Chaturbhuj Temple
One of the city’s greatest
attractions is the Chaturbhuj Temple, which is situated right opposite
the Raja Mahal. Dedicated to the four-armed deity, Chaturbhuj
(chaturbhuj literally means four-armed), the temple has plenty of
light and space inside, a feature unusual for a Hindu temple.
Travel to Orchha and visit the Charurbhuj temple, constructed between
the years 1558 and 1573 by Raja Madhukar, the Chaturbhuj Temple is a
bold concept and as enormous as any European cathedral. While earlier
temples had fairly small enclosures, the Chaturbhuj Temple has a huge
cross-shaped congregation hall that caters to devotees of the
Krishna-Bhakti cult, who throng the complex. Conical shikharas
(spires) crown the sanctuary of the spacious Chaturbhuj Temple, which
is similar to the Kushak Mahal in Chanderi.
¤ A legend associated with the Chaturbhuj Temple
Orchha travel guide will up dates its visitors with a engulfing
legendary tale associated with the Chaturbhuj Temple that has
virtually become an article of faith with the people of the city.
Maharani Ganesh Kunwar, wife of Orchha’s ruler, Raja Madhukar,
constructed the temple to specifically house an idol of Lord Rama.
While she was persuading the Lord to travel from his abode in Ayodhya
to Orchha, he expressed the desire not to be displaced from the place
he’d made his home.
The queen already had an idol of Rama installed in Rani Niwas (her
private apartments), and when the Chaturbhuj Temple was completed, she
decided to move the deity there.
According to Orchha folklore, Lord Rama refused to move. The king
immediately realised that his wife was honour-bound not to move the
idol, and saved the day by installing the idol of Chaturbhuj (Lord
Vishnu with four arms) in the temple instead. That is how the shrine
became the Chaturbhuj Temple. Raja Madhukar Shah provided a kalasha or
horn-shaped crown, made of over 100 pounds of pure gold, on top of the
temple. However, a few years, later robbers made off with the kalasha.
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