Royal Chhatris (Not Ticketed, Page 1 of 2)

Chhatri of Maharaja Prithvi Singh

Location

Most visitors to Orchha miss this chhatri since it is acros the road from the ticketed chhatris. Unlike the other chhatris this one is not being maintained/cleaned. In fact it is being used like a toilet !

After the death of Maharaja Udot Singh in1736 A.D. his son Maharaja Prithvi Singh succeded him on the throne of Orchha.Maharaja Prithvi Singh founded Prithvi Nagar and got the Laxmi Mandir renovated and paintings executed. After his death in 1752 A.D. his grand son Sawant Singh built his cenotaph.

The ground plan of the cenotaph consists of a square garbha-griha and a rectangular mandapa. The garbha-griha has arched oriels. The arches are polygonal with diagonal ventilator above them. The mandapa has a three- arched gate and the ceiling is chaityakar. The elevation of the east-facing cenotaph is a two-storeyed structure. The first story is crowned with a dome and there are small chatris with shikhars of Nagara style at all four corners.The roofs above the oriels are gajprishthakar. The roofs of oriels of the walls of the ambulatory path are pananquin-shaped. The cenotaph is built in Bundela School of architecture. (M P Tourism)

Chhatri of Maharaja Banka Umed Singh

Location

Another cenotaph belongs to Banka Umed Singh who was the landlord of Bankapahad and the Qiledar of Orchha fort and expired in V.S. 1801 (A.D. 1744) at Orchha. He was the descendant of Hardaul and son of Rai Singh (a brother of Maharaja Udot Singh). Though he belonged to the ruling family but was not in the line of succession.

The cenotaph is located adjacent to the outside of the chhatri complex and rectangular in plan and have a mandap in identical design. It has three arched door in front and two in both sides. The structure contains the image of Umed Singh, his wife and consort. Three liones are carved on the cenotaph. The sanctum is surmounted with small dome. (Building Traditions In Bundelkhand)

Chhatri of Kriparam Gaur

Location

Kirpa Ram Gaur was the military commander during the time of Maharaja Bir Singh Dev Bundela. He earned popularity by his victorious campaigns against enemies. It is the only chhatri which belonged to a person of non-ruling family background. Its location enhances the status of a resting person. It is just four to five metres away from the cenotaph of Bir Singh Dev Bundela. In fact it looks like a miniature form of above cenotaph. In other words both appear as a pair. It too is located on the bank of the Betwa river and adjacent to the mausoleum of his master Bir Singh Dev. The chhatri is on elevated square platform and the sanctum sanctorium too is square. It appears that this double storey structure remained incomplete. (Building Traditions In Bundelkhand)

Chhatri of Bir Singh

Location

This chhatri was locked when I was there.

Maharaja Veer Singh Bundela (1605-1627 A.D.) was the most illustrious ruler of Orchha. His period is described as golden period in the history of Bundela dynasty. A large number of buildings were constructed and Bundela architecture flourished during this period. The cenotaph was built by Maharaja Veer Singh’s elder son Maharaja Jujhar Singh (1627-1634 A.D.) but due to political instability its shikhar could not be completed. The three-storeyed grand cenotaph is built on a square plan on a square platform. The central square garbha- griha has corridors and arched gates on all four sides. In the exteior plan there are rows of niches and a balcony based on todis. Although the shikhar is incomplete, it clearly reflects panchayatan plan. (M P Tourism)

The chhatri of the Bundela chief is located on the bank of the river Betwa (Vetravati). The water of this river touches the bottom of the structure making it a more scenic and beautifiil. This memorial structure of one of the greatest Bundela ruler was built by his son Jujhar Singh in 1627-28. This structure was raised on elevated square platform. Its main entrance faces the river and below it, there is a square chamber and passage or stairs to reach up to the level of water (See plate no. 6.7). The river facing entrance was constructed with the belief that the deceased ruler would take regular bath and enjoy the natural beauty of the river in his next life. (Building Traditions In Bundelkhand)