Diwan-I-Khas Orchha
Inside the Mahal, the
two places worth a look are the Durbar-e-Khas and the Diwan-i-Am. The Durbar-e-Khas,
or the Durbar Hall, is situated on the first floor of the palace and is
surrounded by high battlement walls. It is well fortified, and right above
it are a number of musket holes through which the enemy was shot at. The
Diwan-i-Am is an assembly hall where the king often held meetings with
his council of ministers.
The hall has three platforms,
and from the highest one, the king held forth on affairs of the state.
The Diwan-i-Am has massive columns and the ceiling has been decorated with
paintings belonging to the Mughal and the Bundela schools of art. The exterior
of the palace is decorated with elephant and lotus-shaped brackets. The
entire architecture of the Raja Mahal is exquisite and speaks loftily of
the stone carvers who sculpted it. |