The allure of Orchha


A spectacular view of the Orchha Fort
While coming or going from Jhansi, or even if you are just crossing it, a leisurely stop for lunch could well be had at Orchha (or Urchha), a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. For a trip into history visit the seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River, which is surrounded by a battlement wall and stands the huge palace-fort of Orchha. 
The arches in the corridors of the Orchha Fort have intricate carvings.


 The fort houses tourism run resorts and multi cuisine restaurants that suit all kinds of pockets, however, due to the quaint historic feel of the place, tourists flock the fort all year round and bookings and reservations are best done well before hand.

 There is plenty to explore at on the premises of the fort. It consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which is the Raja Mahal. The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and the roof is has eight large fluted domes, with smaller domes between them. The Jahangir Mahal is considered to be a splendid example of Mughal architecture. 

The Uth Khana which was a shelter for Camels is right next to the fort and is a must-see. For an exquisite view of the Orchha city you can climb on the roof of the Uth Khana and get a fantastic view of Orchha town. Take a walk on the grounds with your friends or family or even by yourself and watch history unfold in the intricacies of architecture from different eras within the same complex. On a clear day the backdrop of the town sprawled beneath a blue sky makes perfect for holiday memories and pictures.
The view of the city beyond the fort.

While the experience will definitely be an amazing one, encounters with the local langoors might be a little disturbing. But you should know that the langoors are essentially after any eatables that you might be carrying as many tourists buy sweetmeats from outside the temple complex just opposite to the fort and feed them to the langoors.

Reaching Orchha is very easy. Orchha Railway station comes on the Jhansi-Manikpur section of the North Central Railways. 15 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to another popular tourist destination, Khajuraho. One can even make a quick trip to the Fort in Jhansi with another spectacular view of the city beyond.

Those who wish to visit Orchha from Khajuraho can catch the train and reach Jhansi in five hours and hire an autorickshaw for Orchha.
One of the buildings in the fort.

Source - www.dailypostindia.com
Photos by Raghav Shikarpuria

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