Orchha – India's Medieval Heart In Bundelkhand

This medieval town, lost to the world, was founded by the Bundela kings in the 16th century.

temples and tombs dot this town, standing out amidst the clutter. Almost every monument tells a story – sometimes it’s a love story, sometimes one of betrayal. Emotions literally run high here as the Bundelas have even built a palace dedicated to friendship. Almost every brick here tells of mysteries and mysticism.

Take the story of Jehangir Mahal, an impressive palace that stands for friendship between a Bundelkhand ruler, Raja Bir Singh Deo, and the Mughal emperor Jehangir. It is believed that Jehangir stayed here for just one night. The 236 chambers built over three storeys with an underground passage, decorated with ornate doors and domes and a massive courtyard in the centre, simply leave you spellbound. All this was for a title of “Maharaja” given to Bir Singh in return for the head of Jehangir’s nemesis, Abul Fazl.      

The Laxmi Narayan temple. To begin with it hardly looks like a temple. The walls are painted with stories from history depicting wars, friendship and trade. Laxmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi, is immortalized here by the artists as we see soldiers all set for war. One of the paintings shows the entry of Europeans in the political scenario.

 

Orchha is a centre of pilgrimage for devotees of Lord Ram. The deity is called Ram Raj and is worshipped in the form of a king as well. While local folklore narrates the story of how the deity was housed originally in the queen’s palace, the Chaturbhuj temple next door was meant to be the original temple for the deity.