Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — May 2017

CLOCKWISE: DMITRY RUKHLENKO-TRAVEL PHOTOS/ALAMY; AIVAR MIKKO/ALAMY; COURTESY OF MADHYA PRADESH TOURISM

46 TRAVEL + L E I S U R E / M AY 2 0 1 7 This article was fi rst published on Tripoto.com.

The Legends of Orchha

The former capital of the mighty Bundela kingdom, Orchha has shied

away from the spotlight that follows its popular neighbours Jhansi

and Khajuraho. Tripoto blogger Bhawna Sati travels to the historic

town to discover the secrets of a long-forgotten empire.

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Orchha, a small, riverside town

on the border of Rajasthan

and Madhya Pradesh, is

steeped in history. Founded in

the 16th century by Maharaja

Rudra Pratap, its magnifi cent

palaces, palatial temples, and

royal chhatris have made the

town immortal.

I started my tour with

the much talked about aarti

at the Ram Raja Mandir—

one of the few places in

India where Lord Ram is

worshipped as a king as well

as a deity and is offered a

gun salute. There are many

legends attached to it, but

what fascinates the most is

the scene in its courtyard

where throngs of devotees

and saffron-clad sadhus

traverse the colourful bazaar.

Just across the temple is

the former residence of the

Orchha kings, Raj Mahal.

In the evening, a dramatic

light and sound show on the

façades of Raj Mahal and

Jahangir Mahal is followed by

a narration of the history of

the town. We had a closer look

at the Jahangir Mahal the

next day. Built in the honour

of Mughal Emperor Jahangir,

it impresses with its size,

the network of stairways and

lobbies; and the panoramic

view of the city from the top.

For our last day, we had

saved the famed chhatris of

Orchha. A relaxed morning

stroll by River Betwa is

the best way to admire the

cenotaphs constructed as

funerary monuments of

rulers, something that has

kept their memories alive. ▪

Clockwise: The chhatris in

Orchha; the Jahangir Mahal;

river rafting on River Betwa.

You can either

fl y to Gwalior or

take the train to Jhansi.

From there, hire a cab

to cover the rest of the

distance (140 kms

from Gwalior and

17 kms from Jhansi).

Betwa Retreat,

a hotel run by

the Madhya Pradesh

Tourism Department

offers 25 rooms and

tents, gardens, a pool,

and a restaurant.

`2,590 upwards;

mptourism.com

Orchha is known

for dokra craft.

Take back metal and

wrought iron souvenirs

for friends and family.

GET THERE

STAY

BUY

48 TRAVEL + LEISURE / MAY 2017