Orchha
Orchha, which is located about 320 km NW of Rewa, has remained obscure for years, hidden as it was beneath a veil of thick vegetation. Located about 15 km NW of Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), it is a quick drive from the cradle of Rani Lakshmibai.
Even today, it is only beginning to be discovered as an interesting place by the discerning traveller.
Last September (year 2014), we got an opportunity to visit this historical wonder, which is teeming with tales-each worth telling.
Situated on the banks of the beatific Betwa1 river, Orchha is a medieval city steeped in the legacy of the Bundela dynasty. It had the distinction of being the capital of an eponymous princely state-one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms of Central India.
Orchha State (also known as Urchha, Ondchha and Tikamgarh) was a princely state of the Bundelkhand region of British India. It was located within what is now the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Still retaining much of its pristine splendour in the form of enchanting palaces and temples, Orchha was founded in 1501 AD by the Bundela chieftain Rudra Pratap Singh. He moved his capital from Garh Kundar to Orchha city in 1531 and died in the same year.
Rudra Pratap Singh was succeeded by his son, Bharati Chand, who died without leaving an heir in 1554 and was in turn succeeded by his younger brother, Madhukar Shah.
Bharatichand and Madhukar Shah had to face attacks conducted by the Afghan Islam Shah Suri and the Mughal Akbar in the 16th century. Events involving Bharti Chand were recorded by the court poet Keshavdas, and those referring to Madhukar Shah in Akbarnama. Madhukar Shah had to relinquish lands to Akbar in 1577 and 1588. His position had become so precarious in the 1570s that he agreed to Orchha becoming a tributary state and to enlistment of himself and his family in the service of the Mughal Empire. However, another near-contemporary historian-`Abd al-Qadir Bada’uni, records him as a rebel in 1583.
During the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, his vassal, Vir Singh Deo (also written as Bir Singh Deo), was the ruler of the Orchha area. According to historians, Orchha scaled heights of architectural glory during this period, with the construction of the Jahangir Mahal in 1605 and the Sawan Bhadon Mahal.
In the early-17th century, Raja Jhujhar Singh rebelled against the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, whose armies devastated the state and occupied Orchha from 1635 to 1641. The conquerors installed his brother on the throne. It will be interesting to note that Orchha was the only Bundela state not entirely subjugated by the Marathas in the 18th century.
Tehri, a town about 84 km south of Orchha, became the capital of Orchha state in 1783. Tehri was the site of the fort of Tikamgarh, eventually taking the name of the fort.
In 1811, during the period of Company Rule in India, Orchha became part of theBundelkhand Agency within the Central India Agency.
During the British Raj, Hamir Singh, was elevated to the title of Maharaja in 1865. During his reign the allied forces of Orchha and Datia invaded Jhansi in 1857 with the intention of dividing the Jhansi territory between them. However they were defeated by Rani Lakshmibai’s army and her allies in August 1857.
Maharaja Pratap Singh, who succeeded Hamir Singh in 1874, stressed on the development of the state, himself designing most of the engineering and irrigation works that were executed during his reign.
In 1908, the boundaries of the state lay between 24° 26′ and 25° 40′ North and 78° 26′ and 79° 21′ East, forming an area of 5,400 sq km.
With a 15 gun salute, Orchha was the oldest and highest in rank of all the Bundela states. The state’s maharajas bore the hereditary title First of the Prince of Bundelkhand.
After India’s Independence in 1947, Vir Singh, Pratap Singh’s successor, it acceded the state to the Union of India on 1 January 1950.The district became part of Vindhya Pradesh state, which was merged into the state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956.
Present day Orchha is a charming farming town in the Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, where the glory of the past ages lives on in its historical sites and temples.
Situated on an island in the Betwa River, the Orchha Fort Complex was the brainchild of Raja Rudra Pratap Singh, who began work on the palace building in 1525 AD; and was completed by his successor Bharti Chand.
The imposing fort complex is divided into several connected buildings which were erected at different times. Significant among these are the Raj Mahal, Jehangir Mahal, and Rai Praveen Mahal.
