Touring Orchha Orcha India

India - Orchha Travel and Tour Guide.

Sightseeing and Holiday Guide for Orcha, India visiting the many beautiful Palaces and Buildings including Rajmandir Fort, Jahangir Mahal, Raj Mahal, Lakshmi Narayan Temple and Ram Raja Temple.

The Lakshmi Narayan Temple at Orchha, India Orcha is a very small Indian town of around 9000 inhabitants and is located about 16kms from Jhansi - and apart from it's excellent collection of Mahals, Cenotaphs and Temples also has the beautiful River Betwa running by. The town is quite easy to get to by railway from the north - the railhead at Jhansi is a main railway link for Agra and Delhi. If coming in from the south - for instance from Khajuraho - there is now a limited train service which leaves Khajuraho three days a week going via Mahoba and then Jhansi. It may be just as nice, quicker and more interesting if travelling in from the south to simply hire a car and driver of course - prices from Khajuraho to Orchha were offered for around 2000 to 3000 Rupees depending on the type and size of car.

Bridge over the Betwa River at Orchha India - The River Betwa at Orchha Orchha. There are only a few hotels available in the town - with several modern 4 star hotel -complexes available which have many amenities including swimming pools etc. These do tend to be somewhat expensive to stay at - published rates at 30 to 40 UK Pounds per night - although we found the one we stayed at was quite willing to be flexible on room rates after a little haggling. One or two of these also have what amounts to camping areas on their grounds where of course the day rates are considerably cheaper.
As seems to be normal in this part of India there are not really any restaurants set up in the town which you would probably want to use - however you can use several of the 4 star hotels facilities and get quite good meals at a reasonable cost.

Orcha Main Street River Betwa with India's Jungle in the background There are auto-rickshaws available but getting around the various sites in Orchha is not a problem - the main areas of interest are all within easy walking distance. Several of the temples etc. are only a little further out from the town or do not have roads to them anyway. Some of these temples and buildings are shown towards the end of this page - and all were easily walkable with a nice bonus of some peaceful Indian countryside to go with it all. There is plenty of wildlife living around the river and town so don't be surprised if you come across groups of monkeys often noisily jumping around in the trees for instance - they seemed to be everywhere.

Orchha's Palace-Fort.
Entrance fees for visiting the various temples and palaces is 250 Rupees plus 25 Rupees for each camera - this is valid at any site which requires an entrance ticket within the town. Note that the ticket remains valid for the whole day so allows you to re-visit various locations if you wish - perhaps if you are unlucky several tourist groups on a day trip arrive and clutter up the place you are visiting - so you can give up and go back later.

The causeway leading into Orchha's excellent Palace Fort Outside view of the Raj Mahal at Orchha Raj Mahal coutyard India's Raj Mahal - Orchha Raj Mahal - India, Orcha
Palace - Fort Causeway Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Raj Mahal
Up on the roof of the Raj Mahal - Orchha Orchha - Raj Mahal mural Colourfull murals at Orchha's Raj Mahal The still well preserved murals at the Raj Mahal at Orchha Raj Mahal mural
Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Raj Mahal
Raj Mahal - Orchha Lovely buldings at Orchha - the Raj Mahal Nicely carved Jahangir Mahal Gate with it's elephants - Orchha Orchha - the Jahangir Mahal - courtyard Jahangir Mahal at Orchha
Raj Mahal Raj Mahal Jahangir Mahal Gate Jahangir Mahal Jahangir Mahal
Orchha's Jahangir Mahal Wandering around Jahangir Mahal - Orchha Up on the top level of Jahangir Mahal at Orchha Jahangir Mahal to level - Orchha Outisde view of Jahangir Mahal in Orchha
Jahangir Mahal Jahangir Mahal Jahangir Mahal Jahangir Mahal Jahangir Mahal

 

Orchha's Sheesh Mahal A nice building within Orcha's Fort Bottom left is the Raj Parveen Mahal, Orchha The picture on the far left is of The Sheesh Mahal (which is now used as a Hotel), the centre photo we have no idea but it's a beautiful building to look at and on the bottom of the left hand photo is a view of the Raj Parveen Mohal with one of the Fort's Gates behind and then the Betwa River.

