ORCHHA- THE HIDDEN GEM OF BUNDELKHAND

ORCHHA- THE HIDDEN GEM OF BUNDELKHAND

Orchha is an idyllic town on the banks of the river Betwa in the Bundelkhand area of MP. Orchha meaning ‘hidden’ is aptly named. Off the beaten tourist track this hidden gem is a good weekend getaway from Delhi or can be combined with other tourist destinations in MP. Orchha was the capital of the Bundela kingdom, founded by the Bundela king Rudra Pratap Singh in the sixteenth century. The Bundela king Bir Singh Deo was a favourite of the Mughal emperor Jehangir and it is during this period that the Bundelas were at the zenith of their power. The reign of Shah Jehan as Mughal emperor saw the decline of the Bundelas. A final blow was given to them when Aurangzeb crushed their revolt and the Mughal army sacked Orchha.

Jhansi is the nearest railway station. From the station we took a large auto to get to Orchha since there were no taxis in sight. The distance is not much a mere 18 km so the auto ride did not feel too unpleasant. There are two good MPTDC resorts in Orchha, Sheesh Mahal and Betwa Resort. Both are reasonably good and conveniently located. Orchha is still a very small town so most places of interest are within walking distance of wherever you’re staying. Orchha has a quaint olde world charm with its picturesque skyline dotted with temples, palaces and cenotaphs. The Bundela rulers especially Bir Singh Deo, were prolific builders, the many palaces, temples and cenotaphs of Orchha bear testimony to that.

On the first day we decided to explore the fort complex which house some of the palaces. On the way we noticed that many of the houses had doors painted a lovely blue. I asked people about it but received no explanation for it. These houses reminded me of pictures of Greeks islands I had seen with their whitewashed houses and blue doors. Day passes are sold at the fort complex which can be used to see all the monuments of Orchha.An arched bridge leads to the complex where one can see the Jahangir Mahal, Raj Mahal, Rai Praveen Mahal amongst others. The Jehangir Mahal, was built by Bir Singh Deo to welcome the Mughal emperor Jehangir when he visited Orchha. The eastern gateway to the palace is the most impressive. On this imposing gateway one can still see inlay of turquoise tiles. The large door is flanked by two elephants and above it are latticed windows and balconies. Standing in the central courtyard of the palace one can see three storeys of the palace all around with its balconies and royal apartments. On top of the building one can see chattris of various sizes. The architectural style of the Jehangir Mahal displays a free fusion of Rajput and Mughal elements with chhajas, brackets and jharokas freely intermingling with domes and arches. The Raj Mahal was built in the 17th century by Madhukar Shah, the predecessor of Bir Singh Ju Deo. It is architecturally less impressive than the Jahangir Mahal but some of the rooms in the palace contain lovely murals with mirror inlay on the walls and ceilings of scenes of gods and goddesses and hunting scenes.

Rai Praveen Mahal was built for the musician and poetess, Rai Parveen who was the favourite courtesan of King Indramani. Emperor Akbar was enchanted by her beauty and asked for her to be sent to Delhi. On her arrival at Delhi she impressed the Emperor so much with her love for Indramani that the Emperor ordered her to be sent back to Orchha. The palace built for her is a low, two-storied brick structure. The structure is dominated by a large hall on the ground floor used for performances. At the back one can see the old camel stables and remains of various other buildings from the town’s heyday as the Bundela capital.

After exploring the palaces we decided to see the cenotaphs or chattris as they are locally known. The cenotaphs are at the other end of the town from the palaces. We saw them around dusk when they were bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. I found it unusual to see cenotaphs built for Hindu rulers since tombs are usually associated with the Islamic rulers. Perhaps it was due to the pervading influence of the Mughals on the Bundelas. Most of them have a shikhara in the typical style of Nagara architecture and surrounding domes. Some of the cenotaphs are in a state of complete disrepair and cannot be entered. Others are in better shape and one can go in but the interiors have been badly damaged. One can only see vestiges of the paintings that would have adorned the walls at one time. On the domes atop some of the cenotaphs one can see vultures nesting, which for most city dwellers has become a rare sight.

The next morning I woke up early and set off to see the Betwa river in the morning. The ghats of the river are buzzing with activity in the morning. People are bathing, washing clothes, utensils and cattle. One can see a clear reflection of the cenotaphs in the river on a clear morning which makes for an amazing photograph.

After breakfast we decided to explore the temples of Orchha. We first went to the Ram Raja Temple. This temple is a busy hub of activity. As one enters the temple one sees the usual sights, thronging devotees, musicians, flower sellers and ash smeared sadhus. The temple was originally a palace. Legend has it that the Bundela King Madhukar Shah’s wife asked for a statue of Ram to be brought from Ayodhya. The idol was brought and placed in this palace as the temple in which it was to be placed was under construction. However after the temple was ready the idol could not be shifted  because of the deity’s command that the statue could not be shifted where from the place where it was first installed. This led to the palace becoming a temple. The temple has unfortunately been given a fresh coat of pink and cream paint which makes it much less aesthetically appealing than the other temples of Orchha.

Close to the Ram Raja Temple is a flight of steps leading to the Chaturbhuj Temple. This was the temple built by Madhukar Shah originally to house the idol of Ram. But since the idol could not be shifted from the Ram Raja Temple this temple was dedicated to the four –armed Vishnu, hence the name Chaturbhuj. The temple has a cruciform structure which is unusual for Hindu temples and a large high ceilinged meditation hall in the centre. The temple is surmounted by four conical shikaras on the four corners and a large one above the garbagriha. The Lakshminarayan Temple which is on top of a hill combines features of a temple and fort. The temple looks it has a triangular plan but it is actually rectangular and its diagonal entrance is in alignment with the Jehangir Mahal. This temple was built by the King Bir Singh Deo. The outside facade of the temple is quite plain but the interiors more than make up for it. Inside the temple are some of the finest murals in Orchha combining elements of Mughal miniature and the Bundela style. There are scenes from various epics, hunting scenes and even paintings of Britishers enjoying a drink.

Close to the Ram Raja Temple is the Phool Bagh. This garden made in the traditional Persian chahar-bagh style, was built for a concubine and now houses the shrine of the Prince Hardual son of Bir Singh Deo. It was also used as a summer retreat by the Bundela kings. Hardaul was accused by his brother Jhujhar Singh of having an affair with his wife and in order to prove his innocence committed suicide. Another version of the story says that he was poisoned by Jhujhar Singh. Hardaul is venerated as a saint all across Bundelkhand. At his shrine you can see devotes tying threads on the jaali in the hope that he will answer their prayers. I did not tie a thread but offered a silent prayer for many more visits to places like Orchha.