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Raj
Mahal :
Situated to the right of the quardrangle, this palace was built
by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious predecessor of Bir Singh
Ju Deo. The plain exteriors, crowned by chhatries, give way to interiors
with exquisite murals, boldly colourful, on a veriety or religious
themes.
Jehangir Mahal :
Built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century to commemorate
the visit of Emperor Jehangir to Rochha. Its strong lines are counterbalanced
by delicate chhatries and treillies work, the whole conveying an
effect of extraordinary richness.
Raj Praveen Mahal :
Poetess and musician, Rai Prqveen was the beautiful paramour of
Raja Indramani (1672-76), and was sent to Delhi on the orders of
Emperor Akbar, who was captivated by her. She so impressed the Great
Mughal with the purity of her love for indramani that he sent her
back to Orchha. The palace built for her is a low, tow-storeyed
brick structure, designed to match the height of the trees in the
surrounding, beautifully landscaped gardens of Anand Mahal, with
its octagonal flower beds and elaborate water supply system. Sklfully
carved niches allow light into the Mahal which has a main hall and
smaller chambers.
Ram
Raja Temple :
This palace-turned-turned-temple has a charming legend attached
to it. Following the dream visitation of Lord Rama, Madhukar Shah's
wife, Ganesh Kuanwari brought a statue of the god from Ayodhya to
Orchha. While the king was a worshipper of Lord Krishna, the queen
was a devotee of Lord
Rama. The image was placed in a palace prior to its installation
in a temple. When the idol proved impossible to move, the queen
recalled, too late, the deity's edict that the image would remain
in the place where it was first installed. Today, with its soaring
spires and palatial architecture, the temple is surely one of the
most unusual in India. It is also the only in the country where
Rama is worshipped as a king (Raja).
Chaturbhuj Temple :
Built upon a massive stone plat form and reached by a steep flight
of steps, the temple was specially constructed to enshrine the image
of Prakash that remained in the Prakash Raja Temple. Lotus emblems
and other symbols of religious significance provide the delicate
exterior ornamentation. Within, the sanctum is chastely plain with
high, vaulted walls emphassing its deep sanctity.
Laxminarayan Temple :
A flagstone path links this temple with the Ram Raja Temple. The
style is an interesting synthesis of fort and temple moulds. The
interiors contains the most exquisite or Orchha's wall paintings.
Covering the walls and ceiling of three halls, these murals are
vibrant compositions and cover a variety of spiritual and secular
subjects. They are in an excellent state of preservation, with the
colours retaining their vivid quality.
Phool Bagh :
Laid out as a formal garden, this complex testifies to the refined
aesthetic qualities of the Bundelas. A central row of fountains
culminates in an eight-pillared palace-pavilion. A subterranean
structure below was the cool summer retreat of the Orchha kings.
An ingenious system of water ventilation connected the underground
palace with Chandan Katora, a bolw-like structure from whose fountains
droplets of water filtered through to the roof, simulating rainfall.
Dinman hardaul's Palace :
Hardaul was a son of Bir Singh Ju and died to prove his innocence
to his elder brother Jhujhar who cast doubts on his relationship
with his (jhujhar's) consort. This saintly prince was, after his
martyrdom, worshipped as a god, and even today, the villages of
Boundelkhand contain platform-like shrines where hardaul is worshipped.
Chhatries (Cenotaphs) :
There are fourteen 'chhatries' of memorials to the rulers of Orchha,
grouped along the Kanchana Ghat of the river Betwa.
Sunder
Mahal :
This small palace, almost in ruins today, is still a place of pilgrimage for
Muslims Dhurjban, son of Jhujhar, embraced Islam when he wed a Muslim girl
at Delhi. He spent the latter part of his life in prayer and meditation and
came to be revered as a saint.
Shahid Smarak :
Commemorates the great freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad who lived and worked
in hiding on Orchha during 1926 and 27.
Other places worth seeing in Orchha are the shrines of Siddh Baba ka Sthan,
Jugal Kishore, the janki Mandir and the Hanuman Mandir at Ohharedwara.
Raj
Mahal : 
Lord
Rama. The image was placed in a palace prior to its installation
in a temple. When the idol proved impossible to move, the queen
recalled, too late, the deity's edict that the image would remain
in the place where it was first installed. Today, with its soaring
spires and palatial architecture, the temple is surely one of the
most unusual in India. It is also the only in the country where
Rama is worshipped as a king (Raja).
