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Orchha is a city near the city of Niwari in the Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh state, India. The city was established by a Bundela Rajput ruler Rudra Pratap Singh some time after 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state including parts of central and north India, in the Bundelkhand region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River, 126 km from Gwalior, 89 km from Tikamgarh and 18 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
thumb|The Mughal Army led by Prince [[Aurangzeb, Syed Khan-i-Jahan, Abdullah Khan Bahadur Firuz Jang and Khan Dauran enter Orchha.]]
History
Orchha was founded in 1531 (the 16th century AD) by the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501–1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built by the queen of Orchha, Ganesh Kunwar (गणेश कुँवर), while Raj Mandir was built by 'Raja Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591. Orchha was captured by imperial forces of the Mughal Army led by Prince Aurangzeb in October 1635.
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File:Ram Raja Temple, Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg|Ram Raja Temple
File:Royal Chhatris on the bank of Betwa River.jpg|Royal Chhatris
File:Purana Mandir.jpg|Purana Mandir
File:Orchha Fort and Bridge.jpg|Orchha Fort complex
thumb|The Invader Mughal Army led by Cruel [[Aurangzeb, Syed Khan-i-Jahan, Abdullah Khan Bahadur Firuz Jang and Khan Dauran enter Orchha.]]
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Story about king Rama (Ram Raja) temple
Lord Rama is regarded as the King of Orchha. Other than Ayodhya, Orchha is the only place in India where lord Rama is the King of the town. The story behind this: in the 16th century, king Madhukar, shah of Orchha, was a devotee of Lord Krishna, whereas his wife queen Kunwar Ganesh was a devotee of Lord Rama. There were always disputes due to this difference. Once the king challenged the queen with this quest: if Rama really exists, then she should bring him to Orchha. The queen went to Ayodhya and prayed with rigorous penance to lord Rama. At last, Rama appeared before her in his juvenile form and agreed to go with her on three conditions: first, that he will be the only king of Orchha. Second, that he will remain there only forever and third, that he will go at a particular time, accompanied by monks. The queen accepted the conditions and thus Rama (statue representing Rama himself) was brought to Orchha. Since then Rama is the only king in Orchha. Even in contemporary times, Rama is regarded as the only king and the guard of honour is given to him by the armed guards of police every day at the Ram Raja Temple. No other VIP or minister or official behaves like a ruler when they visit Orchha. This aspect makes Orchha a unique place for devotees of Lord Rama.
Places of tourist interest
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On a seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River, which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, stands a huge palace-fort. The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which is the Raja Mahal.
right|thumb|[[Chaturbhuj Temple (Orchha)|Chaturbhuj Temple at Orchha, is noted for having one of the tallest Vimana among Hindu temples standing at 344 feet.]]
The Ram Raja Temple is built on a square base and has an almost entirely plain exterior, relieved by projecting windows and a line of delicate domes along the summit. The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner surmounted by a dome, while two lines of graceful balconies supported on brackets mark the central storeys. The roof is crowned by eight large fluted domes, with smaller domes between them, connected by an ornamental balustrade. The Jahangir Mahal is considered to be a singularly beautiful specimen of Mughal architecture.
A community radio station, Radio Bundelkhand was launched in Orchha on 23 October 2008. It is an initiative of the Development Alternatives Group. The radio station broadcasts daily programs in the Bundeli dialect and devotes significant amount of its broadcast time to local issues, culture, education and the rich tradition of Bundeli folk music. The station is available on 90.4 MHz.
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Orchha mausolea.jpg|Chhatris on the bank of the Betwa River.
Lakshmi Temple, Orchha.jpg|Lakshmi Temple, Orchha.
OrchhahardaulJu.jpg|Hardaul ki Baithak Memorial at Orchha.
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Demographics
India census, Orchha had a population of 8501. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Orchha has an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 64%, and female literacy is 42%, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Literary Center
Orchha was the home of famous poet Keshavdas (1555–1617) who wrote the classic Rasikapriya. He was patronized by Vir Singh Deo of Orchha.
Popular in Media
In 2024, Anees Bazmee's film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has been shot at Orchha Fort, temples and ghats of Betwa. The film stars Kartik Aryan and Madhuri Dixit in the lead roles.
Accessibility
The nearest Airport to Orchha is Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Airport in Gwalior which is 119 km away. Orchha is 170 km and a 3-hour drive from Khajuraho Airport which is well connected with other metropolitan cities in India.
Orchha Railway station is on the Jhansi-Manikpur section of the North Central Railways. 15 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to other popular tourist destinations like, Gwalior and Khajuraho.
Tourists who wish to visit Orchha from Khajuraho can catch the morning express which leaves at around 8 or 9 AM. Alternatively, they could also avail themselves of the afternoon express which leaves at around 12 or 1 PM. The train journey from Khajuraho is 5 hours and they will ideally be able to get off at Jhansi and grab an autorickshaw or Tuk Tuk for Orchha (costs INR 400). However, if the train halts at Orchha, they can also get off at the Orchha station and grab an autorickshaw to the temple complex.
See also
- Orchha Fort complex
References
External links
- Documentation of orchha buildings by IIT Roorkee
- Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Orchha
- Travelogue and photos of Orchha
- Orchha: the erstwhile capital of Bundelkhand
;Pictures
- Orchha Photo Gallery
- Orchha Photo Gallery with over 50 Pictures 2009
- Orchha pictures on OrientalQuest
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OrchhaView.jpg|View of Orchha from LakshmiNarayan temple
Orchhapalace.jpg|Orchha palace mural
OrchhaLakshmiNarayanEnglish.jpg|Orchha LakshmiNarayan Temple ceiling portraying Europeans
OrchhaLakshminarayana.jpg|Orchha Lakshminarayana Temple: Englishmen
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