The main sites of Orchha
An essential stop on the Gwalior - Khajuraho road, Orchha is aptly named: 'the hidden place'. Despite its rather dilapidated overall condition, the abandoned medieval town remains an architectural gem where monuments, temples, palaces, havelis and sandstone cenotaphs seem to float above the banks of the Betwa River.
The village of beautifully painted houses and local market stalls add to the charm of Orchha which remains a great stopover to relax after visiting the noisy towns of the north.
It was in 1501, after the foundation of the state of Orchha that the fort was built by a Rajput prince of the Bundela dynasty, Rudra Pratap Singh. Inside the complex, several palaces and temples were built. Today, these are the main sites of Orchha.
RAJA MAHAL, THE KING'S PALACE
Royal residence from the first part of the 16th century until its abandonment in 1783. With a simple exterior, it is a compact construction with several floors, surrounded by walls and articulated around several courtyards.
The halls of the palace are richly decorated with murals - exhibiting social and religious themes, mythical animals and various characters - with ceilings and walls bearing traces of mirrors on the upper floors. The windows were designed to allow light and shadows to create different atmospheres and temperatures throughout the day.
JAHANGIR MAHAL, ORCHHA
This masterpiece of Orchha was built from 1605. Built by Bir Singh Deo for his friend and protector the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, the latter only stayed there for one night !
It is an imposing quadrangle with five levels. Inside, cornices, projections, consoles, parapets, door and window frames are finely carved in sandstone in ocher tones, while floral and geometric decorations as well as paintings of animals embellish the walls. Note that the terrace, accessible by a steep staircase, offers beautiful views of the temples and the Betwa River below.
LAXMI NARAYAN TEMPLE
Dedicated to Laxmi, the wife of Vishnu, the temple has a pentagonal shape. Surrounded by a powerful enclosure, it was completed in 1618 under the reign of Bir Singh Deo. Adorned with sacred and profane paintings, teeming with details, it offers an interesting testimony to the life of the time.
ROYAL CENOTAPHS, ORCHHA
These remarkable multi-storey constructions are made of sandstone. Topped with tapered sikhara, the royal cenotaphs are placed on the banks of the Betwa River at the cremation site of the rulers of Orchha.