 

These buildings shown below are within the Fort walls and belong to the Dauji ki Kothi:

Dauji ki Kothi, Orchha One of the gates at Dauji ki Kothi Orchha - Dauji ki Kothi Ruins within the Palace Fort, Orchha - Dauji ki Kothi Dauji ki Kothi ruins

 

From the Fort walls on the Betwa River side these following small temples can be clearly seen dotted around out in the fields. There is a large Fort gate down on the left (which is worth taking a closer look at anyway) - go through the Fort Gate and turn left on the wide path. You are almost immediately out in the fields and now just follow the various tracks which go off to these temples - it is quite easy walking. You may well find some young children will turn up and offer to guide you round - we were taken round by four youngsters who chatted away and were fine - we were even diverted a little way to say "hello" to their mother. Of course they expected a small tip at the end but this was ok. To return back into Orcha village you do not need to walk up and through the fort, just go on past the Fort Gate and the path will take you back into town easily enough.

Palace-Fort gate - River Betwa side of the fort Temple out in the fields at Orchha Various temples dotted around in the fields at Orcha Dasiyon Ka Mahal, Orchha Orchha - Dasiyon Ka Mahal
Palace-Fort Gate Orchha Temple Orchha Temple Dasiyon Ka Mahal Dasiyon Ka Mahal
Track heading into the fields to look at some isolated temples at Orchha In the fields at Orchha - Vanvasi Ram Mander Vanvasi Ram Mander - Orchha Orchha, India - Vanvasi Ram Mander Bull grazing quietly at Orchha
Orchha Track Vanvasi Ram Mander Vanvasi Ram Mander Vanvasi Ram Mander Indian Bullock
Chhardwari Hanuman Temple at Orchha Orcha's Chhardwari Hanuman Temple Near Betwa River - Chhardwari Hanuman Temple Orcha, India Chhardwari Hanuman Temple
Chhardwari Hanuman Temple Chhardwari Hanuman Temple Chhardwari Hanuman Temple Chhardwari Hanuman Temple

 

Cenotaphs.

Cenotaphs at Orchha Orcha - Cenotaphs India, Orchha - Cenotaphs Orchha, Cenotaphs Cenotaphs at Orcha

 

Orchha's Temples.

Chaturbhuj Temple Orchha - Chaturbhuj Temple Ram Raja Temple Orcha - Ram Raja Temple View of Lakshmi Narayan Temple at Orchha
Chaturbhuj Temple Chaturbhuj Temple Ram Raja Temple Ram Raja Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple
Orchha's Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple A mural at Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple murals (Orchha) Buildings part of the Lakshmi Narayan Temple
Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple

 

Other Buildings and Temples around the Town:

Narayan Das Khare Ki Kothi Name unknown of this Orchha Temple more Orcha temples - names unknown Kraparamgaur Ki Haveli at Orchha Windcatchers (Dastgirs) and Palkhi Mahal - Orchha
Narayan Das Khare Ki Kothi Orchha Temple Orchha Temple Kraparamgaur Ki Haveli Wind Catchers

The last photo shown above is of a pair of wind catchers which provided air conditioning for the adjacent Palkhi Mahal. The two tall cooling towers were Persian style and are probably the only surviving example of such towers in India.

 

More of our Holiday, Travel and Touring Guides about India:-




 

Please see our Home Page for our India related topics and towards the end of that page there are also links to our other travel sites about England, The Canary Islands, Cyprus, Portugal's Algarve, The Greek Islands and Athens, Egypt, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok, Bali and several other Indonesian Holiday Islands.   Please visit our Resources topic if you wish to Email Us and/or to see our site privacy policy.

www.india-travel-guide.co.uk