Mahal Complex
Orchha, Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh
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Orchha, Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh
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This was built as the residence of the Royal family. Its exteriors are simple without any embellishments but the interior chambers of the palace are elaborately royal in its architectural design, decorated with murals of social and religious themes of gods, mythical animals and people. In the upper floor of the palace there are traces of mirrors in the ceilings and walls.
– Dr. H B Maheshwari
One wouldn’t realise that the citadel is built strategically on an island, with the Betwa providing double duty…inaccessibility AND divinity.
– Punita Malhotra
The fortifications of Orchha were constructed along the river edge and together made the Fort very secure. The bridge with massive piers of granite and high parapets is still the only access to the island. Raja Mahal was the first palace to be built by Rudra Pratap but he died while it was still being built and it was completed by Madhukar Shah one of Orchha’s most prominent rulers built this massive structure around two main courtyards, each some five storeys high; replete with Darbar e Khas and Darbar e Aam; the latter has massive pillars and three tiers where the Raja sat on the highest tier.
Noteable in all Orchha’s buildings is incredible wall paintings and at Raja Mahal this once covered almost every surface. Each building is capped with a vast number of chhatris of different shapes. At the centre is the Sheesh Mahal now a heritage hotel of MPTDC and perhaps less legible while across the courtyard lies Jahangir Mahal an even more extravagant building built for Jahangir where he spent just one night. Built around a courtyard with a heavily carved façade, fluted domes, arcades and embellished with blue tiles.
– Amita Baig
The complex includes the majestic Jahangir Mahal, built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo to commemorate the visit of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. The Mahal has halls large enough to accommodate the entry of war elephants. Its walls are crowned by eight domed turrets and eight slender domed pavilions. The palace has superbly devised sightlines that carry your gaze through successive arches and doorways to jali screens with views over the countryside or town around.
There is also the Rai Parveen Mahal, dedicated to the musician-poetess, Rai Parveen, Raja Indramani’s (1672- 76) paramour. Legends of her beauty caused Emperor Akbar to summon her to Delhi, but he sent her back to Orchha impressed with her dedication and love for Indramani.
– Annie Sengupta
Whilst we may govern from stately magnificent buildings, the materials of our built form must be rooted to the ground they stand upon.
– Karan Grover
This is an image that wants me to get up and go to Orchha right this very minute! This could be the 16th century; nothing spoils it. There is something to be said for preserving our heritage from too much tourist infrastructure. I can happily do without ‘visitor centres’, endless stalls selling souvenirs, if I can have this.
– Swapna Liddle