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Ram Raja Temple, Madhya Pradesh
Locality/village : Orchha
State : Madhya Pradesh
Country : India
Nearest City/Town : Bijoli
Best Season To Visit : All
Languages : Hindi & English
Temple Timings : 8 AM to 1 PM and from 8 PM to 9.30 PM.
Photography : Not Allowed
Ram Raja Temple, Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
The Ram Raja Temple is a temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India commonly known as Orchha Temple. It is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage and receives devotees in large numbers regularly. The annual domestic tourist number is around 650,000 and the foreign tourist number is around 25,000. The daily number of visitors to the temple range from 1500 to 3000 and on certain important Hindu festivals like the Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivratri, Ram Navami, Kartik Purnima and Vivaha Panchami the number of devotees who throng to Orchha range in thousands. In India, this is the only temple where Lord Ram is worshiped as a king and that too in a palace. A Guard of Honour is held every day, police personnel have been designated as Guards at the temple, much in the manner of a king. The food and other amenities provided to the deity at the temple are a royal repast. The armed salutation is provided to Lord Ram every day.
Ram Raja Temple, Orchha,Madhya Pradesh
According to the legend, the King of Orchha Madhukar Shah Ju Dev (1554 to 1592) was a devotee of Banke Bhihari (Lord Krishna) of Brindavan while his wife Queen Ganesh Kunwari also called Kamla Devi, was a devotee of Lord Ram. One day the King and the Queen went to Lord Krishna’s temple, but the temple had closed by that time. The queen urged the king to go back, but the king wanted to stay. So both the king and queen decided to stay back. They joined a group of devotees who were singing and dancing in praise of Lord Krishna outside the temple. The king and queen also joined in the prayers and started to sing and dance. It is believed that Lord Krishna and Radha personified and danced with them and golden flowers were showered from the heavens at that moment.
After that incident, the king asked the queen to accompany him to Braj-Mathura the land of Lord Krishna, but the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya. The king got annoyed and told the queen to stop praying child form of lord Ram and accompany him to Braj. But the queen was adamant, after which the king said that “You keep praying to Ram, but Ram never appears in front of us, unlike Lord Krishna who danced with us along with Radha the other day. If you are so adamant to go to Ayodhya then go, but return only when you have the child form of Ram with you. Only then will I accept your true devotion.” The queen took a vow that she would go to Ayodhya and return with the child form of Ram or else she would drown herself in Ayodhya’s Sarayu river. The queen left the palace and started the long journey to Ayodhya on foot to bring Lord Ram with her to Orchha. She didn’t tell the King before leaving that she had ordered her servants to start building a temple (Chaturbhuj Temple) when she brings Lord Ram with her.
On reaching Ayodhya, the Queen started praying to Lord Ram close to Laxman Fort near Sarayu river. She ate only fruits, then she gave up fruits and ate only leaves, and eventually she gave up all food. The Queen fasted and prayed for about a month, but Lord Ram did not appear, so eventually in despair, she jumped into the river at midnight. Just then something magical happened and Lord Ram appeared in child form in the Queen’s lap.
Lord Ram told the queen that he was happy with her prayers and she could ask for a boon, at which the queen asked Ram to come with her in child form to Orchha. Ram agreed to go, but he put forth three conditions: “I will travel only in Pukh Nakshatra. When Pukh Nakshatra will end I will stop and resume only when Pukh Nakshatra sets in again. In this manner, I will travel from Ayodhya to Orchha on foot along with a group of sages. Secondly, once I reach Orchha, I will be the King of Orchha and not your husband. Thirdly, (since the child form of Ram would travel in the queen’s lap), the first place you seat me will be my final place of stay and will be famous by the name of Ramraj.” The Queen agreed and started her journey to Orchha with baby Ram in her lap. Since the queen travelled only in Pukh Nakshtra it took 8 months and 27 days for the queen to reach Orchha from Ayodhya on foot.
