion and a beautiful synthesis of myriad traditions. ...read more

The village is a microcosm of rural Indian life with the symbiotic relationships of the inhabitants reflected in its layout. The guided tour involves interaction with local community members adding a deeper sense of pride and connection to the experience.
Holipura is 8 km from the Lodge, a 15 minute drive. read less

With its vantage location straddling the Chambal ravines, Fort Ater was a valued stronghold at the forefront of numerous battles between the Rajput, Maratha, and the British armies. An imposing presence even today, this magnificent battle scarred ruin has been partly restored and is an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument. With visitors few and far between and the wild off-the-beaten track setting, Fort Ater’s quiet isolation brings out the gleeful explorer in the most travel-hardened. ...read more

Your accompanying Lodge guide will help you discover the many facets of this fort; no crowds, no rush, just an easy going stroll through history. Fort Ater is 3 km from the Chambal Safari base camp, on the opposite bank, a 3 km drive along a country road cutting through the Chambal ravines. The access point for Ater is 25 km from the Lodge, a drive of 30+ minutes. read less

The ancient settlement of Bateshwar is situated on a crescent bend of the river Yamuna. More than 40 temples dedicated to the glory of Shiva glisten pearly white along the ghats of the river, an interesting hybrid of architectural styles dating from the 15th century onwards. The evening Aarti in the main temples is a divine spectacle reverberating with the sights & sounds of an age-old tradition that visitors may enjoy with the faithful in the temples, or on the ghats. ...read more

BATESHWAR FAIR

Around Diwali, in October-November, the open areas around the temple complex play host to an annual animal fair, the origins of which stretch into antiquity. The fair, the 2nd largest such in India (Sonepur in Bihar being the largest) coincides with the most auspicious period for praying at Bateshwar and is an important fixture for saints, sadhus, tradesmen, and villagers.
We organise escorted walks and boat rides taking in the Ghats, Temples, Aarti, and Markets at Bateshwar, as well as special trips during the course of the annual Fair. Bateshwar is 12 km from the Lodge, a 15+ minute drive.

2025 Fair Dates:

Animal Fair – 19th October - 22nd October
Religious Fair – 2nd November - 8th November
Diwali – 21st October; Poornima - 5th November

2026 Fair Dates:

Animal Fair – 6th November - 9th November
Religious Fair – 21st November - 27th November
Diwali – 8th November; Poornima - 24th November

2027 Fair Dates:

Animal Fair – 27th October - 30th October
Religious Fair – 11th November - 17th November
Diwali – 29th October; Poornima - 14th November

BICYCLE RIDE TO BATESHWAR

The 12km bicycle ride to Bateshwar passes through fields, along the state road, and across the Yamuna ravines, culminating at the edge of the Bateshwar ghats and breathtaking views from the riverside rooftop of the Kunj. The accompanying guide will carry some light refreshments to be enjoyed whilst taking in these views.
This bicycle ride can be combined with a guided tour of Bateshwar. A jeep/vehicle will be on hand to bring guests back to the Lodge.

YOGA AT THE KUNJ, BATESHWAR

The Kunj is a private 16th century riverside haveli, its rooftop offering vantage views across the river and the Bateshwar temples & ghats. The serene location and timeless views lend themselves well to a round of rooftop yoga. A certified instructor guides guests through a few asanas, setting the pace to suit the experience level be it timid initiate or intrepid yogi.
Advance notice is required for this activity, and can be combined with a guided tour of Bateshwar.
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Located on the road leading to Bateshwar, Bijkouli is home to a community of hereditary potters. These skilled artisans continue to produce the many pottery items used in Indian households, ranging from the small diyas, earthenware lamps lit on auspicious occasions such as Diwali, to the large gharas, pots used for storing and cooling water during the merciless summer heat. Though adept at responding to changing requirements and trends, the Bijkouli potters’ continue to use simple implements such as hand-spun mechanical pottery wheels and rudimentary firing pits, to produce their pieces of perfection. ...read more

