Walking along the heritage town of Orchha - A hidden gem of Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh

Spending a day in Orchha, a hidden gem of Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, felt like walking down the memory lanes of a royal princely town of India. With every step I took on the streets of Orchha, I was transported into the life of kings and queens who lived in magnificent palaces surrounded by hills and dense woods, worshipped their gods in palace-style carved temples, strolled around beautiful floral gardens and left their last memories in unique styled cenotaphs on the banks of a river. Orchha, which literally means "hidden", is a quaint island town nestled on the banks of river Betwa in Madhya Pradesh.

​Founded in 15th century by Rudra Pratap Singh, the kingdom of Orchha was ruled by him and his brothers after which it was captured by Akbar under the Mughal Empire. In 16th century, when Jahangir came to power in the Mughal Empire, he gifted the kingdom of Orchha to Vir Singh Bundela, as a token of his loyalty for helping the emperor in a fight against his enemies. Under the Bundela reign, Orchha flourished with its glorious monuments of unique Indo-Muslim architectural style resulting out of the cultural amalgamation of Rajput kingdom in Mughal era. The historic town of Orchha seems to be frozen in time since then, as it still retains its old charm with rich Indian heritage and natural beauty.

Royal Chhatris / Cenotaphs of Bundela Kings in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh

​Orchha Fort Complex

Orchha fort complex is a grand structure of marvellous buildings where each door opens to a story from the yesteryears. The unique blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture in Orchha is something to really look forward to. The fort contains three major palaces of Orchha:
​Raja Mahal - built in classic Rajput style for the Bundela kings and queens.
Sheesh Mahal - the palace of mirrors with high ceilings is now owned by Madhya Pradesh Tourism and converted into a heritage stay.
Jahangir Mahal - built with a blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture, exclusively to welcome Jahangir in Orchha.

Raja Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

The Raja Mahal (King's Palace) was built in Rajput style for the kings and queens of Orchha. The palace is huge and has a courtyard in the centre. The exterior facade of the palace is simple but the interior chambers are decorated royally. 

Raja Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

​The Rajput styled domes topped on the roof of Raja Palace have braved various attacks and weathers and haven't lost the charm of its naturally coloured stone structures till date. 

Rajput styled domes of Raja Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

Raja Palace has several secret passages. The layout and design of the windows and passage allow sunlight in the palace which creates different moods according to changing temperatures and light shades.

Arcaded passages of Raja Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

The interior chambers of Raja Mahal are painted with murals based on religious and social themes. Various illustrations from Ramayana, different avatars of Vishnu, social celebrations and festivals can be seen painted on the inner walls and ceilings of the kings' and queens' rooms.

Murals in Raja Mahal, Orchha

A mural depicting a traditional wedding celebration with various characters in the procession encompassed in the body of an elephant. 

Mural in Raja Mahal, Orchha

Jahangir Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

Jahangir Mahal was built by the king exclusively to host Emperor Jahangir in Orchha just for one night. Jahangir Mahal is a portrayal of fascinating mix of Mughal and Bundela architecture. The palace is decorated with lavish exteriors and interiors. The roof of the palace is crowned with eight Mughal style domes in each corner and smaller domes between them. The courtyard has a water tank in the centre. 

Jahangir Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

​The windows of Jahangir Mahal are embellished with intricate lattice design. The roof and the domes look quite appealing with the naturally coloured turquoise stones.

Lattice design on windows of Jahangir Mahal in Orchha Fort Complex

Phool Bagh & Dinman Hardaul Palace in Orchha Fort Complex

The Jahangir Palace opens up to a pleasing view of an elegant garden annexed to the fort complex. Phool Bagh is again an amalgamation of Bundela and Mughal styles where the architecture of the garden is Rajput and the plantation is Mughal. There's a palace inside phool bagh which was built for the prince Dinman Hardaul.

Phool Bagh & Dinman Hardaul Palace in Orchha Fort Complex

​Ram Raja Temple in Orchha

An interesting folklore lies behind the temple built for Ram in Orchha. Chaturbhuj Temple was originally built to worship the image of Lord Ram. The queen of Orchha, a devotee of Lord Ram, went to Ayodhya to bring an idol of Ram. The idol was handed over to her with a condition that the first place she rests the idol at, would be the permanent abode for the deity. When the queen arrived in Orchha with the idol from Ayodhya, she stopped at the Rani Mahal (Queen's Palace) for rest. She had forgotten the condition and surprisingly the idol couldn't be moved from Rani Mahal to Chaturbhuj Temple. And therefore, the Rani Mahal had to be converted to Ram Raja Temple which has simple yellow exteriors and the obvious looks of a palace. Ram Raja Temple in Orchha is the only temple in India where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king and not as a god.