Situated to the right of the quadrangle, the Raj Mahal is the first palace on entering the complex. It was built in the 17th century by Raja Madhukar Shah. The plain exteriors, crowned by chhatris, give way to interiors with colourful murals, boldly colourful on a variety of religious themes, including this one depicting the Samudra Manthan from Hindu mythology.
Built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century to commemorate the visit of Emperor Jehangir to Orchha, the Jehangir Mahal is considered to be a singularly beautiful specimen of Mughal architecture. It will be interesting to mention here that Jehangir’s mother-Jodha-was also a Rajput.
The Jehangir Mahal which offers a breathtaking view of Orchha city, particularly the soaring temple spires and cenotaphs.
Below is a picture of the ‘purva dwaar’ (eastern gate) which overlooks the Betwa river.
Rai Praveen Mahal is a tribute to the poetess and musician-Rai Parveen-the paramour of Raja Indramani (1672- 76). She was sent to the court of the Mughal Emperor who was captivated by her. However, she so impressed the Great Mughal with the purity of her love for Indramani that he sent her back to Orchha.
The Sheesh Mahal (Glass Palace) is another section of the palace which has been converted into a heritage hotel by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.
Orchha is also home to some beautiful places of worship such as the Chaturbhuj Temple, Raja Ram Temple, and Laxminarayan Temple.
Dedicated to the Hindu deity-Vishnu-Chaturbhuj Temple was constructed at the behest of the Queen of Orchha, Ganeshi Bai, during the reign of Raja Madhukar Shah. Termed by some as an ‘almost’ temple, it was specially constructed to enshrine the image of Ram. Legend has it that the Raja Madhukar Shah (1554-92) brought an idol of Ram from Varanasi and housed it in his queen’s palace while the Chaturbhuj Temple was being built. However, when the temple was completed and the time to shift the idol came, it could not be moved. The palace where the idol was placed became the Ram Raja temple where it stands till today, with the Chaturbhuj resembling an empty cathedral.
A blend of religious and secular styles taken from temple and fort architecture, the east facing Chaturbhuj Temple is richly ornamented with lotus symbols.
Painted in subtle hues of pink and yellow, Ram Raja Temple is the centre around which the life of Orchha revolves.
The presiding Deity here is Lord Ram, who is worshipped as a king and not as avatar of Vishnu. A Guard of Honour is held everyday, with police personnel designated as Guards at the temple. It is believed that Lord Ram rules Ayodhya during the day and travels to Orchha at night.
A short walk on a flagstone path from behind the Ram Raja temple leads to the Lakshminarayan Temple.
Unpretentious on the outside, the interiors of this temple are akin to an art gallery, housing intricate murals on a variety of spiritual and secular subjects.
An interesting piece of information, is that the milkcake is the most ubiquitous prasad item in this temple town. Prasad is a devotional offering made to God, usually food which is later shared among devotees.
Visit to the cluster of 14 Chhatris (cenotaphs or memorials to the rulers of Orchha), grouped along the Kanchan Ghat of the river Betwa on the south end of town. Built in Rajput style, the memorials are a blend of Hindu and Mughal style architecture.
Imposing and poignant at the same time, these chhatris imprint a lingering impact on the visitor.
The Son et lumière in the evening at the Raja Mahal is a fascinating experience which provides one an opportunity to relive the pages of history speckled with the rise and fall of mighty kings, riveting romances, and feats of valour.
Places to stay: A highly recommended place to stay in Orchha is The Orhha Resort. It is being single-handedly operated by Mr. Anoop Khullar, former Food and Beverage Head at Taj, Mumbai and now Vice President of Oswal Motels & Resorts Pvt Ltd. At past seventy, this man is a livewire – full of energy, high spirits, positive vibes and sound advice. The Orchha Resort which has been built in heritage style and offers excellent hospitality complete with a bansuri (flute) player et al.
