The Magical Orchha

My Quest with Magical Orchha

Orchha was not a part of my plan when I started my day at Gwalior. I was driving solo from Mumbai – Delhi- Mumbai and stopping over at places of historical importance. You would get some context if you read my earlier blog on Gwalior. Thus, I would recommend my readers to at least glance through it. As I woke up early morning in Gwalior I first went to visit the Tansen Ka Maqbara and then returned to my hotel and had a hearty breakfast. The last stopover at Gwalior was Jai Vilas Palace, the official residence of the Scindias. After freshening up I left for this wonderful museum and Palce and was free by 11 AM.

The plan was to drive down to Jhansi, look around in leisure, and stay overnight. The details of the Jhansi escapade are hyperlinked in the name Jhansi. However, I recollected that one of my friends in the distant past mentioned Orchha being a treasure trove for travelers. I thanked God for the timing of this Deja vu that helped me to take swift action. I got it in my car, put on Google Maps for Orchha, and started driving.

The town of Orchha is located on the banks of the Betwa River and I had first-hand experience of its prowess on reaching Orchha. Before starting off from Orchha I booked a night stay at Orchha Resort from MakeMyTrip( MMT). On arriving at the hotel I could see the entire hotel was flooded and the river was literally flowing through the middle of the resort. The sheer madness of the water made me stationery and watch the spectacle with wide-open jaws.

When I regained my wits I called MMT about the ground situation and they went about working to find me a suitable stay. The mobile network was patchy and the calls kept dropping. Thus my agent requested me to call back within 30 minutes which would provide her ample time to find me accommodation. I agreed and started walking on the opposite side of the Resort towards the Royal Cenotaph.

The Royal Cenotaph

There are 15 Cenotaphs of the Bundela kings and members of their clan present here. Before visiting here I read about 14 of them across multiple articles. However, I realized there is one small one on the river bank outside the wall of the Cenotaph. I counted that as well. These funereal monuments were built to immortalize the rulers of the Bundelkhand dynasty.

The architecture is either made as Chhatries (umbrella-shaped) or the Panchaytan style that comprises a central square shrine constructed on an elevated platform surrounded by four other shrines. The upper portion has been made angular with arches. Since Hindus are cremated, the cenotaphs are empty structures, but the chhatris have become the living quarters of a colony of vultures, a critically endangered species. The ruins themselves are all open except for one, and what is unique about them is that most have a series of rough steps that will lead you up to the very top of the monument

A few notable ones are Madhukar Shah, Vir Singh Deo, and Jaswant Singh. The Archaeological Survey of India has done a great job of putting a display board in front of each of the structures and explaining important facts about the architectural style and the King to whom the Cenotaph is dedicated.

Entry is allowed basis the Entry ticket of the Orchha fort. However, as I started the trip from the Cenotaph I paid a small sum of ₹ 10/- as gratitude to the watchman who worked diligently and provided me valuable information, passed on to him from his previous generations. I would recommend a duration of 45 minutes. However, it is quite a pleasant place in the evening to look at the sunset over the Cenotaph and the melodies created by chirping birds and thus one can decide to sit and relax and catch some fresh air.

I was actually thinking of sitting down and enjoying the view when my MMT agent called me and declared victoriously that I had been upgraded to the Amar Palace Hotel, just a few meters away from the Cenotaph. It was a long day driving across 3 historical places and sightseeing so I decided to hit the soft bed early and be ready for the next morning.

The Amar Mahal Palace was indeed an outstanding place to stay and I enjoyed every moment there. It would not be a bad idea for my readers to check out the place and decide for themselves. I felt like a Royal staying in my Palace and the courteous staff just made the experience better. Do not miss their Lal Maas and Roti at their restaurant!

Chaturbhuj Temple

The next morning I woke up to the chirping of birds in my Palatial room in Amar Mahal Palace. After spending some time walking barefoot on the lawn of the Mughal garden, not only I felt connected to nature but was completely refreshed. I went straight for a sumptuous breakfast and was ready for my day sightseeing at Orchha. I checked out and drove straight to the Chaturbhuj Temple. There was ample parking and due to the early hour, I was not required to pay any Parking fees either.

