Orchha is located near the district of Madhya Pradesh. The town is also very much near Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. One of the most important things about Orchha is that it is included in the UNESCO heritage sites. Orchha State was founded in 1501 AD by the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became its first king. He ruled the kingdom between 1501-1531.
The town is although very small but there are many famous and architecturally important monuments to entertain the tourist. There are many tourist places in Orchha.
Ram Raja Temple:
It is the only temple where Lord Ram is worshiped as a king as well as god. Numerous visitors flock to this Orchha temple. The visitor’s number range from fifteen hundred to three thousand especially on certain important Hindu festivals like the Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivratri, Ram Navami, Kartik Purnima.
Laxmi Narayan Temple:
Laxmi Narayan temple is a blend of temples and fort. It is a geometric wonder as the temple is constructed in such a way that it appears rectangular from the outside but is triangular from inside. Also, the temple has an octagonal central tower. The temple’s wall depicts beautiful mythological paintings and stories of the ancient period. There are also paintings depicting British rule! Also, there are some stories of Mahabharat and Ramayana and some of the king’s victories. This place is one of the most visited tourist places in Orchha.
Jahangir Mahal:
Since the mahal was built by a Rajput ruler for a Mughal emperor you will get a glimpse of Indo Islamic architectural style. It is a storied building with beautiful hanging balconies. You will see several domes and chhatris adding beauty to the whole structure. A spectacular light and sound show in the evening hours in the Jahangir Mahal will make you well versed with the history of the city of Orchha and the Jahangir Mahal and you will get to be a part of the Orchha history.
Chaturbhuj mahal:
Chaturbhuj Temple is situated at Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu. Chaturbhuj is made from a combination of two words ‘chatur’ and ‘bhuj’ , where ‘chatur’ means “four” and ‘bhuj’ means “arms” which literally translates to “one who has four arms” and refers to Rama an avatar of Vishnu. It is believed that a Bundela Rajput king Madhukar Shah built the temple for his wife, Rani Ganeshkuwari.
Famed Chhatris Of Orchha: Cenotaphs
There are fourteen ‘Chatris’ or memorials to the rulers of Orchha. There are the 17th and 18th centuries of beautiful cenotaphs. Although the cenotaphs are built in the memory of a Bundela ruler, you will see a glimpse of Mughal architecture. Each Chhatri can be distinguished from each other because of the design. The structures are triple-storied. Four chambers make up a dome-shaped covering surrounded by small cenotaphs resting on columns.
One should surely visit Orchha if they want to enlighten themselves spiritually. Read our upcoming blogs to know more about tourist places in Orchha.