This album is the 2nd of a 4-part series of photologues. For the first of the series, visit http://picasaweb.google.co.in/lazyTrekker/Jhansi# This is the second of the two gates to the town of Orchha when you come from in from Jhansi or Khajuraho.
This is a tourist map drawn on the wall of "Didi's Cafe", a popular cafe on the main road of Orchha. The gate in the previous picture is the second gate (in this map) from right. As one crosses this gate, one comes across "Hotel Ganpati " (where I stayed) and "Didi's cafe" respectively, on the left side of the road. The palace complex (lower part of the photo) is on an island and is separated from Orchha town and temples by a bridge.
A view, from Hotel Ganpati, of the palace complex across a branch of the river Betwa that forms an island. The bridge leading from the Orchha town to the palace complex can be seen on the centre right. The hotel Ganpati is a well located tourist rest house on the main road of Orchha. Email of the owner: ganpati_vinod@yahoo.co.in
A painting on a wall near the lawn of the hotel.
A terrace cafe; should have a good view of the palace complex.
A colourful entrance to a private house on the main road of Orchha.
A view of the main road of Orchha town as seen from the main junction of the town.
A series of food stalls catering to the (especially foreign) tourists on the road leading to the bridge to the palace complex. This is the eastwards view from the main junction. Behind the camera is the pedestrain road leading to 'Ramraja' temple.
The bridge over river Betwa. There are 3 palaces inside this complex close to each other: Raja mahal, Sheesh mahal and Jehangir mahal. A fourth one is at some distance. The palace at the centre of this photo is the Sheesh mahal; to the right is the Raja mahal (king's palace).
The view from just inside the main gate of the palace complex.
The 'Sheesh' Mahal (glass mansion) as seen from the entrance of the palace complex. Beyond (and to the right of) the Sheesh mahal is Jehangir Mahal. To the right of the camera is the Raja mahal (King's palace). For a night picture of sheesh mahal, see http://picasaweb.google.co.in/lazyTrekker/Orcha#5417717851678534066
A modern plaque with info on Raja Mahal.
This was the 'Diwan-e-aam' (public court) where the King used to meet the public. A night time view of this building is at http://picasaweb.google.co.in/lh/photo/Nkx8ojbMdPz2L96yv0gaOw?feat=directlink
The raised platform where the King used to sit for an audience with the commoners. It so happened that a dog (it is not a statue) was standing on an alcove behind King's sitting place :-)
If you climb a series of steps in front of the 'Diwane-e-aam', you will reach the courtyard of Sheesh mahal. The Sheesh mahal is to the left of the camera (and is not visible in this photo). The building you see is the 'Jehangir Mahal'. Actually, this is the rear (from the west side) entrance to the Jehangir Mahal. If you enter the small door (at the bottom right of the photo) and cross a couple of rooms, you will reach the inner courtyard of 'Jehangir Mahal'.
A view of the south side of the fort like palace from the inner courtyard.
A sheltered window.
A view of the inner couryard and the western side of the palace
Another view of the west-side of the palace from the inner courtyard of Jehangir Mahal. The series Hindu (elephants) and Moghul sculptures (upper row) represent the combined Hindu and Islamic character of the palace built by a Hindu King in honour of a Moghul prince, Jehangir. There is a story behind the naming of this palace. The king of Orchha had trouble defending his kingdom from the Moghul emperor. Jehangir, the elder son of the Moghul emperor, had a difference of opinion with his father. Jehangir secretely shifted his base to Allahabad, and was planning against his father. Upon hearing this news, the king of Orchha sent emissaries to Jehangir to strike friendship ('enemy's enemy is a friend'). The deal works. When the Moghul army camps close to Orchha to attack Orchha, Jehangir informs the Orchha king. The pre-emptive attack by Orchha results in the defeat of the Moghul army. The king of Orchha names the magnificant palace in the honour of Jehangir who later becomes the Moghul emperor.
My guide leads me out of the inner courtyard through the eastern door (the traditional main entrance to the Jehangir palace). I climbed down the steps, walked to the end of the large courtyard, turned around and clicked this photo.
A closer look at the main door.
An external view of the right side of the eastern wing of Jehangir palace.
A close up of the grills, the balcony, the coloured motifs on the wall.
