And then, there are palaces that became temples—another subject for local storytellers. The Ram Raja temple, the only one in which Ram is worshipped as a king and not a god, was once the palace of Madhukar Shah. The Sunder Mahal, a small palace now in ruins, is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. It was here that Dhurjaban, a descendent of Madhukar Shah who converted to Islam to marry a Muslim girl in Delhi, spent his last days in prayer. Apart from palaces and temples, the kings built cenotaphs by the Betwa. A group of 15 cenotaphs retain their ancient grandeur. These, like the palaces, defy the afternoon temperature by remaining cool and breezy.

The breeze from the Betwa fills the riverside in the evening, carrying with it sounds of music. Most resorts have local musicians performing on the terrace or by the poolside so that the sunset is filled with song—earthy Bundelkhandi tunes that carry far into the night without any mikes or electronic instruments. Songs that remind all who hear that they are in the land of kings.