Historical places in Jhansi

Orchha is a town of great historical significance. Located in the heart of Madhya Pradesh and on the realms of Betwa river, this small town, attracts several tourists from all across the world. The aesthetic amalgamation of luxury and the bliss of nature makes Orchha one of the best place for leisure and amusement. Orchha has a relaxing aura unlike other major cities of India. Tourists flocking to Orchha, club their visit here with a trip to Jhansi (16 km away) or to Khajuraho (170 Km away). Orchha still holds the grandeur of a princely town.

Places to visit in Orchha:

• Chaturbhuj Temple
• Jehangir Mahal
• Chhatris
• Ram Raja Temple
• RaJ Mahal
• Phool Bagh
• Sunder Mahal
• Rai Praveen Mahal

Shahi Darwaja Orchha was founded in 1531 (the 16th century AD) by the Bundela Rajput chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501-1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar, by the queen of Orchha, Ganesh Kunwar, while Raj Mandir was built by 'Raja Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591.

Orchha today is a sleepy little hamlet but it was once the capital city of the mighty Bundelkhand Empire. From time immemorial, Bundelkhand has been an important destination for all sorts of tourists and travellers.

The famous Chinese pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang, visited the area in the 7th century a.d. and gave a vivid account of the kingdom of ‘Jejakabhuti’, which corresponds to modern day Bundelkhand and a small part of Bagelkhand as well.

Orchha as it stands today, was founded in the 16th century a.d. by the Bundela chieftain, Rudra Pratap. The Bundelas were a warrior tribe who traced their ancestry to a medieval Rajput prince who sacrificed his life for the mountain goddess, Vrindavani. In return, the goddess proclaimed that henceforth, he and his descendants would be known as ‘Bundelas’, or ‘those who gave blood’. The Orchha Bundelas are said to be chiefs of the Bundela clan settled all over the plains of North India.

Orchha literally means ‘hidden place’ and it stays true to its name! Located in Madhya Pradesh, Orchha isn’t on most tourist maps and several travelers club their visit to Orchha with a trip to Jhansi (16 km away) or Khajuraho (170 km away). But with beautiful monuments, both big and small, revealing tales of battles between kings and emperors, Orchha deserves a trip of its own.

Once the capital of the Bundela Rajput kings, Orchha was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501. The medieval city has since seemingly frozen in time. Its several monuments continue to retain their original grandeur even as the city itself seems quite content to be hidden away from the throngs of tourists that descend upon Madhya Pradesh year after year.

The closest railhead to Orchha is Jhansi (about 16 km) and the best way to reach your destination is the ever-reliable auto rickshaw. If the narrow winding roads with fields on either side that lead you to this little town don’t transport you back to a more peaceful time, the several monuments that dot the Orchha landscape most certainly will.

The Orchha fort complex is the biggest tourist draw of this small town. You can buy a ticket here that will grant you access to all the sights in the town. The fort complex itself is divided into three parts:

The Raj Mahal was constructed by Madhukar Shah in the 17th century. His deeply religious beliefs are reflected in the design: the stunning murals are bold and colorful and revolve around religious themes. A well-tipped guide will be thrilled to open the doors of various chambers for you.

Also constructed in the 17th century, but by Madhukar Shah’s successor Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo to commemorate the visit of his friend, the Mughal emperor Jahangir, the eponymous Jahangir Mahal is another stunning piece of architecture in this hidden gem of a place.

Rai Parveen Mahal is dedicated to the musician-poetess, Rai Parveen, Raja Indramani’s (1672- 76) paramour. Emperor Akbar who was taken in by her beauty and had summoned her to Delhi sent her back to Orchha impressed with her dedication and love for Indramani.

The center of Orchha is the Ram Raja temple whose presiding deity is Lord Rama whose idol was supposed to be installed in the magnificent Chaturbhuj temple. Legend has it that the idols refused to move after being installed here and so a temple was built around them!

Chaturbhuj temple is yet another impressive piece of architecture and was built to house the idols that are now inside the Ram Raja temple. Today, it houses the image of Radha-Krishna. Tip the security guard who will unlock a hidden staircase that leads to the roof and offers panoramic views of the surroundings.

