India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (272 page)

Visible as you enter the village, Orchha’s fortified palace complex is approached by a multi-arched medieval bridge. Once over the bridge, you’ll first encounter the earliest of the palaces,
Raj Mahal
, built during the 16th century by the deeply religious Raja Madhukar Shah, who befriended the Mughal Emperor Akbar, an alliance that was to serve the rulers of Orchha well. Look for the bold, colorful murals on walls and ceilings, and climb to the uppermost levels of the palace for a more complete view of the entire complex. A pathway leads to the two-story
Rai Praveen Mahal;
according to legend, it was built in the mid–17th century for a concubine who the then-ruling Raja loved to watch dance. Surrounded by lovely lawns, the palace includes a ground-level hall where performances were once held, and naturally cooled subterranean apartments. Deemed Orchha’s finest palace, with delicate
chhatris
(dome-shaped cenotaphs) and ornate stone
jalis
(screens) along its outer walls,
Jahangir Mahal
is distinguished by its domed pavilions, fortified bastions, and ornamental gateway flanked by stone elephants holding bells in their trunk, perhaps to announce the entry of the man in whose honor the palace was built: Emperor Jahangir, Akbar’s son (see “The Life & Times of the Mughal Emperors,” earlier in the chapter). He is said to have promised to visit, but accounts vary as to whether he actually arrived. The sandstone exterior bears the remains of beautiful turquoise- and lapis lazuli–tiled embellishments, while interior walls are decorated with lovely carvings.
Sheesh Mahal,
now a hotel,
is a section of the palace complex built by a local king as a country getaway some time after Orchha’s decline. If you wander along the paths away from the palace complex (to your left after you cross the bridge), you’ll find the ruins of a number of small, atmospheric temples amid fields belonging to local farmers.

With both Persian and Rajput architectural influences, seven-story
Chaturbhuj Mandir
looms hauntingly over Orchha village. Reached by a steep flight of steps, the 16th-century temple consists of an expansive vaulted assembly hall with impressive spires; make your way up the narrow spiral staircases for lovely views from the temple roof. Never used, the temple was supposed to have housed an image of Lord Rama brought from Ayodhya by the wife of Orchha’s king. Upon arriving, she found the temple incomplete, so she temporarily installed the deity in her palace. When Chaturbhuj was finally completed, the god refused to be moved, so the queen’s palace became
Ram Raja Mandir
(daily 8am–noon and 8–10pm; the
aarti
/devotional prayer is open to non-Hindus—ask for timings from your hotel). Today this is one of Orchha’s main attractions for Hindus, despite its secular architecture.

Behind Ram Raja Mandir is a paved path that leads to
Lakshminarayan Mandir
, atop a low hill less than 1km (1⁄2 mile) from the village. The walk takes you past lovely flat-roofed houses that line part of the pathway. The 17th-century temple features interesting murals depicting military battles and religious myths. Although it’s usually open to ticket-holders between 9am and 5pm, the temple is sometimes locked up, with no trace of the attendant.

After exploring the village and its trinket-filled stores, don’t miss the 14 sandstone
chhatris,
or cenotaphs,
along the Betwa River. Built as memorials to expired rulers of the Bundelkhand, they celebrate old alliances, mixing elements of Mughal architecture, such as the arches, and Hindu temple design, such as the
shikharas
(spires). You can get the most fantastic sunset with the
chhatris
in the background if you cross the bridge across the river.

WHERE TO STAY

Orchha is small, with few decent lodging options, all much the same; given that it is very popular be sure to book well in advance, particularly in winter when tour groups can arrive en masse. The best room in Orchha is the
Maharaja Suite
in the
Sheesh Mahal Hotel
(
07680/25-2624
or 011/2336-6528;
www.mptourism.com
; Rs 4,990); alternatively the Maharani Suite, at Rs 3,990. An enormous room, with a domed ceiling over an assortment of paintings, cabinets, and fascinating Raj-era relics, the Maharaja suite has its own dining area and a wonderful terrace with magical views. Even the bathroom is huge, with a marble tub and polished stone flooring. Despite refurbishments, the rest of the hotel’s guest rooms are quite ordinary, and, like most government-run establishments, the place is poorly managed, and the second-rate food is only to be consumed if you have no other option. Despite these shortcomings, the Sheesh Mahal—no doubt because of its heritage status—is usually booked up days in advance If you can’t book either of these two suites consider the
Amarmahal Hotel
(
07680/25-2102;
www.amarmahal.com
doubles from Rs 3,150). Built in a style meant to imitate that of Bundelkhand royal architecture, this is the smartest modern option in Orchha—large spacious rooms with latticework on the ceilings and four-poster beds, spotless marble throughout the hotel, good views, lovely pool, plenty of green areas and marginally more intimate than Orchha Resort (though be warned, it too caters to group bookings). It’s a tossup between Amarmahal Hotel and Bundelkhand Riverside, really: the benefit of staying at
Budelkhand Riverside
(
07680/25-2612;
www.bundelkhandriverside.com
; from Rs 3,400 double) is, as the name suggests, its location, literally hugging the Betwa river and giving splendid views (specially postmonsoon); it’s the main reason to book here, so do ask for a room with a riverside view. The rooms were a tad run down when we last visited but it does have a charming sitting area on the roof, again with lovely views, and is particularly atmospheric in the evenings. It is however quite popular for local functions, which can reach unbearable volumes so do check with reservations if anything is happening here before confirming. Although also located on the Betwa river, The Orchha Resort (info
07680/25-2222,
or 0562/222-5712
for reservations;
www.orchharesort.com
; Rs 2,550–Rs 4,950 double) does not have any views (unless one literally climbs the wall by the pool), but remains a popular choice particularly with European tour groups, with plenty of amenities. The resort is built in attractive pink sandstone, and includes 11 deluxe tents (pitched Oct–Apr 15) arranged around the tennis court; at Rs 2,250 double, these are best value. They’re comfortably furnished and include all the regular amenities as well as en-suite toilets and showers and a small porch from where you have an incredible, close-up view of several impressive cenotaphs. Guest rooms in the main building are more expensive; they have marble floors, smallish bathrooms with tubs, and good-quality fabrics in shades of green and cream. Do beware of the slippery area around the pool when you go for a post-sightseeing dip. Owned by Jains, the restaurant is strictly vegetarian, but the food is fresh and appetizing.