Chaturbhuj Temple is a complex multi-storied structure that is a blend of temple, fort, and palace architecture; dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The ginormous structure stands tall with its head held high though from a distance can look like an old dilapidated building. This temple was originally built to worship Rama, as the chief deity, although at present an image of Radha Krishna is worshiped. Will elaborate on the reason subsequently. The temple has probably the tallest Vimana among Hindu temples standing at 344 feet. It was constructed by the Bundela Rajputs of the kingdom of Orchha during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar. The construction was started by Madhukar Shah and completed by his son, Vir Singh Deo in the 16th century. Madhukar Shah built the temple for his wife, Rani Ganeshkuwari.

The overall height of the temple is 105 meters (344 ft). The imposing view of the temple is that of the multi-storied Palace with arcaded openings, a very large entrance, a large central tower, and fortifications. The climb to the temple facade involves climbing steep and narrow steps numbering 67, which form a winding stairway. The roof of the temple is accessible to tourists and provides a spectacular 360-degree view of the magical Orchha. The interior has many halls and the main hall or mandapa of the temple is built in the shape of a cross or cruciform and is stated to be a mix of Māru-Gurjara architecture.

The temple’s exterior is richly ornamented with lotus symbols. The temple faces east and is located on an axis with the nearby Ram Raja Mandir, which is inside the Orchha Fort complex. However, there is not much ornamentation in the interior part of the temple. The ceiling of the central dome, which has several kiosks, is covered with bloomed lotuses. It is said that the towers of the temple, when built, had been covered with gold plating which over the years has been pilfered.

I have a special affinity for old buildings of historical importance and thus ended up spending 1 hour inside the temple premises. This endeavor helped me with early morning cardio and soaking in the morning sun at Orchha. The fresh breeze blowing across the Betwa River made the entire experience memorable and would last a lifetime. As I descended down to the ground level, I could see devotees lining up in front of the Raja Ram temple, and I decided to check out.

Raja Ram Temple

Lord Rama is regarded as the King of Orchha, other than Ayodhya, his birthplace. I learned even VIPs visiting here are prohibited from acting as rulers. The Police on a daily basis provide a Guard of Honour, which is unheard of across any town on this planet. Please find the official website as a Hyperlink, Raja Ram Temple. This will provide you with all the relevant information about the various services starting from accommodation, Pooja offerings, etc. There are online bookings of Darshans also facilitated through this website.

Devotees are requested to note that cameras, Video cameras, Handicams, Mobiles, and Leather Items like Belts and Wallets are not allowed in Temple and Temple Premises. The temple remains closed after Aarti Rajbhog; starting at 1230 PM or 1.00 PM (depending on the season) till Shyam Aarti starts at 7 pm or 8 PM depending on the season.

According to a local legend, the temple was built after the queen had a dream of Lord Rama directing her to build a temple for Him, while Madhukar Shah( King) was a devotee of Krishna. This difference led to many disputes between them. One day the king challenged the queen to bring Lord Rama to Orchha if he really exists. Thus the queen went to Ayodhya to obtain an image of Lord Rama that was to be enshrined in her new temple. She prayed for 21 days with rigorous penance. It is said the Lord appeared before her in his child form and agreed to go with her on three conditions

1. He will be the only king of Orchha
2. Wherever he is placed once he will remain there forever
3. He will go at a particular time and with some monks.

When she came back from Ayodhya with the image of Rama, initially she kept the idol in her palace, called Rani Mahal, as the Chaturbhuj Temple was still under construction. She was, however, unaware of an injunction that the image to be deified in a temple could not be kept in a Palace. Once the temple construction was completed and the idol of the lord had to be moved for installation at the Chatrubhuj Temple, it refused to be shifted from the Palace. Hence, instead of the Chaturbuj temple, Rama’s idol remained in the Palace whereas the Chaturbhuj Temple remained without an idol in its sanctum.

Orchha Fort

The final frontier and probably the best of Orchha is the main building of the Orchha fort. The Cenotaphs, Chaturbhuj temple, and the Raja Ram temple although part of the Fort premises are located on an island formed on the basin of the Betwa River. Thus as I walked toward the fort I crossed a small bridge and along with me passed livestock. I patted a cow and watched the swirling river flowing ferociously under the bridge; a sight in itself. The cow realising I had no food to offer, walked past and left me to enjoy the view on my own

I entered the fort premised through a large door called Kanteela Darwaja and landed straight in front of the ticket counter. I paid a paltry sum of ₹10/- for my entrance ticket and kept wondering who does someone maintain a historical monument of this magnitude with such low gratitude from tourists. These are national treasures and I guess it is not a difficult decision for anybody that these monuments have to be protected and for that funds are required. Looking at the upkeeping and the ticket prices I had no doubt that time would keep erasing the glories of the past and the future generations will probably wonder why Orchha was called Magical in the distant past!