Home to some of the most exquisite wall paintings in Orchha, the Laxminarayan temple is yet another must-visit place. The murals are well-preserved and the colors of the murals retain most of their vibrancy.

The smallest palace in Orchha (and one that is in ruins) is the Sunder Mahal that was constructed by Prince Dhurjban who embraced Islam after marrying a Muslim girl and devoted his life to prayer and meditation. Dhurjban eventually came to be revered as a saint and Sunder Mahal became a pilgrimage site for Muslims.

Orchha also has 14 cenotaphs or chhatris that serve as memorials to Orchha rulers and the well laid-out garden, aptly called Phool Bagh.

On a seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River, which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, stands a huge palace-fort. The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which is the Raja Mahal.

The Ram Raja Temple is built on a square base and has an almost entirely plain exterior, relieved by projecting windows and a line of delicate domes along the summit. The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner surmounted by a dome, while two lines of graceful balconies supported on brackets mark the central storeys. The roof is crowned by eight large fluted domes, with smaller domes between them, connected by an ornamental balustrade. The Jahangir Mahal is considered to be a singularly beautiful specimen of Mughal architecture. A point worth mentioning here is that the mother of Jahangir, Mariam-uz-Zamani, was a Rajput princess. It is with this in mind that the Rajput king of Orchha had built the Jahangir Mahal. There is a spectacular light and sound show in the evening hours in the Jahangir Mahal. The show displays the history of the city of Orchha and the Jahangir Mahal. Chaturbhuj Temple is an old temple from the 9th century, and is noted for having one of the tallest Vimana among Hindu temples standing at 344 feet.

The Uth Khana (Camel Shelter) where the King's camels were stationed is right next to the fort and is a must-see. Tourists can also climb on the roof of the Uth Khana and get a fantastic view of Orchha town. The ruins behind the fort complex are an even greater sight. It makes a tourist travel back in time and is an integral part of a visit to Orchha. It houses the residences of various military officers, ministers (housing, roads), gunpowder factory, etc.

Numerous cenotaphs or chhatris dot the vicinity of the fort and the Betwa river. Elsewhere about the town there is an unusual variety of temples and tombs, including the Chaturbhuj temple, which is built on a vast platform of stone.The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stinging creatures.

In 2006, Orchha's buildings were being documented by the LIK Team of IIT Roorkee, India.

A community radio station, Radio Bundelkhand was launched in Orchha on 23 October 2008. It is an initiative of the Development Alternatives Group. The radio station broadcasts daily programs in the Bundeli dialect and devotes significant amount of its broadcast time to local issues, culture, education and the rich tradition of Bundeli folk music. The station is available on 90.4 MHz.

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 Ram Raja Temple. 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. Find the hidden stairs to the roof for a view of the entire area. The young key-holder will unlock the door to the hidden stairs and take you up for some money and show you around which he supposed to do for free.

History - The temple was constructed by the Bundela Rajputs of the kingdom of Orchha during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar.Its construction was begun by Madhukar Shah and completed by his son, Vir Singh Deo in the 16th century. Madhukar Shah built the temple for his wife, Rani Ganesh Kunwari.

According to a local legend, the temple was built after the queen had a "dream visitation" by Lord Rama directing her to build a temple for Him; while Madhukar Shah was a devotee of Krishna, his wife's dedication was to Rama. Following the approval to build the Chaturbhuja Temple, the queen went to Ayodhya to obtain an image of Lord Rama that was to be enshrined in her new temple. 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 Chaturbhuj Temple, it refused to be shifted from the palace. Hence, instead of the Chaturbhuj temple, the Rama's idol remained in the palace whereas the Chaturbhuj Temple remained without an idol in its sanctum. As Rama was worshiped in the palace it was converted into the Ram Raja Temple; it is the only shrine in the country where Rama is worshiped as a king.

The management of the temple on a day-to-day basis is the responsibility of the Ram Raja Trust. However, the conservation of the temple structure itself is under the control of the State Archaeology Department.