Rai Parveen Mahal to the north side of and below the Jehangir mahal.
A (south side) view of the 'chhatris' (cenotaphs) built in memory of kings on the shore of river Betwa. A modern bridge across the river can be seen on the right.
The guide led me back to the inner courtyard and I started exploring the palace. I started climbing up the stone steps and clicked this sequence of elephants.
Rai Parveen Mahal (right of the photo) and the river beyond.
The 'sheesh mahal' as viewed from the top of Jehangir Mahal. An outline of the 'chaturbuj' temple (top left and far behind) can also be seen. The sheesh mahal is now converted into a hotel.
The sheesh mahal is a property of the Madhya Pradesh (MP) tourism department.
The grilled walls and the shadows.
The courtyard in front of Sheesh Mahal (and behind the Jehangir Mahal). The palace at the centre-left is the 'Raja Mahal'. The temples and the Orchha town are barely visible (and are at a distance).
Evening light streaming through the grills.
The river and the cenotaphs
A view from the eastern wing of the Jehangir mahal. The circular structure at the centre of the photo was used for storing water. The building on the right is the camel stable. The building at the centre-left of the photo is the elephant(?) stable. The gate on the left is the erstwhile main gate of the palace complex. The river Betwa can be seen at a distance.
A view of Rai Parveen Mahal and the river beyond.
The swimming pool at the centre of the inner courtyard of Jehangir Mahal. There used to be four fountains around the bath place. My guide is reading newspaper while I wandered around merrily above and clicked away to glory.
Islamic motifs in a palace built by a Hindu king in honour of Jehangir, a muslim prince.
Now, we move on to Raja mahal, the construction of which was started in 1531.
The view of the western wing of Raja mahal from its inner courtyard.
The painted roof of the 'dance hall'
In queen's quarters, paintings on the roof depict 9 avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu. The quality of the pictures is poor since flash light is not permitted and I have a standard, auto focus, 'aim and shoot' (not an SLR) camera.
A painting of an elephant that comprises of pictures of nine ladies. I was reminded of similar wooden sculpture ('nava nari kunjara' === nine ladies-elephant) on the main door of the 'thousand pillar temple' in Mudabidri (see http://www.blonnet.com/life/2003/12/01/images/2003120100140301.jpg or http://wikimapia.org/139951/Thousand-Pillars-Jain-Temple-Moodabidri).
Lord Ram, Sita granting an audience to Hanuman.
The tall 'chaturbhuj' temple as seen behind a grill of the Raja mahal.
A channel of the Betwa river, the bus stand and the tall Chaturbhuj temple in the distance. On the right of this temple is 'Ramraja temple' (white and yellow coloured building).
A view of the inner courtyard of Raja mahal; the golden rays from west are striking the eastern wing of the palace. The guide is patiently waiting for me to come down.
I came out of the palace complex and crossed the bridge. I turned left at the junction and then right to approach the temple (as seen in this photo). I was eager to reach the Chaturbhuj temple before it closes at 5pm. 'chaturbhuj' === 4 hands; Lord vishnu has 4 hands. This was the temple complex built by the King of Orchha for the King Rama from Ayodhya, but has a photo of Lord Ram. There is a legend related to this; will come up later.
The eastern wing of the temple.
A flight of steps leading to the temple.
The main door as seen from a steep flight of steps.
The main entrance has a balcony on either side.
The 'Ramraja' temple as seen from the Chaturbuj temple.
A view of a mansion (summer retreat of kings) to the east of the Chaturbhuj temple. Now, this building is being used as the office of the local administrator ('tahsildar'). The royal garden behind this mansion houses "Hardaul's palace" (more later).The Ramraja temple is to the left of the camera.
Photography is not allowed inside the Chaturbhuj temple. I entered the temple just prior to the closing time(5pm). The priest conducted an 'aarti', gave me holy water and I submitted 'Dakshina' (honorarium to the priest). I was about the take a picture of the idol; then a boy, probably the son of the priest, forbade me so; I deferred. When I was tying up my shoe laces, the boy came and asked: 'do you want to see the terrace'. I said 'yes'. The priest and his son urged all other visitors to move out of the temple. Only I and the boy remained. The priest went out and locked the main gate of the temple. Then, the boy opened a door that led to a series of steep, stone steps leading to the terrace of the temple. It was dark and we used the light from the mobile phone of the boy. The path was badly broken at one place and I had to do gymnastics to cross it. But the effort was worth it. The view of the 'gopuras' (the towers) of the Chaturbhuj temple; the short structure at the bottom of the photo houses staircase.
