Bridge Connecting the Jahangir Mahal (Plate No. 7.1)

BRIDGES Orchha got prominence in history as soon as it was chosen as a site for the capital by the Bundela Chief Raja Rudra Pratap.' He founded the new capital in April 29, 1531 on the bank of the River Betwa at a beautiful location in the Tungaranya forest? It was put under the command of his elder son Bharti Chand who incidently died while on the himting expedition near his earlier capital Garhkundar. The wisdom for the selection of the site for the new royal seat gets appreciation from Percy Brown who writes that the Raja 'selected a site for his capital seat in a position which, for such a purpose is unequalled in Central India'.^ Location of the town on the left bank of Betwa River obviously had an added advantage from the defence point of view besides its naturalcharm. It is at a distance of 13 km from the district Pirthvipur tahsil headquarters of Tikamgarh (M.P.)^ and 15 km south-east ofjhansi(u.p.)^ The establishment of the new capital marks the beginning of buildings construction activities under Raja RudraPratap but his sudden demise put a temporary break but the work was carried on under his successor Raja Bharti Chand. The credit for the construction of the citadel or the palace fort goes to the latter. The fort was erected on an island rock created by River Betwa. Therefore, necessitating the construction of a passageway or a bridge over the River to approach the main entrance.^ An attempt has been made in this paper to present a profile of this bridge as well as two other structures which we chanced to discover built one on the above river and while the second on the River Jamni. We would try to give their profile andanalyse the technical aspects of these structures. Our study is primarily based on thefieldwork^ (location of sites). The need of bridges arose whenriversand streams prevented movement of the marching armies or movements of the royal entourage or to approach forts and palaces built on islands created byrivers.there is a possibility that some bridges were built on rivers or streams to develop state highways for the use of trading caravans or pedestrians. 182

Terah-Dwari Bridge: The study of Deloche on bridges makes available a catalogue of causeways (pul) erected on rivers, rivulets, streams or any waterbody.^ His study is heavily based on the physical survey of the extant structures in addition to written documents and European travelogues. He mentions only one bridge over the River Betwa while he escapes one bridge over the same river and other over the Jamni river. Bridge Connecting the Jahangir Mahal (Plate No. 7.1) All the three bridges found in and around Orchha are of stone. The bridge on Betwa river connecting the Jahangiri Mahal or citadel (Plate No. 7.1) is said to have erected by Bir Singh Dev (1605-27).' All the authors mention the structure with 14 arches'^ while it is popularly known as the Terah Dwari (See Plate No. 7.2) among people of the area. This is also confirmed by our survey. There is a possibility that either one arch on one comer is blocked by dumping of wastage or arch of that side was false or for the name sake. The bridge over the Betwa river at Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, built by the Bundela chief Bir Singh Dev in the first quarter of the 17"^ century, survives till date in its original form. Connecting the fort with the city of Orchha, the 105 meter long and 9 meter wide bridge comprises 14 arches of 3.70 meter span on both sides which rest on 3.50 meter wide piers." The piers are designed in the form of buttressed support upto the parapet level which provide reinforcement to the structure as well as 183

regulate the flow of water in the inundated river. The entire rubble built structure is covered with a thick layer of lime plaster. It is interesting to note that there is parity between pier width and width of the arch span i.e., opening. ^ j^«-..» <^^^W^Wl ^^^^^^^B^^^^M^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^W^^j ^b» '^^^^^^^ '^^1^^^ ''^''P^Sk ' ^ ^'»--. ~ '^ ' ^^^k v*<^^h Butresses and Sluices of Bridge (Plate no. 7.2) ELEVATION! PUN OF TE7UH DHARl BRIDGE Another important point is different height at centre and both the ends. The height of the centre is lomts while it decreases slightly on both the ends. This point is also noticed by Deloche.'^ 184

Rising above these buttressed piers, there runs a thick parapet perforated with arched openings on both sides of the bridge. The arched openings are enclosed with in rectangular recessed frames facing both the river side as well as towards the road. The openings on the road side are larger than those facing the river as they are covered upto the middle of their height leaving a small opening towards the river, perhaps to avoid any mishappening occurring to the travellers and passers by taking shelter under the deep arched recesses on the road side. The buttressed piers on both sides of the bridge appear to have originally pillared square kiosks (chhatris) at intervals,(plate no.7.1) only a few of which survive today. Apparently to break the skyline these ornamental chhatris were designed in the same fashion as those found on the top of the Orchha fort. These chhatris comprise four stone carved pillars resting above the buttresses on stone platforms and roofed by small domes which are built on octagonal drums resting on square bases. A stone chhajja also projects on all the four sides above the pillars. This chhajja on the roadside rises a little over the parapet and seems to be resting on it. Foot Bridge of Betwa River: There is an another structure on the Betwa river (presently located behind the Bundelkhand Resort). Though this can not be called a proper bridge but in the form it looks as such. In fact an embankment wall with arches between two islands was constructed covering a major part of an open space. This barrier wall approximately of 2 mts in width and five to seven meters in height. It contains five arches but now in dilapidated condition (See plate no. 7.3 and 7.4) The purpose behind the construction of this wall appears two folds: one to divert the flow of water and two, to regulate the water. The miniaturefi-omof bridge in fact functions as the aqueduct. It was also used as pathway to go other side of bridge where probably there was a garden. There is a short possibility that this diversion wall in the form of bridge was erected to use it as a pathway to approach garden easily and for irrigating this fruit producing compoimd. 18^