At this point, a young guide approached me introduced himself as Pratap, and showed his ID. I always hire the services of a guide and this time was no different. It is my way of picking up valuable information easily and keeping it stored in my memories forever. I tend to remember facts when someone tells me rather than when I read them somewhere. His fees were equally reasonable and thus I did not bargain. However, if someone is on a low budget you can hire an audio guide from the ticket counter and have a comprehensive trip on your own as well.

Pratap showed me a board depicting a map of the Fort area and 27 stopovers. I have uploaded a picture of the map for easy reference for my readers. Before moving ahead I requested him to provide me with a summary of each of the points and he did that patiently. I immediately understood he knew his subject and the next couple of hours would be exciting. Based on his description I informed him of places where I would want to visit and the ones that could be skipped. Thus, we started on our journey and Pratap started educating me about the history that created this magnificent town.

The fort was built by Rudra Pratap Singh, a Bundela Rajput king, in the 16th century. The Palaces and Temples within the fort complex were built over a period of time by successive Maharajas of Orchha State. The fort palaces showcase a supreme display of Mughal-influenced Rajput architecture. Raja Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, Rai Parveen Mahal, Phool Bagh, and Sheesh Mahal are some examples of such structures within the fort complex.

The Raja Mahal or King’s Palace construction was started by Raja Rudra Pratap but it was completed by Madhukar Shah, the predecessor of Bir Singh Deo of Orchha in the 17th century. This is a fine example of Mughal architecture with typical stone Jali work and multifaced arches at the entrance. The palace is in the shape of a perfect square that is further divided into two courtyards. The main courtyard is flanked by multi-storeyed apartments on all sides. The Raja Mahal’s facade is simply personified with hardly any ornamental detailing, but the interior chambers of the palace are elaborately decorated with murals of social and religious themes of gods, mythical animals, and people.

The Jahangir Mahal was built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century to commemorate the visit of Emperor Jahangir to Orchha. The palace is built on four levels with elegant architectural features of both Muslim and Rajput architecture. Its layout is a symmetrical square built in the inner courtyard of the fort and has eight large domes. It has a plethora of rooms with arcaded openings, projecting platforms, and windows with lattice design work. The entrance of the palace is noticeable by the traditional and artistic gateway. The front wall of the palace is covered with turquoise tiles and faces to the east. The palace also houses a small archaeological museum.

Rai Parveen Mahal, another imposing structure in the fort complex, was constructed in 1618 by Indrajeet Singh. This Mahal( Palace) was built for the admiration of Rai Parveen, also known as the ‘Nightingale of Orchha’. She was well known for her beauty and her passion for poetry and music. The palace is a simple structure just outside the Jahangir Mahal. The key attraction of Rai Parveen Mahal is the portraits of different dancing postures of Rai Parveen along with the posture of King Indrajeet riding a horse.

Sheesh Mahal is flanked on either side by the Raja Mahal and the Jahangir Mahal. This has royal accommodation, which was built for King Udait Singh. It has now been converted into a hotel. Phool Bagh is an elegantly laid out garden in the fort complex which has a line of water fountains that terminates in a palace pavilion that has eight pillars. Below this garden is an underground structure that was used by the royalty as a cool summer retreat.

The recommended duration is at least 2 hours and I can assure you that time will fly. Orchha is one of the rare gems nestling between man-made architectural geniuses and the force of nature surrounding it to provide contrast. I have been an explorer all my life and I love to move on to my next destination and not look back. However, I have to accept that Orchha is one of the rarities that left a deep affinity towards it in my heart. I wanted to move on at the same time yearned to stay back a bit more in the peace and tranquility of this town. Thus I stood on the balcony of Jahangir Mahal and took a deep long look across the horizons on all sides and with a smile left the town with gratitude for being able to land my feet here.