A Local's Take on Orchha: 10 Years Living Among the Ruins
Vikram Sharma moved to Orchha from Bhopal in 2016 to open a small guesthouse. "I came for one week to see the monuments," he says, leaning back in a plastic chair on his rooftop terrace. Behind him, the turquoise-tiled towers of Jehangir Mahal glow in the late afternoon light. "I never left."
He runs Betwa Retreat, a six-room guesthouse on the road between Ram Raja Temple and the river. Rooms go for INR 800-1,500/night. His wife cooks breakfast. His rooftop has the best view in town that doesn't require a monument ticket.
We talked for two hours over chai and pakoras.
On Orchha's Identity
What would you tell someone who's never heard of Orchha?
Imagine Jaipur, but if Jaipur had stopped growing in the 1700s. That's Orchha. The palaces are the same era, the same style — Rajput architecture with Mughal influence. But Jaipur became a city of 4 million. Orchha stayed at 12,000. So the monuments are surrounded by fields, rivers, and quiet. You can hear birds in Jehangir Mahal. In Jaipur's palaces, you hear traffic.
Why do tourists skip Orchha?
Because it's between two famous places — Delhi and Khajuraho — and people rush through. The train stops at Jhansi, which is ugly and chaotic, and tourists think "this area must be terrible" and get back on the train. They don't know that 18km away there's a medieval town frozen in time.
Also, we have no marketing. No tourism board website. No Instagram influencers. Orchha sells itself by word of mouth, and words travel slowly.
On the Monuments
What's your favourite building?
Everyone says Jehangir Mahal, and yes, it's incredible. 132 rooms, turquoise tiles, the rooftop — spectacular. But my favourite is Chaturbhuj Temple. It was built to house the Ram idol that ended up in Ram Raja Temple instead. So it's this enormous temple with no god inside. Just empty space and echoes. Climb to the top — the stairs are dark and steep — and you get a 360-degree view of the entire Orchha plain. On a clear morning, you can see for 30 kilometres.
Is there a best time of day for the monuments?
Sunrise at Jehangir Mahal. The light hits the east-facing facade and turns the stone pink. Nobody is there — maybe one photographer. Then sunset at the cenotaphs on the river. The reflection in the Betwa is... I've seen it a thousand times and it still makes me stop walking.
On Tourism
How has tourism changed since you arrived?
Slowly. When I came in 2016, maybe 50 foreigners per week visited. Now it's perhaps 100-150 in high season. Indian tourists have grown more — especially after a Bollywood film shot scenes at Jehangir Mahal. But compared to Agra or Jaipur, we're invisible. I like it that way. My guests like it that way.
What do tourists get wrong about Orchha?
Two things. First, they stay only one night. You need three. On one night you see the monuments and think "nice, done." On three nights you discover the river at dawn, the vultures circling at noon, the sound festival at Ram Raja Temple in the evening, the light at Laxminarayan Temple, the kayaking, the food. Orchha reveals itself slowly.
Second, they eat at the wrong places. The hotel restaurants are fine but mediocre. The dhabas near the bus stand make the best dal bati I've had outside Rajasthan. INR 80 for a plate. My wife cooks better, but don't tell her I said that.
On Hidden Spots
Where should tourists go that guidebooks don't mention?
The orchards behind Rai Parveen Mahal. It was the garden of a poet-courtesan — Rai Parveen — who so impressed Emperor Akbar with her talent that he sent her back to Orchha with honour. The garden still has mango and tamarind trees. In February, the blossoms attract parakeets. Nobody goes there.
Also, the sunset point on the hill behind the wildlife sanctuary. It's a 20-minute walk from town. No signs. Ask any local shopkeeper — they all know it. You see the entire monument complex laid out below with the Betwa curving through.
Any warnings for visitors?
The monkeys at Jehangir Mahal. I'm serious — they steal phones, glasses, water bottles. A French tourist lost his prescription sunglasses last month. Keep everything in your pockets or zipped bag. Don't eat anything near the palace.
And don't wade into the Betwa during monsoon. The current looks gentle but the river floods fast. In October-March, it's safe for kayaking and wading.
On Living Here
Do you ever get tired of the view?
[Laughs] Every morning I drink chai on my roof with Jehangir Mahal right there. Some mornings there's mist from the river and just the tops of the towers are visible. No. I don't get tired of it. But I think that's why I stayed. Orchha doesn't overwhelm you — it just becomes part of your life, quietly.
Will Orchha change?
Madhya Pradesh Tourism has plans — better roads, a sound-and-light show, more hotels. It will change. But slowly. That's the Orchha way. Everything here has been moving slowly for 400 years. I don't think a tourist brochure will speed it up.
If You Go
Getting there: Train to Jhansi Junction (18km), auto-rickshaw INR 200-300
Stay: Sheesh Mahal heritage hotel (INR 2,500/night) or budget guesthouses (INR 500-1,500)
Eat: Dhabas near bus stand for dal bati, Sheesh Mahal restaurant for terrace dining