The group has a new venture – The Orchha Palace – a 300 room lavish hotel on 50 acres of land which is coming up nearby and is expected to be completed by 2016.
Another interesting place to stay while in Orchha is the Amar Mahal Hotel which is the brainchild of Brijendra Singh Rathore – former Member of the Legislative Assembly of India and Member of the Vidhan Sabha of Madhya Pradesh Assembly from Prithvipur.
It is a treat to explore the by lanes of this city whose history I now know by heart. Though, I wish the monuments be protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI); currently they are under the aegis of the Madhya Pradesh state tourism department.
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- The Betwa or Betravati, is a tributary of the Yamuna river in Northern India. It is also known as Yetravati in Sanskrit. Rising in the Vindhya Range, just north of Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh, the Betwa flows north-east through Madhya Pradesh and Orchha to Uttar Pradesh. Almost half of its course, which is not navigable, runs over the Malwa Plateau. The confluence of the Betwa and the Yamuna Rivers is Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh.
- The word Orchha means ‘hidden’. The region was so named because it was completely hidden amidst dense forests.
- Historians trace the origin of the Bundela dynasty in the 11th century to a Rajput prince who offered himself as a sacrifice to Vindhyavasini-the goddess of the Vindhya Mountains. Pleased with his sense of devotion, she stopped him and named him ‘Bundela’ (one who offered blood). The Bundela dynasty ruled over the area between the Yamuna and Narmada rivers. In the 14th century Sahanpal Bundela, with Parmars and Chauhans, captured Garh Kundar, near Damoh from a Khangar king. When the Tughlaqs, who were ruling Delhi in the 15th century, pushed the Bundelkhand Rajas out of Garh Kundar (the then Bundela capital), they retreated to distant Orchha.
- Prior to Company Rule, the rulers of Orchha all held the title of Raja. They were: Rudra Pratap (1501-1531), Bharatichand (1531-1554), Madhukar Shah (1554-1592), Ram Shah (1592-1605), Vir Singh Deo (also spelled Bir Singh Deo) (1605–1626/7), Jhujhar Singh (1626/7-1635) (brother of Hardaul Singh), Devi Singh (1635-1641) (brother of Jhujhar Singh), Pahar Singh (1641-1653), Sujan Singh (1653-1672), Indramani Singh (1672-1675), Jaswant Singh (1675-1684), Bhagwat Singh (1684-1689), Udwat Singh (1689-1735), Prithvi Singh (1735-1752), Sanwant Singh (1752-1765), Hati Singh (1765–1768), Man Singh (1768–1775), Bharti Singh (1775–1776)
- During the British era, the title of Raja was in use until 1865, when it was replaced with that of Maharaja. The rulers were: Vikramajit Mahendra (1796–1817), Dharam Pal (1817–1834), Taj Singh (1834–1842), Surjain Singh (1842–1848), Hamir Singh (raja 1848-1865; maharaja 1865-1874), Pratap Singh (1874-1930), Vir Singh II (4 March 1930-acceded 1 January 1950)
- Bundelkhand is a geographic region in Central India, now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with the larger portion lying in the latter.
- Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are widely used in palaces and forts, or to demarcate funerary sites. They bear their origins in Rajasthani architecture where they were memorials for kings and royalty. The term ‘chhatri’ means umbrella or canopy.
- A cenotaph is an ‘empty tomb’ or a monument in honour of a person or group of people who are interred elsewhere. It can also be an initial tomb for a person whose remains are reinterred elsewhere. The word is derived from the Greek ‘kenotaphion’ (kenos means ‘being empty’ and taphos means ‘tomb’). Although most cenotaphs are erected in honour of individuals, several noted cenotaphs are dedicated to the memories of groups of individuals, such as the lost soldiers of a country/empire.
- The name Chaturbhuj is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘chatu’ which means four and ‘bhuja’ which means means one who has four arms and refers to Vishnu.
- Ghat is a Hindi word derived from the Sanskrit ‘ghattah’ which means ‘a flight of steps leading down to a river.’