Orchha
Encyclopedia
Orchha is a town in Tikamgarh district
of Madhya Pradesh
state, India
. The town was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state
of central India, in the Bundelkhand
region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River
, 80 km from Tikamgarh
& 15 km from Jhansi
in Uttar Pradesh
.
chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501-1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha. He died in an attempt to save a cow from a lion. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built, during the time of Akbar, by the Queen of Orchha, while Raj Mandir was built by 'Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591.
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 are the Raja Mahal and the Jahangir Mahal
.
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. Chaturbhuj Temple is an old temple from the 9th century.
Numerous cenotaph
s or chhatri
s dot the vicinity of the fort and the Betwa river. Elsewhere about the town there is an unusual variety of temples and tombs, including the Chaturbhuj temple, which is built on a vast platform of stone. The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stingy creatures.
In 2006, Orchha's buildings were being documented by the LIK Team of IIT Roorkee, India
In 2008, a community radio station, Radio Bundelkhand was launched in Orchha. The radio station broadcasts programs daily in the Bundeli dialect and devotes significant amount of its broadcast time to local issues, culture and rich tradition of Bundeli folk music. The station is available on 90.4 MHz.
, Orchha had a population of 10000. 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.
section of the Central Railways. 15 km from Jhansi
in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to another popular tourist destination, Khajuraho
.
Pictures
Tikamgarh District
Tikamgarh district is one of the 50 districts of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. Tikamgarh town is the district headquarters. The district is part of Sagar Division....
of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The town was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of central India, in the Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River
Betwa River
The Betwa is a river in Northern India, and a tributary of the Yamuna. Also known as the Vetravati, the Betwa rises in the Vindhya Range just north of Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh and flows north-east through Madhya Pradesh and flow through Orchha to Uttar Pradesh. Nearly one-half of its course,...
, 80 km from Tikamgarh
Tikamgarh
Tikamgarh is a city and a tehsil, in Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh, it also the district headquarter. The earlier name of the town was 'Tehri' consisting of three hamlets, forming a rough triangle. In the Tikamgarh town there is muhalla still known as 'Purani Tehri'...
& 15 km from Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...
in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
History
Orchha was founded in the 1501 AD, by the BundelaBundela
The Bundelas are a Rajput clan of Chattari lineage who ruled several states in central India, in Bundelkhand region from the 16th century.The Bundelas are the most prominent Rajputs hailing from Central India...
chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501-1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha. He died in an attempt to save a cow from a lion. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built, during the time of Akbar, by the Queen of Orchha, while Raj Mandir was built by 'Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591.
Places of tourist interest
Jahangir Mahal
Jahangir Mahal, Citadel of Jahangir, Orchha Palace, Mahal-e-Jahangir Orchha, Jahangir Citadel; the Jahangir Mahal is a citadel and garrison located Orchha, it was completed in the year 1598 by the victorious Mughal Prince Salem after defeating Vir Singh Deo of Bundela a sworn enemy of the Mughals,...
.
The Ram Raja Temple
Ram Raja Temple
The Ram Raja Temple is a temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. In Orchha, as well as the whole country, this is the only temple where Lord Rama is worshipped as a king and that also in a palace....
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
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
architecture. Chaturbhuj Temple is an old temple from the 9th century.
Numerous cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
s or chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
s dot the vicinity of the fort and the Betwa river. Elsewhere about the town there is an unusual variety of temples and tombs, including the Chaturbhuj temple, which is built on a vast platform of stone. The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stingy creatures.
In 2006, Orchha's buildings were being documented by the LIK Team of IIT Roorkee, India
In 2008, a community radio station, Radio Bundelkhand was launched in Orchha. The radio station broadcasts programs daily in the Bundeli dialect and devotes significant amount of its broadcast time to local issues, culture and rich tradition of Bundeli folk music. The station is available on 90.4 MHz.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Orchha had a population of 10000. 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.
Accessibility
Orchha Railway station is Jhansi-ManikpurManikpur, Uttar Pradesh
Manikpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pratapgarh district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Now the name of Manikpur town has been changed, new name is Garhi Manikpur...
section of the Central Railways. 15 km from Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...
in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to another popular tourist destination, Khajuraho
Khajuraho
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho , a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about southeast of New Delhi, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for...
.
External links
- Documentation of orchha buildings by IIT Roorkee
- Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Orchha
- Travelogue and photos of Orchha
Pictures