Narrow lanes run down from the fort on Bangra hill into the old city, where a small Ganesh temple in Ganesh Bazaar saw a young Manikarnika marry the raja and become Rani Lakshmibai. A few turns away, the Rani Mahal still keeps its painted Darbar Hall, peacocks and all.
Outside the old walls, Sadar Bazaar fills with snack counters at dusk, and Orchha's palaces stand beside the Betwa a short drive away. Winters are cool and dry, May turns fiercely hot, and the monsoon arrives in late June. A Local Friend can walk you through their own part of town, from the chaat stall they grew up with to the corner where neighbors gather.
