“Off the beaten path” perfectly encapsulates Orchha – a sleepy little riverside town whose name literally means “hidden” and which indeed boasts of a few hidden gems of late medieval Bundela and Mughal architecture.

Orchha is a tiny and remote town set deep within a thickly forested part of the Bundelkhand region in central India. It was founded on the banks of the river Betwa in 1531 and served until 1783 as the capital of the eponymous princely state which was ruled by the Bundela dynasty. For such a small and sparsely populated town, it has a remarkably dense cluster of 16th and 17th century fort-palaces, temples and cenotaphs. The highlights are Orchha Fort and the Royal Cenotaphs or Chhatris. 

Orchha Travel Diary Part 1: Royal Cenotaphs or Chattris 

The word chhatri means umbrella or canopy and here it refers to domed pavilions which were constructed as memorials to dead kings and queens. Set on the banks of the river amidst perfectly manicured lawns, even on a bright sunny afternoon these gothic towers have an unsettling air of melancholia about them.

They are best photographed at sunset from the tiny bridge that spans the river behind. Shots of their dark silhouettes grimly punctuating a tangerine sky are well worth risking your life over. And you do risk your life, balancing precariously on the edge of this bridge which has no balustrade and is barely wide enough for the buses which come rattling along. And yet every sunset a tenacious group of tourists can be seen huddled together here, so there is at least the comfort of knowing that if you do fall into the river, help will be along very soon! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Orchha Travel Diary Part 2: Jahangir Mahal

The entrance to Orchha Fort now used by tourists is not the original main entrance once used by the royals and their visitors. That is a beautifully carved wooden doorway on the other side of the complex with two elephant statues standing guard on each side holding bells in their trunks.

The royal entrance affords sweeping views of the surrounding countryside which is dense forestland dotted here and there with fortifications and ruins. Upon some squinting, the waters of the river Betwa can be discerned glinting in the distance along with the towering spires of the Royal Chhatris. In the foreground is a curious rectangular building with large open doorways which used to be the royal stable for camels. 

Upon entering from this royal gate, the first palace within the fort complex is Jahangir Mahal which was built in honour of Emperor Jahangir after he ascended to the Mughal throne in 1605. There is an interesting legend associated with this. In his youth, Jahangir (then known as Prince Salim), was good friends with the ruler of Orchha – Maharaja Vir Singh Deo. Prince Salim had a spat with his father Emperor Akbar, who disapproved of the young prince’s infatuation with the beautiful courtesan, Anarkali (a doomed romance immortalised in the Bollywood epic Mughal-e-Azam). When Akbar disinherited Salim from the throne, the latter led a revolt from Agra. When Akbar sent his army under Abu Fazal to suppress the revolt, the army was intercepted in Bundelkhand by Salim’s friend Vir Singh Deo who decapitated Abu Fazal and sent Salim his head as a gift (and to think the most I ask from my friends is a timely response to my texts!). Anyhow, once Akbar died and Salim became emperor, to show his gratitude he made Vir Singh ruler of all Bundelkhand. He even came to Orchha to witness the coronation which is when he stayed at this palace built in his honour for all of one night. It is a fine example of syncretism between Rajput and Mughal architectural styles. Set around a large open courtyard with a sunken fountain the middle, the palace is made of sandstone though remnants of turquoise blue mosaic tiling can still be seen on its domes and chhatris. There are little balconies under quaint elephant-shaped wooden brackets in which members of the royal family would sit to enjoy music and dance performances in the courtyard.

It is well worth it to climb to the third storey of the palace for the panoramic views afforded by the series of balconies and terraces here. The palace is filled with secret nooks and passageways, narrow stairwells, balconies with ornate balustrades, stone latticework screens, and small windows framing the lush countryside beyond, which makes it a photographer’s dream. Be aware that you might find the need to stand your ground against a territorial monkey or two. 

Orchha Travel Diary Part 3: Raja Mahal 

The second major palace in the fort complex is Raja Mahal which was built for the Bundela royal family. It is simpler in design as compared to Jahangir Mahal with the most ornamental architectural feature being multi-foliated arches. This palace also has a large central courtyard which is given an even airier feel due to the patches of blue sky framed by multiple rows of arched windows in the surrounding walls.

The highlight here is a hall covered with colourful frescoes painted using vegetable dyes. A series of wall paintings depict the nine incarnations of Vishnu – fish, tortoise, boar, half-man-half-lion (Narasimha), dwarf, axe-wielding warrior, Rama, Krishna and Buddha. Have you noticed these avatars as recorded in ancient Hindu epics seem to indicate knowledge of the modern theory of evolution – the incarnations start with marine life and move on to amphibious life forms and so forth? There is also one mural which depicts the legend of “samudra manthan” or the churning of the cosmic ocean by the gods (devas) and demons (ashuras). This particular episode from Hindu mythology is very popular in the Angkor Wat complexes in Cambodia for some reason, but I had never come across it in India – until now.