Orchha

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Orchha ,
town

Orchha Palace

Orchha ,
Location of Orchha , in Madhya Pradesh and India

Coordinates Country State District(s)

2521N 7838ECoordinates: 2521N 7838E India Madhya Pradesh Tikamgarh

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Population 8,499 (2001) Time zone Area Elevation Codes[show]

Orchha (or Urchha) 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.[1]

IST (UTC+05:30)

552 metres (1,811 ft)

Contents
[hide]

1 History 2 Places of tourist interest 3 Demographics 4 Accessibility 5 References 6 External links

[edit]History
Main article: Orcha State Orchha was founded in the 1501 AD,[2] by the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501-1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha.[3] 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,[4]while Raj Mandir was built by 'Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591.[5][6]

[edit]Places

of tourist interest

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Chhatris on the bank of the Betwa River

Lakshmi Temple, Orchha.

Orchha palace cortile.

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.[7] Chaturbhuj Temple is an old temple from the 9th century. Numerous cenotaphs or chhatris 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[8] 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.

[edit]Demographics

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As of 2001 India census,[9] 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.

Sunder Mahal

It was built by Prince Dhurbhajan, son of Raja Jhujhar Singh, who ruled over Orchha from 1627-35. Dhurbhajan fell in love and married a Muslim girl, and so fierce was his devotion to her that he even converted to Islam. He gave up his princely ways and spent the latter part of his life in prayer and meditation. Sunder Mahal is the place he retired to after his marriage, and gave himself wholly to mystic contemplation. He came to be revered as a saint after his death, and much like the Hardol Samadhi, his residence is a place of veneration for the locals.

Chaturbhuj Temple

One of the citys greatest attractions is the Chaturbhuj Temple, which is situated right opposite the Raja Mahal. Dedicated to the four-armed deity, Chaturbhuj (chaturbhuj literally means four-armed), the temple has plenty of light and space inside, a feature unusual for a Hindu temple. Travel to Orchha and visit the Charurbhuj temple, constructed between the years 1558 and 1573 by Raja Madhukar, the Chaturbhuj Temple is a bold concept and as enormous as any European cathedral. While earlier temples had fairly small enclosures, the Chaturbhuj Temple has a huge cross-shaped

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congregation hall that caters to devotees of the Krishna-Bhakti cult, who throng the complex. Conical shikharas (spires) crown the sanctuary of the spacious Chaturbhuj Temple, which is similar to the Kushak Mahal in Chanderi.

A legend associated with the Chaturbhuj Temple

Orchha travel guide will up dates its visitors with a engulfing legendary tale associated with the Chaturbhuj Temple that has virtually become an article of faith with the people of the city. Maharani Ganesh Kunwar, wife of Orchhas ruler, Raja Madhukar, constructed the temple to specifically house an idol of Lord Rama. While she was persuading the Lord to travel from his abode in Ayodhya to Orchha, he expressed the desire not to be displaced from the place hed made his home. The queen already had an idol of Rama installed in Rani Niwas (her private apartments), and when the Chaturbhuj Temple was completed, she decided to move the deity there. According to Orchha folklore, Lord Rama refused to move. The king immediately realised that his wife was honour-bound not to move the idol, and saved the day by installing the idol of Chaturbhuj (Lord Vishnu with four arms) in the temple instead. That is how the shrine became the Chaturbhuj Temple. Raja Madhukar Shah provided a kalasha or horn-shaped crown, made of over 100 pounds of pure gold, on top of the temple. However, a few years, later robbers made off with the kalasha.

Chaturbhuj Temple
The splendid architectural edifice of theChaturbhuj Temple was built by Raja Madhukar at the insistence of his wife, Maharani Ganesh Kunwar during the years of 1558 and 1573. Chaturbhuj Temple of Orchha in

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Madhya Pradesh bears relics to the rich religious history and architectural legacy of the bygone era. According to a mythological legend, Maharani Ganesh Kunwar had erected the Chaturbhuj Temple for Lord Rama. However Lord Rama did not want to depart from his divine abode of Ayodhya. Maharani Ganesh Kunwar stuck to her decision and accordingly made a statue of Lord Rama who again expressed his displeasure of being shifted from Ayodhya. At this Raja Madhukar intervened and built a statue of Lord Vishnu who has four arms. One of the prominent travel attractions in Orchha, Chaturbhuj Temple draws several devotees from far and wide who are enthralled at the divine sanctity of the sacred religious shrine. A unique feature of the religious shrine of Chaturbhuj Temple is its huge space unlike other religious sanctorum of the Hindus. An architectural marvel of the ancient times, the Chaturbhuj Temple has a huge meditation hall that attracts devotees mostly from the Krishnabhakti cult. The beautifully carved conical shaped shikharas of the Chaturbhuj Temple add to the attractiveness of the religious shrine. Chaturbhuj Temple reflects the rich artistic skills and creative imagination of the local craftsmen of the ancient period. The sacred sanctorum of the temple is maintained by the temple authorities. Representing the religious fervor of the country, the Chaturbhuj Temple is an important place of tourist destination among the Hindus who visit the place to seek divine blessing and eternal happiness.

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