Orchha
Cenotaphs, Orchha, Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh
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Cenotaphs, Orchha, Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh
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Betwa and its tributaries have carved deep ravines in low gneiss and sandstone ridges crisscrossed by basaltic dykes. Betwa, is ascribed great purity and power, washing away all sins when one bathes in it. Its banks were considered to be tapovan (forest of penance) where ascetics built their ashrams, taught the sacred texts and purified the wilderness of its evil (Gupta, 1989). Betwa’s two tributaries—Jamner and Ghurari—merging at Orchha, create a natural landscape of fording streams, ideal for a moated citadel in perilous times. On the banks of Betwa, rose a group of cenotaphs, known as chattris, memorials to Bundela rulers and their queens.
– Sumita Tayal
These beautiful chhatris were designed to be seen from the river as much as from land. We today tend to ignore this aspect of many riverside monuments, when we approach them only via pre-designated ‘tourist’ entrances.
– Swapna Liddle
The five elements of nature stand identified and supportive of what we add to their treasures.
– Karan Grover
There are around 15 royal Chhatris or Cenotaphs situated on the banks river Betwa and are memorials that pay homage to the dead ancestors of the Bundela kings. The architectural beauties are nothing but an epitome of superlative workmanship, while the river bank can be seen now as a leisure hub for several open-air activities such as: swimming, river rafting, boating etc. The Cenotaph one dedicated to Raja Bir Singh Deo (1605-27) is a 3-storeyed structure and has an exit that leads straight to the river Betwa.
– Nilesh Narayan
It can be a surreal experience to watch the glassy waters of the Betwa reflection of the temple-like memorials. Even with constant flow of human traffic on the bridge, one can absorb the silence and solemnity of the scene. The non-essentials around fade into oblivion.
– Punita Malhotra
The royal cenotaphs rose over the confluence of the Betwa and Ghurari rivers, believed to mimic a cosmic axis, thereby symbolically linking the earth and the heavens.
– Puran Kumar, Studio PKA
Having read some history of Bundela architecture followed by a visit many moons ago, the real experience of the majestic palaces, many of them still intact, having stood the test of time, however grumpily, in front of me, was a feast for the eyes.
Embedded in their physical form are many socio-political stories challenging us to understand the bond of historical contiguity in time, where we have come from and what we have become.
Think it is time for a visit again.
– Madhu Pandit