| Orchha | |
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| Coordinates | 25°21′N 78°38′E / 25.35°N 78.64°E |
| Country |  India |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District(s) | Tikamgarh |
| Population | 8,499 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Orchha (or Urchha) is a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh state, India. The town was the seat of an eponymous former princely state of central India, in the Bundelkhand region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River, 15 km. from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
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Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[1] Orchha had a population of 8499. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Orchha has an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 64%, and female literacy is 42%, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Places of tourist interest
On a seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River, which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, stands a huge palace-fort. The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which are the Rajmandir and the Jahangir Mahal.
The Rajmandir is built on a square base and has an almost entirely plain exterior, relieved by projecting windows and a line of delicate domes along the summit. The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner surmounted by a dome, while two lines of graceful balconies supported on brackets mark the central storeys. The roof is crowned by eight large fluted domes, with smaller domes between them, connected by an ornamental balustrade. The Jahangir Mahal is considered to be a singularly beautiful specimen of domestic Hindu architecture.[2].
Numerous cenotaphs or chhatris dot the vicinity of the fort and the Betwa river. Elsewhere about the town there is an unusual variety of temples and tombs, including the Chaturbhuj temple, which is built on a vast platform of stone. The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stingy creatures.
In 2006, Orchha's buildings were being documented by the LIK Team of IIT Roorkee, India[3]
History
Orchha was founded in the 1501 AD,[4] by the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, (r. 1501-1531) and also built the Fort of Orchha.[5] He died in an attempt to save a cow from a lion. The Chaturbhuj Temple was built, during the time of Akbar, by the Queen of Orchha,[6] while Raj Mandir was built by 'Madhukar Shah' during his reign, 1554 to 1591.[7][8]
During the rule of Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, his ally, Bir Singh Deo (r. 1605-1627) reigned here, and it was during this period that Orchha reaches its height, and many extant palaces are a reminder of its architectural glory, including Jahangir Mahal (b. ca 1605) and Sawan Bhadon Mahal.[9]
In the early 17th century, Raja Jujhar Singh rebelled against the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, whose armies devastated the state and occupied Orchha from 1635 to 1641. Orchha and Datia were the only Bundela states not subjugated by the Marathas in the 18th century. The town of Tehri, presently Tikamgarh, about 40 miles south of Orchha, became the capital of Orchha state in 1783, and is presently the district town; Tehri was the site of the fort of Tikamgarh, and the town eventually took the name of the fort.[10]
Hamir Singh, who ruled from 1848 to 1874, was elevated to the style of Maharaja in 1865. Maharaja Pratap Singh (born 1854, died 1930), who succeeded to the throne in 1874, devoted himself entirely to the development of his state, himself designing most of the engineering and irrigation works that were executed during his reign.
In 1901, the state had an area of 2000 sq. mi, and population of 52,634. It was the oldest and highest in rank of all the Bundela states, with a 17-gun salute, and its Maharajas bore the hereditary title of First of the Prince of Bundelkhand. Vir Singh, Pratap Singh's successor, merged his state with the Union of India on January 1, 1950. The district became part of Vindhya Pradesh state, which was merged into Madhya Pradesh state in 1956. Today Orchha is almost a nondescript town with a small population, and its importance is maintained only due to its rich architectural heritage and tourism.
Books on the rich history of Orchha are available in local shops, mostly in the Hindi language. Only a thorough reading of some of this material will tell about the rich and varied history of this place.
Postal history
Postage stamps of this feudatory state were prepared for use in 1897 but were never issued. First Orchha State stamps were issued in 1913. Separate stamps were discontinued on 30 April 1950 after the state was merged with the Union of India early that year.
References
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ Orchha History
- ^ Mission Orchha Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee.
- ^ Orchha Tikamgarh district Official website.
- ^ .co.uk/personalisation/PHO000430S21U00011000 Mausoleum of Raja Rudra Pratap] British Library.
- ^ Orchha British Library.
- ^ Genealogy of Orchha
- ^ Raj Mandir British Library.
- ^ Swan Bhadon Palace, Orcha British Library.
- ^ Orchha state The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 19, p. 241.
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
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