Orchha Fort

Jhansi - Orchha

Orchha Fort was in my checklist since I missed it on my trip to Khajuraho. I had heard so much abut this bastion of Bundelkhand rulers that it would have been a tragedy to miss it twice. We left Jhansi Fort around 1 and reached Orchha by 2. Mauranipur, our destination for wedding we were here to attend, was still couple hours away.

Orchha Fort

The first glimpse of Orchha Fort doesn’t disappoint. Standing tall beside a river, the imposing vertical walls speak about the dominance that used to flow from this place once. Now mostly pigeons and occasional tourists hawk this palace fort. We crossed the river bridge and asked our driver to park near the entrance.

Almost every corner is carved at Orchha Fort

A nominal fee was paid and we were climbing the stairs to an expansive garden. Here there were more parking and a hotel restaurant. We skipped that and entered the fortress directly. Jahangir Mahal which is a separate palace on the right side of the entrance was visited at the end. Through a narrow corridor for tourists we entered the main compound.

Fort view from top tier

Orchha Fort is grandiose from inside. The stone structures look sky high when you look at them from inside. Almost every corner is carved. There are narrow staircases that take you further up the fort. We took one such stair and after a couple of flight of stairs we reached the eastern gallery at the top. From here the Betwa river was visible.

Panoramic view of back entrance to Orchha Fort

We started climbing down to reach the back of the fort enjoying the paintings on the walls and ceilings while taking this route. From here the palace looked even more beautiful. Maybe this was an equally important entrance from the river. Jahangir Mahal was more horizontal and plain but kingly.

Painting on wall at Jahangir Mahal, Orchha Fort

We were here for more than two hours. It was time to start for our final destination. There is a famous Ram temple across the fort. We had a tea and some snacks as we had skipped lunch. With a final look at the Orchha Fort we headed for the wedding.