Datia

Introduction

Datia is a city and district headquarters in the Gwalior Chambal region of north Madhya Pradesh, Central India, set near Gwalior and on the border with Uttar Pradesh. It is an ancient town mentioned in the Mahabharata and once ruled by King Dantavakra, and it later served as a former royal seat of the Bundela Rajputs, the Mughals and the Scindia dynasty during the British Raj.

Today Datia is best known for Pitambara Peeth, a shakti pilgrimage site dedicated to Maa Baglamukhi. The city makes a practical base for exploring the surrounding region: Sonagir, a sacred Jain hill, lies about 13 km away, and Orchha is roughly 48 km from Datia. Distances to larger centres are manageable, with Gwalior about 74 km away, Bhopal around 360 km to the north and New Delhi some 441 km to the south.

Getting there

Datia sits on the New Delhi–Chennai Central line, so it is reachable by train from major cities across India. The Taj Express covers the trip from New Delhi in five to six hours. Be aware that not all trains stop here: the services that do are mainly those running between Jhansi and Gwalior, and they call at Datia only infrequently. The journey from Jhansi takes about twenty minutes by train. Reservations are fully computerised and can be made at the railway station itself, or online through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation website. From Datia railway station, auto-rickshaws and tempos (shared auto-rickshaws) run to most parts of the city around the clock.

By road, Datia lies on National Highway No. 75, which links Gwalior and Jhansi. From Jhansi you can take an auto-rickshaw to Jeevan Sarai Chauraha or Eliot Chauraha, where jeeps serve as local transport and carry you on to Datia. Frequent buses also leave from the bus stop in Jhansi. Buses from Gwalior to Datia exist as well, but they run less often.

Getting around

Datia is compact, and the sights around the walled old town cluster closely enough that you can cover much of the centre on foot, including Pitambara Peeth at the entrance of the town gate. For the stretch between Datia Palace and Pitambara Peeth, auto-rickshaws or a bike are the practical choices, and walking works if you have the time and the weather is kind. Meters are rarely used in autos, so agree on the fare with the driver before you set off. Tempos — shared auto-rickshaws — are a cheap and common way to travel locally, and buses and tempos serve outlying sites such as the Jain temples at Sonagir. Autos and tempos are available from the railway station to most parts of the city around the clock, which makes arriving by train straightforward at any hour.

Datia's own station sits on the Gwalior–Jhansi mainline, part of the broader New Delhi–Chennai line, but not all trains stop here and services on this stretch halt infrequently, so check that your intended train actually calls at Datia. Reservation is computerised and can be done at the station or online through IRCTC. There is no metro or tram. State buses connect the town with Jhansi and Gwalior, though buses from Gwalior run less often, so plan around the timetable. Taxis suit direct transfers or full-day hire; negotiate the fare before boarding, as with autos. If you fly in, onward travel from the airport into town is by taxi or bus. Carry cash in rupees, since ATMs may be out of service or reject foreign cards, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered given that Datia is a religious centre.

Where to stay

For overnight stays in Datia, the MP Government Tourist Motel in Aman Colony is the option named here, and it is worth booking ahead rather than arriving and hoping for a room. The contact number is +91 77249 02555.

Food & drink

Datia keeps its eating simple: the town has a handful of small eateries rather than a dining scene, so plan your meals around modest local spots. The most reliable option is the government tourist motel, which the source singles out as the best place to eat in town — a sensible default if you want a dependable meal without hunting around.

There is nothing listed for drinking, so treat this as a place to eat and move on rather than a town for nights out.

What to see and do

Datia Palace is the obvious place to start: a seven-storey stone-and-brick building raised by Raja Bir Singh Deo in 1614 and regarded as one of the finest examples of Bundela architecture in the country. Only five of its storeys are visible from outside, but the four corner towers, each crowned with a decorative chhatri, the symmetrical courtyards, the intricately carved floral and geometric ceilings and the Bundela-school wall paintings inside reward a slow look around. The palace overlooks a tranquil lake, so allow time to take in the setting as well as the building.

• Peetambra Peeth, near the city, is a well-known Sakti-Peeth, home to the Bagla Mukhi Devi and Dhumawati Mai established by Sh. Golokwasi Swamiji Maharaj. Its Vankhandeshwar Temple is described as a Mahabharat-era temple of Shiva.
• Gopeshwar Temple is an imposing temple worth visiting in its own right.
• Sonagiri Jain temples, about 17 km north-west of Datia, comprise 77 temples with sky-high spires. Temple 57, on the hill, is the main one: vast and beautiful, with an artistic spire and Lord Chandraprabhu as principal deity, plus idols of Lord Sheetalnath and Parsvanath. Look for the 43-foot column of dignity (Manstambh) and the large model of Samavsharan.
• In the village itself are 26 temples, most of them very ancient. At Kund-Kund Nagar, an 18-foot standing colossus of Lord Bahubali sits on a 25-foot platform, with a meditation hall below.

For something less built-up, head for the hilly country around town, which is the best place to enjoy the pure natural environment and to feast your eyes on the scene of beautiful temples with high spires.

Three days in Datia

Day one: Begin in Datia itself, a town in Madhya Pradesh whose story reaches back through the Mahabharata and King Dantavakra, the Bundela Rajputs, the Mughals, the Scindia and the British Raj. Today Datia rewards a slow look at its old streets and palaces before you turn to its living shrines. Visit Pitambara Peeth, the temple complex dedicated to Maa Baglamukhi, and take your time over the courtyards and the atmosphere of devotion.

• Pitambara Peeth and Maa Baglamukhi
• Old town streets and palaces of Datia

Day two: Head for Sonagir, the Jain pilgrimage hill near Datia, and spend the morning among its temples and the quiet of the climb. In the afternoon, continue to Orchha, whose forts and riverside ghats make an easy contrast to Datia's shrines. Both sit within reach of the town, so you can return to Datia for the evening.

• Sonagir
• Orchha

Day three: Use Datia as your base for a wider loop through Central India. Gwalior and the Chambal are within reach, and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh is close enough for a day's excursion. The Taj Express connects this part of the country with Bhopal, New Delhi and Chennai Central, so check reservations through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation before you set out. From Datia, buses run frequently, with stops at Jeevan Sarai Chauraha and Eliot Chauraha, and National Highway No. links the town onward; from Jhansi the road is equally straightforward.

• Gwalior and the Chambal
• Jhansi
• Jeevan Sarai Chauraha and Eliot Chauraha