Ram Raja Temple & Chaturbhuj Temple in Orchha

​Chaturbhuj Temple in Orchha

Chaturbhuj Temple in Orchha is famous as the Hindu Temple with the tallest Vimana (ornate monumental tower) in India. The Basilica styled multi-storeyed structure with tall spires in shape of pine cones can't fail to attract anyone's attention. Chaturbhuj Temple is an outstanding structure with an eccentric blend of temple, fort and palace architectural features. Chaturbhuj, meaning one with four arms, refers to avatar of Vishnu. Chaturbhuj Temple was constructed by the Bundela Rajputs to enshrine the image of Lord Rama (an avatar of Vishnu), but according to the local legend mentioned above, the idol of Lord Rama had to be placed in Ram Raja Temple next to it and Charutbhuj Temple remained without any sanctum.

Basilica style Chaturbhuj Temple in Orchha

Royal Chhatris / Cenotaph of Bundela King​s in Orchha

The final memories of the Bundela Rajput kings of Orchha remain captured in the cenotaphs (tombs) on the banks of river Betwa. The grand palatial structures of the cenotaphs flaunt the royalty of the Bundela kings. The distinctive chhatri with large domes and mighty pillars is the memorial of Vir Singh Deo, under whose period the Bundela dynasty flourished. The chhatri of Vir Singh Deo completely reflects Hindu architecture. Even thought the shikara (tower) of his chhatri remained incomplete due to political instability, this structure right next to the river looks quite picturesque.

Cenotaph of Bundela King Vir Singh Deo in Orchha

The 14 cenotaphs, one for each Bundela king of Orchha, are dotted on the bank of river Betwa. Most of the cenotaphs of the Bundela kings have identical structures and are found together in a complex. Rather than the common dome shaped layout, the roayl chhatris in Orchha are topped with temple style shikharas. These timeworn cenotaphs, reflecting a combination of Mughal and Bundela architecture, are the most impressive monuments of Orchha. 

Royal chhatris / cenotaphs of Bundela kings of Orchha

Wildlife & Birding in Orchha Wildlife Sanctuary

The gateway to the jungles of Orchha Wildlife Sanctuary is right across Betwa river near the cenotaphs. The sanctuary is said to be spread over a small area with some interesting wildlife species. I'm more attracted to birds and Orchha is a paradise for bird lovers. Betwa river builds an amazing ecosystem for various in-house as well as seasonal migratory birds. While taking a stroll along the countryside of Orchha, I could spot various colourful species of birds hidden in the lush green plantations. Some birds have made their spaces even in the monuments of the fort complex. The cenotaphs of Orchha are breeding sites to a rare Indian specie of long-billed vultures.
​Orchha offers a perfect blend of heritage, culture and nature in the heart of India - Madhya Pradesh.

Long-billed vulture of India on cenotaphs of Orchha

Indian Golden Oriole in Orchha

Amar Mahal - Luxury Stay in Orchha overlooking the Cenotaphs

I had visited Orchha as a part of Culture and Heritage Trail in Madhya Pradesh with Times Passion Trails. To give us an experience of a royal Bundela palatial stay, we were hosted in the luxury suites of Amar Mahal. The doors of Amar Mahal opened into panoramic views of monuments, cenotaphs and the surrounding hills. The restaurants served lip-smacking Bundelkhandi delicacies making it a perfect way to spend a day in the royal town of Orchha.

​Royal Palatial food experiences by Times Passion Trails

My trip to Orchha was part of Culture and Heritage Trail in Madhya Pradesh handcrafted by Times Passion Trails. They had promised us to make us "live" the stories of the chosen destinations centred around culture and heritage of Madhya Pradesh. The handpicked destinations were topped by heritage stays, handcrafted food menus, expert archeologists and historians, a private Sufi night with India's renowned Coke Studio artists. The experience of living through the royal life of Madhya Pradesh was completed by an exclusively curated 7-course palace-style dinner. Experiential journeys are meant to be lived to the fullest!

​Royal Palatial food experiences by Times Passion Trails

P.S. This trip was a part of Culture and Heritage Trail curated by Times Passion Trails in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

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