Orchha (Niwari district)

Orchha, in today’s Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh, was founded in the early 16th century by Rudra Pratap Singh, a Bundela Rajput ruler who shifted his capital here from nearby Garh Kundar. He chose Orchha for its defensible position on the rocky banks of the Betwa River, surrounded by low hills and forest. Over the next two centuries, the Bundela rulers transformed this small settlement into a flourishing capital filled with palaces, temples and cenotaphs.

Important rulers like Bir Singh Deo (late 16th–early 17th century) built many of Orchha’s most iconic monuments, including the Jahangir Mahal, reportedly to commemorate a visit by the Mughal emperor Jahangir. The grand Raja Mahal, richly painted interiors, and tall-spired Chaturbhuj Temple reflect a blend of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles.

A unique feature of Orchha’s history is the Ram Raja Temple, where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king in a former palace building—this fusion of royal and divine kingship remains central to local tradition.

With shifting politics and the rise of other centres, Orchha gradually declined as a capital, and the Bundela power base moved elsewhere. The town slipped into quiet obscurity, leaving behind remarkably intact palaces, chhatris and temples that today make Orchha feel like a frozen medieval river-capital rediscovered by modern tourism.