Orcha
Temple situated
on banks of river Betwa. Used to be the capital
of the region (Bundelkhand) but now is small village.
The palaces are of impressive size and there are
pleasent views of the countryside from their upper
levels 112km south of Gwalior by car, reach Orchha,
founded by Rudra Pratap, a
Bundela ruler. The region is situated on the banks
of the Betwa River. Later, Orcha was the capital
of Bir Singh Deo (1605-1627) who built the Jehangir
Mahal to please the Mogul emperor Jehangir. Close-by,
near the border of Madhya Pradesh, is Datia, site
of the 7-storeyed palace of Bir Singh Deo. The temples
and palaces of the Bundela rulers still retain their
medieval grandeur. The palace walls are decorated
with colourful frescoes executed in the manner of
miniature paintings, and depict scenes from the
popular legend of love between Radha and Lord Krishna.
Masterpiece conceptions are the Ram Raja Temple,
the only temple in India where devotees worship
Lord Rama as a king, and Phool Bagh, an artificial
cascade. Flight to Bhopal. capital of the province.
Orcha's fort complex, approached by a multi-arched
bridge, has three palaces set in an open quadrangle
Places to
See
Jehangir
Mahal
It built by Raja Bir Singh in 17th century to commemorate
the visit of Emperor Jehangir. Its strong lines
are counterbalanced by delicate Chhatries and trellis
work, the whole conveying an effect of extraordinary
richness.
Raj Mahal
It is situated to the right of the quadrangle, this
palace was built by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious
predecessor of Bir Singh ju Deo. The plain exteriors,
crowned by chhatries, give way to interiors with
exquisite murals, boldly colorful, on a variety
of religious themes.
Rani Praveen
Mahal
It is a low, two- storied brick structure, designed
to match the height of the trees in the surroundings.
The Anand Mahal has beautifully landscaped gardens,
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.
Ram Raja
Temple
This palace turned temple has a charming legend
attached to it. Following the dream-visitation of
Rama, the pious Madhukar Shah brought a statue of
the god from Ayodhya to his capital. Today, with
its soaring spires and palatial architecture, the
temple is surely one of the most unusual in India.
It is also the only one 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 Rama that remained
in the Rama Raja Temple.
Phool Bagh
It is laid out as a formal garden, testifying to
the refined aesthetic qualities of Bundelas. A central
row of fountains culminates into an eight-pillared
palace-pavilion. A subterranean structure below
used to be the summer retreat of Orcha Kings. An
ingenious system of water ventilation connected
the underground palace with Chandan Katora a bowl
like structure from whose fountains droplets of
water filtered through the roof, simulating rain-fall.
Laxminarayan
Temple
A flagstone path links this temple with the Ram
Raja Temple. The style is an interesting synthesis
of fort and temple modes. The interiors contain
the most exquisite of Orchha's wall paintings.