The visitor and the gopuras.
The trekker in front of the main doom of the temple.
A view of the Orchha town from the terrace of Chaturbhuj temple. The yellow coloured building (right side) is the 'Ramaraja' temple. The 'Lakshminarayan Temple' is visible at a distance (centre of the photo). The latter temple also closes at 5pm and I could not visit it, a pity because it boasts of lovely frescos, I had read.
The sun is setting on the west. A temple of a local Goddess is on the right.
A westward view (from the terrace of Chaturbhuj temple) of the defence walls close to the river and the hills beyond the river that protected the area. Remember: 'orchha means hidden'. Probably, the 3 flags (left of centre) belong to Amar Mahal.
A vulture (live, not a statue) on the temple!
A view of the palace complex and the tourist on the terrace of Chaturbhuj temple.
The boy and I climbed down the dark steps. I tipped the boy. We jumped out through a small window of the main door; the boy locked the window. - - - The view of a gate on a series of steps leading to the main door. Notice a pair of thin, tall towers (centre of the photo). Later, you will see a picture of them in the night and read a story about them.
A tiny bazaar selling 'puja' (prayer) articles just outside the temple. I saw a 'sadhu' (holy man) sitting at the bottom of the series of steps. Against my nature, I impulsively gave him 10 Rs. and walked out to enjoy the colours in front.
Coloured powders were being sold by weight. Small plastic containers topped each heap. I saw some foreigners buying small quantities of these powders. Note that the sadhu is sitting at the bottom of stairs.
I thought that the colours and the Sadhu will make an interesting combination. Since I already had tipped him (or was the tip in anticipation of a potential future photo opportunity?), I clicked a photo. He posed.
Then, I walked closer and clicked another picture. I showed it to him. He started showing me his shawl and talked of harsh winter. It took me a while to figure out that he was becoming a little greedy. I just walked out.
Then I walked towards the 'Ramraja' temple. A series of stalls selling flowers, coconut etc. line up this narrow pedestrian path. A view of 'Chaturbhuj' temple from the open space in front of Ramraja temple. - - -This is a good time to tell the stories of the two temples. The king of Orchha was a devotee of Lord Krishna. A visit to 'brindavan' [dwelling place of Krishna] was an annual ritual. The newly married queen, a devotee of Lord Ram [an avatar of Krishna], wanted to visit Ayodhya (capital of Ram), instead. The king said: "bring your lord to Orchha, if you wish". The queen agreed. Then the kind said angrily : "never return to Orchha without your Lord". The queen went to Ayodhya and prayed to God on the shore of a river for more than a month. The Lord never appeared. The dejected queen jumped to the river. Then, God appeared in the form of 'baal' (infant/kid) Ram and rescued her. He agreed to come to Orchha on 3 terms. (1) The queen has to carry him all the way from Ayodhya to Orchha. ... continued ...
contd... (2) If she keeps him down on the floor, he will stay there itself. (3) He, and not her husband, will rule the kingdom. The queen agreed to all terms. The construction of the magnificent temple, the Chaturbhuja temple, was not complete when the queen brought the kid Ram to Orchha. So, she ad hoc set 'bal ram' at her kitchen forgetting his condition. When the Chaturbhuj temple was ready, the Lord would not budge. Remembering his condition, the queen built a temple in the kitchen. The is the Ramraja (raja === king) temple. --- The temple was closed when I arrived. It will open only at 7pm or so. I would return after the light and sound show in English (6:30 - 7:15pm). A front view of the temple. At a distance, vendors were selling fruits. I ate a big gua fruit and a few bananas.
I went around the temple complex. A rear view of the temple complex.
I reached a junction and then the bazaar of Orchha town. After moving around a little while, I went to my hotel and wore the sweater; it was getting cold.
