During my time in India, I got to visit all of the main tourist places as well as some off the beaten path places, Orchha was one of those. It was a beautiful rural town, 45 minutes from the closest train station that had many wonders to explore. It was one of my favorite places I visited in India and here are my recommendations if you make it there.
Attractions
Cenotaphs
Probably my favorite spot in the city, these old tombs are dedicated to the fallen kings of the region and are beautiful examples of the cultural and architecture of the region. I loved being able to climb to the top of them and just to lose myself in the exploration of something this old, without anyone around,
Raj Mahal
Part of the massive palace you can see from the city itself, this is a great place to see the famous incarnations of Vishnu painting which is over 500 years old and just explore the palace.
Jahangir Mahal
This is the most impressive thing in the city as it is a massive palace set on the hillside that overlooks both the Raj Mahal and the city. It reminds me of Ankor Wat in Cambodia but with much fewer people. It is majestic and beautiful and cannot be missed.
The Palace of Vishnu
This palace was created simply for the God Vishnu and is situated right in the center of the city. The inside is not as impressive but the exterior is worth the visit.
The Temple of Rama
One of the most holy temples in India, this place is dedicated to the God Rama and prayers can be attended at either 8 in the morning or 8 at night any day of the week. People come from all over to see the Rama statue from 83 BC and it is an experience you must do in India to get a better understanding of the culture.
The Market
Right out front of the temple is a fun market to stroll through that sells many touristy things such as the colored paints that are so popular in India. There are also lot of bracelets and metal pieces in the market as well. My favorite is the mangos though, I couldn’t get enough of them.
Real Orchha
While there I had the opportunity to visit the rural area of the town with a small city tour lead by Master G It was one of the best things I did there are it really helped me to see the true city face, not the one put on for tourists.
We visited children in their school, watched a clay pot maker working, visited a generation of women that make baskets and even got to see a women preparing for her arranged marriage that next day.
It was amazing, here are some photos.
Cooking Class
Another touristy thing that is a lot of fun in the city is visiting a local family for a cooking class.
There are a few that do this and if you enjoy cooking this is an amazing way to bring a life long souvenir back to your home in the form of recipes. The women that taught us was a great teacher who repeated all of the items many times. She made a total of 8 items for us.
She even did Henna afterwards for anyone who was interested, a fun way to relax in the city.
So there you have it, my recommendations for Orchha. It is a beautiful town to get lost and relax in and if you have suggestions for me, be sure to leave them in the comments.
