Category:Lakshmi temple (Orchha)

Lakshmi Temple 

Hindu temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Instance of	Hindu temple
Part of	Group of Monuments, Orchha
Location	Orchha, Niwari district, Sagar division, Madhya Pradesh, India
Heritage designation	State Protected Monument
25° 21′ 10″ N, 78° 37′ 51″ E
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The Lakshmi temple of Orchha, sometimes called Laxmi Narayan Mandir, is a 17th-century fort–temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. It is notable for its extensive Chitrakala – colorful murals that depict Hindu legends as well as scenes of Hindu, Muslim, and British history of Bundelkhand. 

The Lakshmi temple is located about a kilometer northwest of Orchha town, away from the fort and the monuments along the banks of river Betwa. It stands aloof on a rocky hilltop, as another temple with its own fort. On the roof of the temple-fort are cannon slots. Given the 16th to 19th centuries of Indian history, when Bundelkhand was repeatedly attacked and its temples looted and destroyed, this architecture reflects an attempt to defend this temple.

The Lakshmi temple is attributed to Raja Bir Singh Deo (1605–26), and was completed in 1622 CE. It was expanded by Raja Prithvi Singh in 1793 CE. The elaborate and extensive paintings inside the temple belong to the Bundelkhand school, and range from the 17th to the 19th century. A majority of the frescoes are dedicated to Krishna Lila, Ramayana, Mahabharata's Bhagvata Gita, Shakti and Shiva Puranas. Others show secular scenes such as wrestling, yogis, festivals with community dances as boys, girls, and a mother carrying a baby watch. Others are historic battle scenes of the Hindu kingdoms and the Mughals, the last battle of Jhansi ki Rani, colonial era British elites, and a mural about the massacre caused by the 1857 war as colonial British fought against Indian Hindus and Muslims. Natural decay and fading affect these paintings. Some parts of the paintings have been restored between 2014 and 2020.

This Hindu temple's architecture is unusual. Made from a mix of stone, brick, mortar, and plaster, it has fortified walls outside. The upper parts of the fortified walls are also tastefully painted. The gateway and entrance are still to the east, as is typical of Hindu temples. Inside is the octagonal, domed sikhara (spire) above the sanctum, visible as a landmark from a distance. The corridors, mandapa, and antarala have a mix of Rajput-Bundela-Mughal style.