Category:Chhatris on the bank of Betwa River

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<nowiki>Orchha Chhatris, Bundelkhand; Hindu funerary monuments site near Betwa river; Bundela chhatries; Orchha cenotaphs; Royal chhatris of Orchha</nowiki>
Orchha Chhatris, Bundelkhand 
Hindu funerary monuments site near Betwa river
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LocationOrchha, Niwari district, Sagar division, Madhya Pradesh, India
Located in or next to body of water
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Map25° 20′ 37″ N, 78° 38′ 16″ E
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A Chhatri is a word derived from the Sanskrit chattra, which means "an umbrella or parasol". In Indian architecture, the term refers to a funerary monument of a king, queen, cherished leader, or a saint. The Chhatri is sometimes referred to as a cenotaph which in classical archaeology refers to an empty tomb erected for a person whose body was missing. However, in Indian context, this is a misnomer as Hindus are cremated and Chhatris do not contain a tomb, empty or otherwise. They are closer to a samadhi with a far more elaborate structure.

Chhatris survive in many design variants. In central, nothern and western India, they typically following the style of a square plan Hindu temple with the difference that the mandapa, antarala and garbhagriya are often concentric. Further, the funerary memorials built after the 15th-century have trabeate domed canopies along with classical Hindu Nagara-style spires (shikharas). It is these umbrella shaped domes that give them their names.

The Orchha Chhatris consists of 15 funerary monuments. They are memorials of Bundela-Rajput kings and queens on the banks of the Betwa River. They were completed from 16th to 18th-centuries, by the successor to the throne. Their architecture is a blend of Hindu ideas and Mughal styles, reflecting the readily available construction skills and architecture knowledge that dominated this period. These monuments also reflect the social mobility of artisans despite the many wars between the Mughal armies and the Bundela kingdom.

Each Orchha Chhatri has an outer concentric mandapa leading towards the sanctum (garbhagriya) center. The sanctum typically has a Shiva linga, while a relief of the king and queen is on the inner wall facing the Shiva linga. The Chhatris are multistoried and have steps to reach the upper levels for aerial views of the Orchha and Betwa river.

Français : Les Chhattrî sont 14 cénotaphes de style indo-moghol érigés en l'honneur des souverains d'Orcchâ sur les rives de la Betwâ - Orcchâ - Madhya Pradesh - Inde.
This is a category about ASI monument number
S-MP-258.

Media in category "Chhatris on the bank of Betwa River"

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