King Madhukar Shah meanwhile had a dream where Lord Banke Bihari scolded him on discriminating between Lord Ram and himself. Lord Banke Bihari reminded the King that Lord Ram and he are one and the same, there is no difference. King was very apologetic when he woke up and found out that the queen was returning from Ayodhya. The King went to receive the queen with horses, elephants, servants, food, etc. and apologized to the queen. The queen did not accept king’s apology and refused the comforts offered to her by the King. The Queen claimed that she now possessed everything one could ever ask for (Lord Ram in child form). On returning to Orchha, the queen went back to her palace with baby Ram and retired in her room for the night, only to take Lord Ram to the Chaturbhuj Temple the next day. But according to Lord Ram’s conditions he took the first place where he was seated, hence, Lord Ram transformed into an idol and got transfixed in the queen’s palace itself. To this day, the Ram Raja Temple is in the queen’s palace (Ranivaas or Rani Mahal) and not in the Chaturbhuj Temple (Orchha) which is right next to the palace. Originally, lord Ram was standing position and the queen was serving him 3–4 hours every day in standing position and used to get tired. Lord Rama requested to serve Him sitting only, but queen replied that Your Lordship is standing then how she can sit. The deity of Lord Rama sat down on hearing this from the queen. Additionally, as promised by the queen, Lord Ram is the King (Raja) of Orchha, hence the name Ram Raja Temple.
Aarti takes place during 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Rajbhog Chik (15min) – 12:00PM to 12:30PM
Aarti Rajbhog – 12:30PM to 1:00PM
Shyam Aarti – 8:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Biyari Ki Chik (15min) – 10:00PM to 9:00PM
Biyari Ki Aarti – 10:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Mandir is closed after Aarti Rajbhog till Shyam Aarti.
Rama Navami: This festival is celebrated Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. During this time, Lord Ram’s idol is moved from inside the temple (गर्भगृह) to a throne in the verenda. Ramnavami is Lord Ram’s Nativity; Ram’s birth exhibit is displayed during this time and people from all over come to witness this event at the temple. Other events celebrated in the temple are Ganga Dussehra, Rath Yatra, Sawan Teej, Rahesya Pooranmashi, Vivha Panchami, Ganesh Kunwari Jayanti, Holika Festival and Lord Ram’s Wedding.
Ram’s wedding is enacted each year in mid-December. Orchha itself resembles a bedecked bride as the baraat – comprising gorgeously decorated chariots, caparisoned elephants, and horses – wends its way down the narrow streets. Later, the town celebrates the royal nuptials over a banquet (bhandara) hosted by the temple trust.
Info on the deity – Specific to the temple deity
In the temple Raja Ram is accompanied by Sita (on the left), brother Laxman (on the right), Maharaj Sugreev and Narsingh Bhagwan (on the right). Durga Maa is also present in the darbar on the right side. Hanumaan Ji and Jamwant ji are praying just below Sita. The speciality of this temple is that Lord Ram has a sword in his right hand and a shield in the other. Shri Ram is sitting in Padmasan, with the left leg crossed over the right thigh.
Shri Ram is sitting in Padmasan (Lotus position), with only left leg crossed over the right thigh though (both legs are not crossed unlike in the usual Padmasan). Every day after worship, sandalwood’s teeka is applied on Lord Ram’s left’s thumb. It is believed when visiting the Raja Ram Darbaar if worshippers look at the left foot’s thumb then their wish gets fulfilled. Spotting the left foot’s thumb on Lord Ram’s idol is not easy, one should not look down since the left leg is folded, and instead one should look close to Lord Ram’s right hand. The temple priest can also help in spotting the thumb.
By Road
Orchha lies on the road between Jhansi and Khajuraho. Gwalior is another important destination in Madhya Pradesh is only 120kms away from Orchha by road. The distance of Orchha from Delhi is approximately 418 km.
By cab, it takes around 20 minutes and by autorickshaw, 40 minutes.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is Jhansi, which is also a major junction in central India. Several trains connect Jhansi to the rest of the country.
By Air
The nearest Airport is Gwalior and Khajuraho. Several airlines connect Khajuraho to other major cities like Delhi, Varanasi.