They are an engaging lot, remaining optimistic despite the pressures of modernity, and guest visits are a source of great encouragement. Bijkouli is 8 km from the Lodge, a 15 minute drive. read less

The 207 km long bicycle highway, inaugurated in November 2016, is an innovative tourism and social outreach project, connecting 92 remote villages whilst offering an alternate means for visitors to access and discover the countryside. Starting from behind the Taj Mahal, looping past little-known monuments and hamlets including Holipura, Bateshwar, Chambal Sanctuary, the highway culminates at the Lion Safari project in Etawah. The access road to the Lodge is in fact a part of the Bicycle Highway. ...read more

We organize special 2-day events for professional and amateur riders covering all or part of the highway, as well as gentler half day excursions for cycling clubs of all ages. Bicycles are available at the Lodge for those wishing to explore around the Lodge and further afield. read less

The village of Rapri was a prominent revenue centre during the Sultanate and Mughal period, beginning with its conquest by the Afghan invader Muhammad of Ghor in 1194 AD. The Idgah (Mosque) was built in 1312 AD by Malik Kafur (the eunuch slave who rose to become an eminent General of Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji). The stately Idgah, and the handsome tombs of the Sufi’s Fidu Miyan and Sheikh Nasiruddin stand out with their unexpected delicate flourishes, and imposing presence in the middle of nondescript, flat countryside. Rapri is symbolic of the ‘embarrassment of archaeological riches’ that dot the inner recesses of the Indian countryside. ...read more

An annual Urs is held in May, attracting visitors from far and wide, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. A small community of the faithful keeps the flame burning at the shrines, with support from the larger non-Islamic rural community, and the ASI maintains them as being of National importance. Rapri is 15 km from the Lodge, a 20-minute drive. read less

The Badlands of the Chambal-Yamuna ravines were witness to many of the final skirmishes of the uprising of 1857. Etawah was overrun in the early days, causing the District Collector A. O. Hume to beat a hasty retreat, only to regroup and return, subduing the rebellion with brutal retributory force. Hume, however, went on to become an exemplary administrator. He was a keen naturalist (one of the most prominent contributors to the Natural History Museum in London), advocated reform and eventually resigned from the service to set up the organization that went on to fight for Indian Independence - the Congress Party. ...read more

The tour of Etawah takes in the many buildings associated with Hume’s time in the district, including his residence, four public buildings each designed to form a single letter of his name H-U-M-E, the Victoria Memorial – a strange amalgamation of styles built through local subscriptions, the St. Mary’s Church, the British cemetery, the old bazar, and the Jama Masjid Mosque.
Etawah is 50 km from the Lodge, 60+ minutes’ drive. read less

Bhareh is located at the confluence of the Chambal and Yamuna Rivers. The spectacular drive through a wild, forbidding, and undulating landscape cuts across the ravines of both rivers, going deep into one of the remotest, most untouched corners of the Indian heartland. The road runs along, or has been built on, one of the great follies of the British Revenue Department – The Great Hedge... Bhareh is located at the confluence of the Chambal and Yamuna Rivers. The spectacular drive through a wild, forbidding, and undulating landscape cuts across the ravines of both rivers, going deep into one of the remotest, most untouched corners of the Indian heartland. The road runs along, or has been built on, one of the great follies of the British Revenue Department – The Great Hedge (read Roy Moxham’s book of the same name). A 1500-mile-long physical barrier of thorny bushes, and trees, up to 12 feet high and 14 feet wide in sections, running across the country from Attock to Orissa, to control the smuggling of salt! The last remnants of the hedge can be seen at Palighar, enroute to Bhareh. The confluence is dominated by the battle-scarred ruins of the fortress of Bhareh, blasted by British cannon in 1858, and an imposing Shiva Temple that provides breathtaking views of the confluence and the surrounding countryside. Bhareh is 90 km from the Lodge, 2+ hours’ drive. This is a 6–7-hour excursion, with packed lunch. read more