Features- The Chaturbhuj temple has tall spires in the shape of pine cones built atop a high platform of 4.5 metres (15 ft) height. The overall height of the temple is 105 metres (344 ft) high and its layout is compared to that of a Basilica and planned to resemble the four arms of Vishnu for whom it was built. The imposing view of the temple is that of 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, each of about 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) height, forming a winding stairway.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, and it is at right angles to the vestibule, of identical layout on either side.

The temple's exterior is richly ornamented with lotus symbols. The building displays a blend of religious and secular styles taken from temple and fort architecture. The temple faces east and is located on an axis with the nearby Ram Mandir, which is inside 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. The exterior architectural features include "petaled stone moldings, painted floral and geometric designs, cornices supported on lotus bud pendentive brackets, jewelled stone girdles, false balcony projections".

It is said that the towers of the temple, when built, had been covered with gold plating which over the years has been pilfered.

The roof of the temple is accessible from where one can see the scenic views of the Orchha town, the winding Betwa River, the Sawan Bhadon, the Rama Raja Temple and the imposing Laxmi Narayan temple some distance away.

Jehangir Mahal- The most notable is the Jahangir Mahal, a tiered palace crowned by graceful chhatris (domed pavilions). From here, the view of soaring temple spires and cenotaphs is spectacular. The richness of the Jahangir Mahal contrasts nicely with the austere beauty of the Raj Mahal, built by Madhukar Shah who was a religious-minded person. The last of the trio of palaces which embellish the Orchha fort is the Rai Parveen Mahal, built in the 17th century for Rai Parveen, the talented and artistically inclined lover of Orchha’s king, Raja Indrajit Singh.

Jahangir Mahal was built by King Vir Singh Deo, honoring the Mughal Prince Jahangir in the 17th century. This three storied structure is situated in the Fort complex of the Tikamgarh District of Orchha, it overlooks the Betwa River. The palace is spectacular and is built in an Indo Islamic architectural style, it consists of several courtyards, balconies, rooms and domes. The entrance facing the east is elaborate with the wall designed with turquoise tiles. Two stone elephants greet you at the entrance with a bell, which used to mark the entry of the king in the olden times. The best time to visit the palace is between the months of October and March as the temperature becomes pleasant. Visiting hours are, from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm.

Jahangir Mahal, 17th century mansion, is remarkable for its vivid and fine Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The reason behind the construction of this palace was to honor Jahangir on his first visit to Orchha. In this storied building, elements like marvelous sculptures, hanging balconies, delicate trellis and chhatris, topped domes, etc., represent an excellent architectural brilliance.

The Jahangir Mahal was built in 17th century by Bundela ruler, Bir Singh Deo. This palace is the symbol of friendship between the Bir Singh Deo and Jahangir. During the first visit of Jahangir in Orchha, this palace was built in his honor. The entrance of the palace is noticeable by traditional and artistic gateway. The front wall of the palace is covered with turquoise tiles and faces to the east. The magnificent Palace is a tourist destination for its grace and finest piece of architecture during Bundela Dynasty.

Ram Raja temple- This is the center around which the life of Orchha revolves. The presiding Deity here is Lord Ram. The idols were meant to be installed in the magnificent Chaturbhuj temple, but when the idols, once kept on the ground(where they are today), refused to move. So a makeshift temple was built around it and is known as Ram Raja temple. It has an excellent courtyard, tiled with marble and the temple in pink and yellow colors, gives a bright look. No cameras or bags allowed inside.

It is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage and receives devotees in large numbers regularly and is also commonly known as Orchha Temple. The annual domestic tourist number is around 650,000 and the foreign tourist number is around 25,000. The daily number of visitors to the temple range from 1500 to 3000 and on certain important Hindu festivals like the Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivratri, Ram Navami, Kartik Purnima and Vivaha Panchami the number of devotees who throng to Orchha range in thousands. In India this is the only temple where Lord Rama is worshiped as a king and that too in a palace. A Guard of Honour is held everyday, police personnel have been designated as Guards at the temple, much in the manner of a king.The food and other amenities provided to the deity at the temple are a royal repast. Armed salutation is provided to Lord Ram every day.

