Places to visit nearby destination - Orchha
Barua Sagar
Situated 26 km northeast of Orchha, in the neighbouring
state of Uttar Pradesh, Barua Sagar is a dam created on
the Betwa River. It provides excellent views of the surrounding
area. One can enjoy a swim in the lake or go for a walk
in its beautiful environs. While here, one can also pay
a visit to the Pratihara temple and the Jarai-ka-Math dedicated
to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This place has a great
historical importance as a battle between the Peshwas and
the Bundela kings was fought here.
Chitrakoot
 A part of the Bundelkhand region, Chitrakoot is situated
in the region bordering Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama and his wife spent
11 out of 14 years of their exile in the jungles around
Chitrakoot. Most of the attractions of Chitrakoot are situated
along the Mandakini like Janki Kund, Ram Ghat, Sphatic Shila,
Dev Ganga, Sati Anasuya, and Hanuman Dhara.
Deogarh (Orcha)
Situated on the right bank of the Betwa in the western
range of Lalitpur hills, Deogarh enjoyed political importance
right from the Gupta Age. Its location on the main route
from Delhi to Deccan has also ensured that it always remained
a bone of contention. The main attraction here is the Deogarh
Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This is the earliest-known
Panchyatan temple in north India. The architectural plan
of the temple displays terraced basement above the high
plinth decorated with sculpted panels. Other highlights
are the figures of Ganga and Yamuna that adorn the carved
doorway leading to the sanctum sanctorum. Many parts of
the temple are now ruined except the Anantshayi Vishnu depicting
scenes from Vaishnava mythology. Two other attractions are
the Karnali Fort perched on the hills that overlook river
Betwa and the Deogarh Archaeological Museum with its fine
collection of early Hindu sculptures.
Jhansi Fort
The fort was built by Raja Bir Singh in the 17th century
purely for defence, as is evident by its location on the
top of a hill. The fort was taken under siege by the mutineers
in 1857 and they slaughtered all the occupants (mostly British).
After the mutiny, the British ceded the fort to the Scindias
of Gwalior and exchanged it for Gwalior in 1866. The fort
houses the well-known Karak Bijli Tank as well as a museum
with a good collection of sculptures and other remains.
Mahoba
Capital of the legendary Chandelas, who ruled over this
region between 9th and 11th centuries, Mahoba is a place
full of stories of warrior kings. There is a fort atop a
hill showing the might of Chandelas as well as lakes built
by them. The temples in Mahoba are built in the same style
as that of Khajuraho. Today, the town of Mahoba is also
known for its production of betel leaves and granite rocks.
Paricha
Paricha in Uttar Pradesh is a dam built on the river Betwa.
It is famous for its scenic beauty.
Talbehat Fort
Talbehat, situated in Jhansi district, has a majestic fort
surrounded by a swamp. Talbehat derives its name from Tal
(lake) and Behat (village)—a name given by the Gond tribe
who were the original inhabitants of this place. The fort
was built by Bharat Shah, the Raja of Bar and Chanderi in
1618. The fort also houses the famous Narsingh Temple.
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