Fort Complex, Orchha

Orchha literally means ‘hidden place’ and it stays true to its name! Located in Madhya Pradesh, Orchha isn’t on most touristmaps and several travellers club their visit to Orchha with a trip to Jhansi (16 km away) or Khajuraho (170 km away). But with beautiful monuments, both big and small, revealing tales of battles between kings and emperors, Orchha deserves a trip of its own.

Once the capital of the Bundela Rajput kings, Orchha was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501. The medieval city has since seemingly frozen in time. Its several monuments continue to retain their original grandeur even as the city itself seems quite content to be hidden away from the throngs of tourists that descend upon Madhya Pradesh year after year.

The fort complex in Orchha is a remarkable site to visit. It houses three prominent historical architectures in a quadrangle: Raja Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, and Sheesh Mahal, which is now a heritage hotel run by Madhya Pradesh Tourism. Resembling a semi closed/open umbrella, Chhatris/ cenotaphs are spotted all over the banks of the Betwa River. One can visit these structures either via land/foot or one can experience the scenic view from the Betwa River by a raft ride. Viewing these structures from a narrow bridge allows one to see the reflections of the Chhatris on the Betwa River.