Orchha

Orchha was founded in 1501 as the Bundela capital and its rulers built for a century and a half before the seat moved, leaving palaces, temples and cenotaphs in a compact area beside the Betwa. Jahangir Mahal was put up for a single overnight visit by the emperor, a square palace of domed pavilions and hanging balconies. Raja Mahal has painted interiors. Chaturbhuj temple, built for an image that never arrived, stands on a huge plinth with a soaring hall. Along the river stand fourteen chhatris, tall memorial cenotaphs to the Bundela rulers, on whose domes long-billed vultures nest.

What you actually see

• Jahangir Mahal - a domed palace built for one imperial overnight stay.
• The riverside chhatris - fourteen memorial cenotaphs along the Betwa.
• Chaturbhuj temple - a soaring hall built for an image never installed.
• The vultures - long-billed vultures nesting on the cenotaph domes.

When to go

October to March; Bundelkhand summers are severe. Sunset over the cenotaphs from the far bank is the classic view. The town is quiet compared with the Rajasthan circuit.

Honest expectations

The town is small and covered in a day, though it rewards two. Some monuments are unlit and unlabelled. Ram Raja temple, the main working shrine, is crowded and separate from the ticketed group.

Nearby

Jhansi lies north; Khajuraho is southeast.