I hurriedly reached (for the second time on that day) the main gate of the palace complex just before 6:30 pm, the starting time of the English version of 'son et lumiere' (sound and light show). I hurriedly clicked this and the next photo as I was worried that the ticket counter may close if I am late. On reaching the ticket counter, I saw an elderly pair enquiring/buying the tickets. I was relieved and got the tickets. The lights of the gate house had burned[ :-( ]; we moved on gingerly with a torch bearer showing us the way up the stone steps. Then, it was a comical situation. The 3 rows of about 60 chairs were occupied by just a middle aged pair. They were relieved to see us; the show will go on :-) - The show was informative as usual, interspersed with stories of the valour, treachery, wars as well as music, beauty, piousness etc. The stories I wrote in this album are from the narrative of the offical sound and light show.
The barbs on the main door of the fort complex.
The 'Diwan-e-aam' (public audience hall) of the Raja Mahal. The quality of these pictures is poor since they were clicked without flash while the show was going on.
A colourful, illuminated picture of Sheesh mahal.
The main entrance of the fort complex (now lit by flood lights).
After the sound and light show, I crossed the bridge and noticed the branch of the State Bank of India. Firstly, wednesday (not sunday) is a holiday for this branch of the bank, possibly to cater to the tourists during the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to see 3 earthen pots filled with water and a metal 'spoon' to drink water with - a manifestation of 'Corporate Social Responsibility'. The picture is not very clear due to a wire mesh to protect earthen pots from accidental projectiles or hits. The ATM of SBI is near the bus stand.
Then, I went to see Ramraja temple. Photography is, as usual, prohibited inside the temple. In fact, there was a big board inside the temple proclaiming that anyone caught with either a camera or a mobile phone will be fined Rs. 1000!
A wedding was going on a platform just outside the temple.
With the permission of the groom, I clicked his photo along with his friends. The combination of the traditional gear (the glittering garland, the red sash, the 'peta' on the head) and the western dress (a tie, trousure, shoe) was interesting.
The pair of towars are called 'Sawan Bhadon' (as proclaimed by a board erected by the local administration- see the next picture). These are located adjacent to the summer retreat (by the side of Ramraja temple) and are natural ventilation systems drawing on the principle of convection. These tall narrow structures serve to draw hot air from the rooms below, thus cooling the rooms. I read, somewhere that the origin of such towards is Yazd in Iran. Such a contraption is used even today in south coastal Karnataka ... continued in the caption of the next picture...
Continued from the caption of the previous picture: Utilization of the principle of convection to reduce human effort in the process of making 'boiled rice': In order to make '[par]boiled rice', the paddy has to be partially cooked, and then cooled and dried before feeding to de-husking machines. The paddy is boiled in large (2m diameter) vats with the paddy husk fed as the fuel to the fire. The process is slow; a person used to spend about 2 hours to hand feed the husk to the flame. Now, a 4 meter tall, hollow tower stands by the side of the oven. This tower draws hot air up resulting in a convective current. Cool air enters the oven through small entrance in the side. The resulting air current automatically draws light husk heaped around the small entrance, thus alleviating the constant need for a human to push the husk to the fire. So, it is sufficient if a worker adjusts the husk heap once in 10 minutes! This is (old) technology at work.
Adjacent to the 'Sawan Bhadon' and inside the 'phool garden', is 'Hardaul ju baithka' (hardaul's palace) (see the next picture). A story is related to this place. Hardaul was the brother of the king of Orchha and served the king faithfully. According to the narration in light and sound show, mughal king, Shah Jahan, was concerned that Orchha king's brother, Hardaul, was too strong to be defeated in battle field. So, he invited the Orchha king to Delhi and talked of rumours about illicit relationship between his brother and his wife. The Orchha king protested. The Moghul king persisted: "if your wife does not have such relationship, let her prove her loyalty to you by feeding poison to your brother; let her choose between you and your brother'. The king's brother, knowingly, consumed poison gave by her sister-in-law and sacrificed his life. The people of Orchha revered him and built a small structure in the royal garden with a bust inside. This is the entrance to the garden.
Adjacent to Ramraja temple was another temple where 'Ram Janaki vivah' (wedding of Ram with Sita) was being celebrated.
Before I left Hotel Ganpati on the morning of the next day, I clicked one last picture of Sheesh/Jehangir Mahal (left) and Raja Mahal (right) as the sun was rising in the east. I caught a shared auto to the railway station to board the 7:40AM passenger train from Jhansi to Khajuraho.
