I was roused from my sleep
as soon as I feel our Mini-bus rolling into a bumpy off-road trail. I opened my
eyes into a view of the Betwa River and its murky waters. From the corner
of my eye I catch a glimpse of a towering structures with arresting looking
tips.
Our guide then hollered and
pointed to us "that is the Royal
Chhatris of Orchha". Still reeling from my brief slumber, I said “what” meaning to only address myself.
Our guide heard me and so he offered aloud a brief explanation. “These are actually the cenotaphs dedicated
to the Bundela Kings of Orchha and some members of their families”
I’ve been to India for quite
a few times and I’ve come across Cenotaphs in other olden cities to know that it is an empty tomb honoring a distinguished person—a past ruler perhaps—whose
actual remains are buried somewhere.
The Magnificent 14 Chhatris of Orccha
A "chhatri" is a widely-used design element in Indian
Architecture. It is highlighted by elevated, dome-shaped pavilion that can rise
one level and up to multiple stories high.
A chhatri is usually the
main architectural design of a site where a cremation or a funeral of an
important person was held. It can be an actual tomb or in the case of the Royal
Chhatris of Orchha; a cenotaph.
Projecting the Bundelkhand
style of architecture, each Chhatris stands at three-storeys built on elevated
platforms with windows placed strategically to attract a continuous flow of the
wind coming from the river. The size of
each chhatri varies in accordance to the length of rule of each leader.
The first of these Chhatris
was constructed at Kanchana Ghat, on the tiers of Betwa River in early 17th
century in honor Bharti Chandra, the first Bundela King of Orchha who died in
1554.
In the succeeding centuries
of the height of the rule of the Bundelas—a Rajput clan of Central India—additional
chhatris was constructed honoring their fallen rulers. Among those who have
cenotaphs erected in their name were Banka Umed Singh Ji, Vir Singh Deo (who
ruled from 1605-1627), King Sujan Singh (💀1675), Maharaja Bhagawant Singh and
Jashwant Singh (💀1684). Most of the Chhatris were
adorned with spires on its tip except for the cenotaph of Raja Bir Sing Deo
whose chhatri uses an Islamic dome design.
The chhatris are built in
almost linear rows of three and separated by footpaths and lavishly landscaped
gardens.
Disregarding the overly
bright gleam of the sun, I explored each Chhatris by entering and even climbing to the
top of a couple of the finest looking ones. After seeing our guide gesture to
us that we still have half an hour to spare, I rested at one of the cenotaph
buildings and just stared at the still waters of Betwa River. Trying to conjure whatever imagination I
could muster, about the olden and glorious days of Orchha, I slowly lulled
myself to sleep.
A gentle tap to my shoulder
from a staff of Madhya Pradesh Tourism slowly roused me back to consciousness.
“Let’s go Marky, we’ll be having lunch
now”.
I stood up looking forward
to another round of mouth-watering Indian cuisine and also at the same
time, fully nourished with another new set of knowledge about Orchha's history.
