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 Orcha
, today might be a sleepy little town but it was once the
capital of the mighty Bundelkhand. It rises out of the hills and the
greenery surrounding it. “ Orcha ” meaning ‘hidden’ is a
village, which has retained its own charm through the ages. Situated
on the bank of river Betwa, it is just 16kms. from Jhansi. The
temples and palaces built by the mighty Bundelas back in 16th and
17th centuries still stand proudly. Complementing the gentle
proportions of their exteriors are interiors, which represent some
of the finest example of the Bundela paintings. When the Tughlaqs
were ruling Delhi in the 15th century, they pushed the Bundelkhand
rajas out of Garkhundar, The Bundelkhands, then moved to this small
town of Orcha . It is the best vacation spot for all travel
enthusiasts from all over the world. Orcha is popular for its
beautiful tourist destinations and temples, which attracts several
people from all over the globe and provides them unforgettable
moments of vacation.
Orcha was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela Rajput
chief Rudra Pratap, who chose this particular piece of land along
the Betwa river as the site for his capital. There is a very
interesting story connected with it. The Bundelas, actually were a
warrior tribe, who traced their ancestors to one young medieval
Rajput prince who sacrificed his life for a mountain Goddess,
Vrindavasini. In return, the Goddess affirmed that from now on, he
and all his descendants would come to be known as the 'Bundelas',
meaning, 'those who gave blood'. And the Orchha Bundelas came to be
known as the chief of the Bundela clan.
Climate
Orcha ’s climate is tropical; summers are extremely hot,
while winters can be very cold. Monsoon, generally starts from July
and can last till the month of September.
How to reach
Air: Nearest airports to Orcha are Gwalior (25 kms)
and Khajuraho.
Rail - Nearest railway station is Jhansi (16 km), which is on
the mainline from Delhi-Bombay and Delhi-Madras. All major express
and mail trains stop here.
Road: - Regular bus service to Orcha is available from
Jhansi, Delhi, Gwalior, Bhopal and Varanasi.
When to visit Orcha
The best time to visit Orcha is in the winters between
September and March when the temperature remains very pleasant.
PLACES TO VISIT
The wonderful city of Orcha has many places of interest for
the tourists as well as people from all across the globe. Some of
the most important tourist destinations in Orcha are:
Ram Raja Mandir
This is probably the most important as well as the most unusual of
all the temples found in the whole of Madhya Pradesh. It is also the
only temple in Orcha as well as the whole India, where Lord
Rama is worshipped as a king, and that too in a palace. It is a
palace turned temple and it has a wonderful legend attached to it.
It is said that king Madhukar Shah brought an idol of Lord Rama from
Ayodhya to be installed in the Chaturbhuj temple. But later, when
the idol proved impossible to move, king Madhukar Shah remembered
the deity’s proclamation that the image would remain in the place
where it would be first installed. If you are planning your vacation
in Orcha, you should remember that Raja Ram Mandir is one of the
most visited attractions by tourists.
Chaturbhuj Temple
This temple was built on a huge platform of stone and is reached by
some very steep stairs. It contains the image of Lord Rama, which
was originally installed in the Ram Raja Mandir. Some very beautiful
lotus emblems and a number of other religious symbols adorn the
exteriors of the temple.
Raja Mahal
Raja Rudra Pratap started the work on Raja Mahal but after his death
in 1531, his son Bharath Chand completed the main portion of the
palace, but even he could not complete it in his lifetime. It was
finally completed by one of the most famous rulers of Orcha –
Madhukar Shah. He built several other monuments, towns and halls as
well. Raja Mahal is one of the finest examples of Mughal
architecture. It has the typical “jali” or lattice work at the
entrance, found in many other Mughal structures. It is a square
shaped palace, which is further divided into two beautiful
courtyards. The outer courtyard has some beautiful arches, while the
inner ones have some of the most beautiful paintings.
Inside the palace, two places worth looking at are the “Darbar – I –
Khas” and the “Diwan – I – Aam”. The entire structure of the Palace
is very exquisitely constructed and very astonishing.
Phool Mahal
Another beautiful complex located in the Tikamgarh district of
Orcha , is the Phool Mahal or the palace of flowers. The Phool
Mahal affirms the aesthetic qualities of the Bundelas. What one
finds here is an absolute work of art. A central row of fountains
end into an eight-pillared pavilion. There is also a bowl-like
structure called the “Chandan Katora”, from whose fountains droplets
of water permeates out through the roof, just like rainfall. It is
also a cool summer retreat and is locared just near the “Palki Mahal”.
Rai Parveen Mahal
Rai Parveen Mahal was built in memory of the famous musician and
poetess – Rai Parveen. She was the beautiful admirer of Raja
Indramani. Emperor Akbar was so mesmerized by the beauty of Rai
Parveen, that on his orders she was brought to Delhi. However, after
she was brought, emperor Akbar was so very impressed with the love
and devotion of Rai Parveen towards Raja Indramani, that he sent her
back to Orcha .
Rai Parveen Mahal is a beautiful two-storeyed brick structure built
to match the height of the trees in the surroundings. It also has
some beautiful garden, with octagonal flowerbeds and a very
impressive water supply system. This complex also has a mini hall
and some chambers as well.
Dinman Hardaul Temple
Hardaul was the son of king Bir Singh Ju Deo, who died to prove his
innocence to his elder brother Jhujhar, Jhujhar had accused Hardaul
of having an affair with his wife. Hardaul, the saintly prince,
after his martyrdom became a cult figure and was worshipped as God.
Even today, people of the Bundelkhand region worship Hardaul as God.
The Dinman Hardaul Fort is located on the other side of the village,
just next to the Ram Raja Temple.
Jehangir Mahal
The Bundela king, Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century, to celebrate
the visit of emperor Jehangir to Orcha , built this fort. It
provides a wonderful countryside view and the chattris or the
umbrella shaped tops add to the richness of the Jehangir Mahal.
There is also a small archaeological museum located inside the
complex. The Jehangir Mahal is a five-storeyed complex and houses as
many as eight pavilions. Of special mention here, is the fact that
the third floor has a court where the Orcha rulers met with
their subjects. Long lines of elephant statues cover the entrance to
the court. The whole Mahal is decorated beautifully with different
geometric patterns and paintings of peacocks and flowers.
HOTELS
The city of Orcha offers ample
accommodation options. In terms of hotels you may choose from
government approved and various hotels in Orcha .
Luxury Hotels
-
Orcha resort.
-
Sheesh Mahal.
-
Amar Mahal Hotel.
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