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| Location |
16 kms from Jhansi |
| Attractions |
Jehangir Mahal, Laxminarayana Temple
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| best time to to visit |
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| NEARBY CITIES |
Bhopal
Maheshwar
Indore |
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Orchha's grandeur has been captured
in stone, frozen in time; a rich legacy to the ages.
For on this medieval city, the hand of time has rested
lightly and the places and temples built by its Bundela
rulers in the 16th and 17th centuries retain much
of their pristine perfection.
Orchha was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela
Rajput chieftain Rudra Pratap who chose this streatch
of land along the Betwa River as an ideal site for
his capital. Of the succeeding rulers, the most notable
was Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo who built the exquisite
Jehangir Mahal, a tiered palace crowned by graceful
chhatries. From here the view of soaring temple spires
and cenotaphs is spectacular.
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Complementing the noble proportions
of their exteriors and interiors, which represent the
finest flowering of the Bundela School of painting. In
the Laxminarayan Temple, Vibrant Murals encompassing a
variety of religious and secular themes, bring the walls
and ceiling to rich life.
Strewn around the area are little shrines and memorials,
each with its own poignant history, each contributing
to the nostalgic beauty is Orchha. |
| PLACES OF INTEREST: |
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Orchha's fort complex, approaches by a
multi-arched bridge, has three palaces set in an open
quadrangle. The most spectacular of thee are:
Jehangir Mahal:
Built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century to
commemorate the visit of Emperor Jehangir to Orchha. Its
strong lines are counterbalanced by delicate chhatries
and treillies work, the whole conveying an effect of extraordinary
richness.
Raj Mahal:
Situated to the right of the quardrangle, this palace
was built by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious predecessor
of Bir Singh Ju Deo. The plain exteriors, crowned by Chharties,
give way to interiors with exquisite murals, boldly colourful,
on a variety of religious themes.
Rai
Praveen Mahal:
Poetess and musician, Rai Praveen was the beautiful paramour
of Raja Indramani (1672-76), and was sent to Delhi on
the orders of Emperor Akbar, who was captivated by her.
She so impressed the Great Mughal with the purity of her
love for Indramani that he sent here back to Orchha. The
palace built for her is a low, two storied brick structure,
designed to match the height of the trees in the surrounding,
beautifully landscaped gardens of Anand Mahal, with its
octagonal flower beds and elaborate water supply system.
Skillfully carved niches allow light into the Mahal, which
has a main hall and smaller chambers.
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Ram Raja Temple:
This palace - turned - temple has a charming legend
attached to it. Following the dream visitatio of Lord
Rama, Madhukar Shah's wife, Ganesh Kunawari brought
a statue of the god from Ayodha to Orchha. While the
king was a worshipper of Lord Kridhna, the Queen was
devotee of Lord Krishna, the queen was a devotee of
lord Rama. The image was placed in a palace prior
to its installation in a temple. When the idol proved
impossible to move, the queen recalled, too late the
deity's edict that the image would remain in the place
where it was first installed. Today, with its soaring
spires and palatial architecture, the temple is surely
one of the most unusual in India. It is also the only
in the country where Rama is worshipped as a king
(Raja).
Chaturbhuj Temple:
Built upon a massive stone platform and reached by
a steep flight of steps. The temple was specially
constructed to enshrine the image of Ram that remained
in the Ram Raja Templ. Lotus emblems and other symbols
of religious significance provide the delicate exterior
ornamentation. Within, the sanctum is chastely plain
with high, vaulted walls emphasizing its deep sanctity.
Laxminarayana temple:
A flagstone path links this temple with the Ram Raja
Temple. The style is an interesting synthesis of fort
and temple moulds. The interiors Covering the walls
and ceiling of three halls, these murals are vibrant
compositions and cover a variety of spiritual and
secular subjects. They are in an excellent state of
preservation, with the colours retaining their vivid
quality.
Phool Bagh:
Laid out as a formal garden, this complex testifies
to the refined aesthetic qualities of the Bundelas.
A central row of fountains culminates in an eight-pillared
palace-pavilion. A subterranean structure below was
the cool summer retreat of the Orchha kings. An ingenious
systems of water ventilation connected the under ground
palace with Chandan Katora, a bow-like structure from
whose fountains droplets of water filtered through
to the roof, simulating rainfall.
Dinman Hardaul's Palace:
Hardaul was a son of Bir Singh Ju Deo, and died to
prove his innocence to his elder brother Jhujhar who
cast doubts on his relationship with his (Jhujhar's)
consort. This saintly prince was, after his martyrdom,
worshipped as a god, and even today, the villages
of Bundelkhand contain platform -like shrines where
Hardaul is worshipped.
Sunder Mahal:
This small palace, almost in ruins today, is still
a place of pilgrimage for Muslims Dhurjban, son of
Jhujhar, embraced Islam when he wed a Muslim girl
at Delhi. He spent the latter part of his life in
prayer and meditation and came to be revered as a
saint.
Chhatries (Cenotaphs):
There are fourteen 'Chatries' or memorials to the
rulers of Orchha, grouped along the Kanchana Ghat
of the river Betwa.
Shahid Smarak :
Commemorates the great freedom fighter Chandrashekhar
Azad who lived and worked in hiding in Orchha during
1926 and '27
Other places worth seeing in Orchha are the shrines
of Siddh Baba Ka Sthan, Jugal Kishore, the Janki Mandir
and the Hanuman Mandir at Ohharedwara.
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By Rail:
Nearest railhead at Jhansi (16 km), on the Mumbai - Delhi
and Delhi - Madras main lines, Al major mail and express
trains stop at Jhansi.
By
Road:
Orchha lies on the Jhansi - Khajuraho Road.
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