In the temple Raja Ram is accompanied by Sita (on the left), brother Lakshmana (on the right), Maharaj Sugriva and Narsingh Bhagwan (on the right). Durga Maa is also present in the darbaar on the right side. Hanuman ji and Jambavan ji are praying just below Sita. The speciality of this temple is that Lord Ram has a sword in his right hand and a shield in the other. Shri Ram is sitting in Padmasan, with the left leg crossed over the right thigh.

After that incident the king asked the queen to accompany him to Braj-Mathura the land of Lord Krishna, but the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya. The king got annoyed and told the queen to stop praying child form of lord Ram and accompany him to Braj. But the queen was adamant, after which the king said that "You keep praying to Ram but Ram never appears in front of us, unlike Lord Krishna who danced with us along with Radha the other day. If you are so adamant to go to Ayodhya then go, but return only when you have the child form of Ram with you. Only then will I accept your true devotion." The queen took a vow that she would go to Ayodhya and return with the child form of Ram or else she would drown herself in Ayodhya's Sarayu river. The queen left the palace and started the long journey to Ayodhya on foot to bring Lord Ram with her to Orchha. She didn't tell the King before leaving that she had ordered her servants to start building a temple (Chaturbhuj Temple) when she brings Lord Ram with her.

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 system of water ventilation connects the underground palace with Chandan Katora, a bowl-like structure from whose fountains droplets of water filtered through to the roof, simulating rainfall.

Phool Bagh is a beautiful landmark in Orchha, and represents the aesthetic values of the Bundelkhand dynasty, who were the rulers of this small kingdom in Madhya Pradesh. The garden is a gorgeous span of lush greenery that features a central row of fountains. It also has a subterranean structure underneath, which was used as a summer retreat by the kings of Orchha.

The garden is well-planned and has an ingenious system of water ventilation that connected the underground palace with Chandan Katora, a bowl-like structure from whose fountains, droplets of water filtered through to the roof, simulating rainfall and keeping the complex cool. The Phool Bagh also hosts the Badgir Sawan Bhadon Towers, which were built to catch the wind and cool the place. The garden invites visitors both for its scenic and architectural merits.

There is a tragic tale associated with it and it is said that it was built as a memorial for Dinman Hardaul, the prince of Orchha. The prince is believed to have died a martyr to prove his innocence to his elder brother.

Sunder Mahal- This small palace, almost in ruins today is still a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Dhurjban, son of Jujhar, 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.

Rai Parveen Mahal-Poetess and musician, Rai Parveen was the beautiful paramour of Raja Indramani (1672- 76) and was sent to Delhi on the orders of the Emperor Akbar, who was captivated by her. She so impressed the Great Mughal with the purity of her love for Indramani that he sent her back to Orchha.

Temple Attractions of the three main temples, the Laxminarayan Temple is a curious mix of fort and temple architecture. Most of its walls are decorated with murals, some with secular themes. On the other hand, the Ramaraja Temple is unusual in that here, Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu (the Hindu Preserver of the Universe), is worshipped as a ruler, and the building is actually a palace.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN ORCHHA-

Even though there are limited accommodations, Orchha has an array of options in terms of location and ambiance. The Sheesh Mahal, which was once a palace of a Bundelkhand king is now a heritage hotel and a beautiful place to stay. You can also opt to stay in a backwater resort, some of which offer tent accommodation facing Betwa River. The MPTDC runs a hotel that offers budget accommodation as well.

Orchha Resort is another delightful place to stay here, though it might serve you well to give their rooms a pass and book yourself in one of the tents that overlook the banks of Betwa.

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN ORCHHA-

There aren’t too many restaurants around Orchha but the Indian vegetarian food served is worth trying. While hotels have in-house restaurants that serve Indian and Chinese cuisine, the restaurants on the main road are best for the local cuisine. Meat eaters might have a little trouble finding a good meal since non-vegetarian food is served in few restaurants. Consider taking your lunch break at the Sheesh Mahal’s restaurant after visiting the fort complex.