Paintings in the King's
Bedroom of Orchha
King's Bedroom of Orchha
is famous for its lovely paintings and unique architecture.
Prettily situated in
the fort complex, Rani Mahal in Orchha is famous for its lovely paintings
and unique architecture. Rani Mahal, which is also known as the Queen’s
Chamber was the royal residence of the Queen of Raja Madhukar Shah. A great
devotee of Lord Ram, the queen decorated her bedroom with murals featuring
scenes from the epics. The exquisite paintings of Bhima and a bird flying
with elephants are really fantastic.
Rani Mahal commands the
panoramic view of the entire city and a glimpse of the beautiful river
Betwa at a distance
Orchha, meaning a "hidden
place", certainly lives up to its name. Languishing amid a tangle of scrubby
dhak forest, 18km southeast of Jhansi, the former capital of the Bundela
dynasty gets only a small portion of the Khajuraho bound traffic. Architectural
gems, however, abound in this town. Clustered around the foot of the exotic
ruins, a sleepy village of neatly painted houses, market stalls, and a
couple of attractive government hotels provide most of the basic amenities.
Raja Rudra Pratap started
the construction of Orchha but he coud not finish it as he was killed trying
to rescue a cow from the clutches of a tiger. However, the construction
continued. Thereafter, the Bundela dynasty's fortunes depended on the goodwill
of the Mughals. Orchha's most illustrious ruler was Raja Bir Singh Deo.
During his 22-year rule, Bir Singh Deo erected a total of 52 forts and
palaces across the region, including the citadel at Jhansi, the rambling
Narsing Dev at Datia, and many of Orchha's finest buildings. Apart from
the Sheesh Mahal, now converted into a a beutiful hotel, most of the magnificent
monuments have lain virtually deserted now. |