Notes on the Geography of Northern India: Bundelkhand

The ancient block of peninsular India rises in a series of steps from the Ganges lowlands up to the Deccan Plateau. South of Kanpur, the first major rise--very gentle-- is to the Bundelkhand Uplands, which extend south to the Vindya scarp and the next step up.

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The uplands are remarkably flat over large areas.  The bedrock is mostly granitic and is neither especially fertile nor densely populated.  Where uncultivated, it is heavily grazed.

Fencing is rare.

Fields are mostly unirrigated; gram (the chickpea) is especially important.

Cultivation methods are simple.

Housing is typically of mud or brick, with tile roofs.

Compound farmsteads are common.

Bedrock provides material for the occasional fence. (The background temple is Duladeo, a late Khajuraho temple. Khajuraho is located near the southeast edge of the Bundelkhand Uplands.)

This is a poor part of India, but cell phones and satellite TV are almost everywhere.

Roads remain simple.

On one of them, west of Panna, there is a well-known dhaba, or roadside restaurant.  The food's good:  specialties are roti for two cents and dal for 20.