The Raja Ram Temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh || Raja Ram's Holy Abode, Complete with a Guard of Honour and Personalized Security

The Raja Ram Temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, is the only temple in the world where Lord Ram is worshipped as a King. The temple was originally the Rani Mahal and was converted into a temple for Raja Ram when an idol brought here from Ayodhaya refused to be moved to the temple that was built for it.

The Raja Ram Temple in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, is the only temple in the world where Lord Ram is worshipped as a King. The temple was originally the Rani Mahal and was converted into a temple for Raja Ram when an idol brought here from Ayodhaya refused to be moved to the temple that was built for it. 


Here's how the legend goes - the 16th century was also the period when the temples of North India were seeing widespread destruction at the hands of invaders. Historical texts from various sources claim that temples were also destroyed at Ayodhya during this period. Meanwhile as per the legends, almost 500 kms away, in the city of Orchha, a tussle erupted between the erstwhile King Madhukar Shah Ju Dev and his wife Queen Ganeshkunwari. The King was a devotee of Lord Krishna and the Queen, of Lord Ram.

Here's how the legend goes - the 16th century was also the period when the temples of North India were seeing widespread destruction at the hands of invaders. Historical texts from various sources claim that temples were also destroyed at Ayodhya during this period. Meanwhile as per the legends, almost 500 kms away, in the city of Orchha, a tussle erupted between the erstwhile King Madhukar Shah Ju Dev and his wife Queen Ganeshkunwari. The King was a devotee of Lord Krishna and the Queen, of Lord Ram. 


The dispute apparently was about a religious travel. While the king wanted to go to Vrindavan, the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya. The argument resulted in the queen being banished from the Kingdom with a diktat that she will only be allowed re-entry if she is able to bring back Lord Ram from Ayodhya. The Queen went to Ayodhya and did tough sadhana for 21 days. However, when Lord Ram did not appear even after that, she jumped into the river Sarayu. From where she emerged with Lord Ram as a child in her lap.   When the Queen requested Lord Ram to accompany her to Orchha, the Lord agreed on some conditions. She was to travel to Orchha on foot, walking only on Pukh Nakshatra, and he would take a permanent seat at the place where he is set down first, and after he takes a seat at Orchha, he will be the King and there will be no other Kings at Orchha after this. The queen agreed to all these conditions and started her journey back to Orchha. In the meanwhile, the King in Orchha had a dream where Lord Krishna reprimanded him for differentiating between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.


The dispute apparently was about a religious travel. While the king wanted to go to Vrindavan, the queen wanted to go to Ayodhya. The argument resulted in the queen being banished from the Kingdom with a diktat that she will only be allowed re-entry if she is able to bring back Lord Ram from Ayodhya. The Queen went to Ayodhya and did tough sadhana for 21 days. However, when Lord Ram did not appear even after that, she jumped into the river Sarayu. From where she emerged with Lord Ram as a child in her lap. 


When the Queen requested Lord Ram to accompany her to Orchha, the Lord agreed on some conditions. She was to travel to Orchha on foot, walking only on Pukh Nakshatra, and he would take a permanent seat at the place where he is set down first, and after he takes a seat at Orchha, he will be the King and there will be no other Kings at Orchha after this. The queen agreed to all these conditions and started her journey back to Orchha. In the meanwhile, the King in Orchha had a dream where Lord Krishna reprimanded him for differentiating between Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.



The queen reached Orchha in a few months, and at that time the construction of the Chaturbhuj temple, which was going to be the seat of Lord Ram was on-going. The queen set Lord Ram down in the Kitchen of the Rani Mahal in the meanwhile. True to his words, the idol could not be moved from here even after the Chaturbhuj temple was fully constructed. and the Rani Mahal was later converted into Raja Ram temple. After this, the Bundela King abdicated the throne to Raja Ram.   Since then Raja Ram has been considered the king of Orchha. In fact it is considered that Lord Ram stays in Orchha during the day and goes back to Ayodhya to sleep at night.   “सर्व व्यापक हैं राम के दो निवास खास, दिवस ओरछा रहत, शयन अयोध्या वास।”  The aarti for Raja Ram takes place 4 times in the day and a guard of honour is held every day. Raja Ram also has his own security in form of designated police personnel.

The queen reached Orchha in a few months, and at that time the construction of the Chaturbhuj temple, which was going to be the seat of Lord Ram was on-going. The queen set Lord Ram down in the Kitchen of the Rani Mahal in the meanwhile. True to his words, the idol could not be moved from here even after the Chaturbhuj temple was fully constructed. and the Rani Mahal was later converted into Raja Ram temple. After this, the Bundela King abdicated the throne to Raja Ram. 


Since then Raja Ram has been considered the king of Orchha. In fact it is considered that Lord Ram stays in Orchha during the day and goes back to Ayodhya to sleep at night. 


“सर्व व्यापक हैं राम के दो निवास खास, दिवस ओरछा रहत, शयन अयोध्या वास।”


The aarti for Raja Ram takes place 4 times in the day and a guard of honour is held every day. Raja Ram also has his own security in form of designated police personnel. 

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