Ram Raja Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Gwalior airport is the nearest, about 142 km from Orchha.

• By train

  Orchha Railway Station is about 6 km from the temple. Jhansi Junction, about 17 km away, is the nearest major railway hub.

• By road

  The nearest bus stand is at Jhansi. Orchha lies between Jhansi and Khajuraho, linked by good national and state highways.

Why devotees come here

Ram Raja Temple stands in Orchha, Niwari district, Madhya Pradesh. Rama is worshipped here as a king, inside a palace, a setting said to be unique in India. Devotees visit regularly, and large crowds come on the major Hindu festivals.

Ram Raja Temple is said to be the only temple in India where Rama is worshipped as a king, and that in a palace. Rama is shown with Sita on his left, his brother Lakshmana on his right, and Sugriva and Narsingh beside them. He holds a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left.

The legend begins with Queen Ganesh Kunwari, also called Kamla Devi. She vowed to go to Ayodhya and return with the child form of Ram. Ram agreed, but set conditions. He asked to be served while seated, and the queen replied that she could not sit while he stood. Legend says Ram took the first place where he sat, and he became an idol fixed in the queen's palace.

The queen's journey on foot from Ayodhya is said to have taken 8 months and 27 days. Today a guard of honour is held every day, with police personnel acting as guards, as for a king. The temple is also commonly known as Orchha Temple.

Festivals

• Ninth day of ChaitraRam Navami

  Thousands of devotees come to Orchha on this day. The idol is moved to a throne in the veranda.

Tips for your visit

• The daily number of visitors ranges from 1,500 to 3,000.
• On Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivratri, Ram Navami, Kartik Purnima and Vivaha Panchami, the crowds run to thousands.

Questions people ask