Dhubela

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Cenotaph ( chhatri ) of Maharani Kamlapati

Dhubela is a historic site near the small town of Nowgong in the Chhatarpur district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh . From the end of the 17th century it was the summer residence of the maharajas of the quasi-independent princely state of Panna .

location

The archaeological site of Dhubela is located in the historical Bundelkhand region at an altitude of approx. 270 m above sea level. d. M. at a lake of the same name. The temple city of Khajuraho is a good 70 km (driving distance) southeast, the palace city of Orchha is approx. 115 km northwest.

history

The Bundelkhand region belonged to the Mughal Empire , but in the phase of its decline, numerous areas made themselves independent. The rebellious warrior prince Chhatrasal (1649–1731) operated an independent policy from 1671 and founded the princely state of Panna. He chose the area around Dhubela as his summer residence and had two larger memorial buildings ( chhatris ) built here for himself and his wife.

Attractions

Cenotaph of Maharaja Chhatrasal
  • The octagonal cenotaph of Maharani Kamlapati , which is also provided with octagonal corner towers, is the cenotaph for the prince's wife at her cremation site . The architecture and its ornamentation are based on buildings from the Mughal period, but the buildings are more elegant in many ways. The double-shell domed central building is surrounded by eight towers with pavilion-like structures ( chhatris ); other pavilions have transverse Bengali roofs . Inside the building there are numerous frescoes with vase and flower decorations, etc.
  • The memorial building for Chhatrasal itself, which at first glance looks similar, seems to have remained unfinished, because almost all of the roof structures are missing.
  • Immediately next to it is the small cenotaph for the Maharaja's favorite horse.
  • The two-storey building called Sheetal Garh is at the highest point of the entire complex; it dates from the 18th century and was used as accommodation for the soldiers and guards of the Maharajas.
  • A gate ( Maheba Gate ) and a palace ( Hridyashah Palace ) are only preserved as imposing ruins.
  • The Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum was inaugurated in 1955; it was the first museum in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is home to numerous medieval Jain and Hindu sculptures, as well as other finds from the region. There are also some miniature paintings on the history of the region.

Web links

Commons : Dhubela  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dhubela - map with altitude information

Coordinates: 25 ° 0 ′ 25 ″  N , 79 ° 28 ′ 53 ″  E