Raj Mahal

About Raj Mahal

Raj Mahal stands to the right of the fort quadrangle, and it is the older of Orchha's two great palaces. It was built by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious ruler who preceded Bir Singh Deo, and the character of the man shows in the building.

From outside it gives very little away. The exteriors are plain, almost austere, crowned by a line of chhatris. The reward is inside, where the walls and ceilings of the chambers carry murals on a variety of religious themes, boldly coloured and still legible in many rooms. Compared with the display architecture of Jehangir Mahal next door, Raj Mahal is an interior building, and it is worth going slowly through it.

Inside the Raj Mahal

The mural chambers

Several rooms retain painted schemes across walls and ceilings, worked in strong reds, blues and ochres. The subjects are drawn from religious narrative rather than court life. Light levels are low, so let your eyes adjust before deciding a room is bare.

The chhatri line

The plain outer walls are finished with a row of domed pavilions, the same device used across Bundela architecture. From the quadrangle this is the one external flourish the building allows itself.

Courtyards and galleries

The palace is built around open courts with tiers of rooms looking into them. The arrangement keeps the deep interior chambers ventilated and gives you repeated views back across the fort complex.

Planning your visit

Raj Mahal is a short walk from Jehangir Mahal inside the same fort enclosure, so most people see the two in one visit. Give Raj Mahal its own time rather than treating it as an annexe, because the paintings need slow looking.

• Allow 45 to 90 minutes, more if you are interested in the murals.
• Interiors are dim; your eyes need a few minutes in each chamber.
• Do not touch the painted surfaces, and avoid flash on them.
• A guide helps considerably with identifying the mural subjects.

Best time to visit

Because the murals are indoors, Raj Mahal is a good choice for the warmer middle of the day when the open courtyards of other monuments are uncomfortable. The overall season is still October to March. Mid morning gives the best indirect light through the courtyards into the painted rooms, which matters more here than sunrise or sunset colour.