Pathway on Foot Bridge in the River (Plate No. 7.3) Sluces of Bridge (Plate No. 7.4) Jamni Bridge (Prithvipur): Third bridge is located on the Jamni river, an important tributary of the Betwa. It is on the Orchha - Prithvipur road (see map below). It is hard to ascertain the date'^ of its construction in the absence of documents. It is laid on firm, rocky bed. The bed of the Jamni river is rocky throughout. The structure consists of two part separated by a solid wall. It is not high in elevation but quite a long bridge. 186

It consists of a long line of arches and piers. It runs west-east. Since the bridge consists of two parts: west and east side. The former part contains 42 pillars measures 2.50 mts each. The opening is of the same size. The latter portion consists of 36 pillars of 2mts. and the opening is of the same size. Thus the total length comes to 177 mts but the actual length measures 384 mts If we deduce the worked out length from the actual length, obtained by measurement, would come to 207 mts This means that two parts were joined by erecting a solid wall of above length (See Plate No. 7.5). Long Pathway on Jamni Bridge (Plate No. 7.5) Buttresses of Jamni Bridge (Plate No. 7.6) 187

imilmiimiu PLAN OF JAMNI BRIDGE Miimimimniiiiii iiiiiiiiiiii 0 20 40 60 80 100 METRES The study of above three bridges show the interest of the Bundela rulers in the construction of the causeways both for royal as well as trading caravanas and ordinary people. The important point that emerges from above study is the technical proficiency in the bridge construction achieved by the civil engineers is proved by surviving two bridges i.e. Terah Dwari and Jamni bridge since more than three centuries. In addition to thee, three more bridges are also found which need detailed investigation. We would continue our efforts to find more such structures. But one can presume that large number of bridges were erected by the Bundela rulers. Incidently we discovered three more bridges: first in Orchha itself second, in the garden of the Datia Palace and the third, in the Kalinjar Fort. All the three are small in size but contain all the qualities of a proper bridge. The bridge in Orchha is built on a stream, connected with betwa, therefore known as the Ghurai bridge. It is located near the cenotaphs. We have documented in the form of photograph (Plate No. 7.9). Second bridge is located in the garden of the palace of Datia made of bricks. It divides garden into two parts and passage over it is provided for going to other side (Plate No. 7.8). Third a stone bridge we focused in the fort of Kalinjar. It is in the form of a inlet. Rain water enters through it in a tank. There is a passage over it to approach the palace (See Plate No. 7.10). 188

Bridge in Datia Palace : Bridge in Garden of Datia Palace (Plate No.7.8) Ghurai Bridge "m I -L i Pathway on Ghurai Bridge and Suices (Plate No. 7.9) 189

Breath of Path way of bridge is 2.50 metre, Length of Ghurai bridge 53 metre and all opening spans are different in size. Total openings are in nine number of bridge. GHURAI BRDGE OMOftW - ^sr^^^-k''-' iui^'^-'f^--tk.-^^^k^j^>^fvr-'r^'^y\~'i " ^ aa^ation \ 1 1 llll 1 III PL«N 2 4 U cm Inlet Bridge (Kalinjar): It is located near palace of Aman Singh. Three opening bridge. Approximately, the Length of bridge is 6.0 metre. Three Openings in Inlet Bridge (Plate No.7.10) 190

The rulers took keen interest in the promotion of trade and commerce in their respective areas because it multipued their treasure. They took such measures which could provide help to traders. Therefore, they built sarais (rest houses) post stations, wells, baolis, tanks and bridges. Similarly, the Bundela Chief Bir Singh Bundela constructed bridges for the caravan trade on the River Jamni. It appears that he and his successors built such buildings to promote trade and commerce. References 1. It is surprising that though the place was chosen as the capital by the Bundela chief but it could not get the place- in the Abul Fazal's the Ain-i Akbari, translated into English H.S. Jarrett, 2"'' edition, corrected and annotated by Jadunath Sarkar, vol. II and III, Low Price Publications, Delhi, rpt. 2001, pp. 198-99. It was neither mentioned in the sarkar of Erach nor in Payanwan (Powaya). But Irfan Habib has shown it separately between the sarkars Erach and Payanwan (Powaya) suba Agra cf An Atlas of the Mughal Empire, Delhi Oxford University Press, Sheet 8A, Uttar Pradesh. 2. Percy Brown, Indian Architecture (Islamic Period), Mumbai: D.B. Taraporevala Sons & Co. PVT, Ltd., rpt., 1968, p. 120; Bhagwan Das Gupta, Mughlon Ke Antargat Bundelkhand Ka Samajik, Aarthik Aur Sanskritik Itihas (1531-1731), New Delhi: Hindi Book.Center, 1997, p.9. 3. Percy Brown, op.cit. 4. Gazetteer of India Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers Tikamgarh by N.P. Pandey, Directorate of Rajbhasha Evam Sanskriti, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, 1995, p.353. 5. It is some 15 miles from the cantormient city of Jhansi cf. Percy Brown, op.cit, p.l20. 6. Percy Brown noticed this point cf,op.cit. 7. Safiya Khan, Study of Bridges in Ovchha, Proceeding of Madhya Pradesh History Congres 2011, Sagar (M.P.).2011, pp. 186-196, I am grateful to Mr. 191

Zameer Ahmad Khan who very kindly prepared the drawings of the Terah Dwari and the Jatnni bridges. 8. Jean Deloche, gives a list of bridges. He records this Orchha bridge under the heading Arch bridges cf. The Ancient Bridges of India, New Delhi: Sitaram Bhartiya Institute of Scientific Research, 1984, 42. 9. Ibid. 10. Ibid., Bhagwan Das Gupta, op.cit., p. 132. 11. There is a slight difference between the measurement recorded by Deloche. He records figxires as follows: It is 100m long and 8.90m broad with arches of 3.35m span resting on piers of 3.75m (cf. ibid., p.42). 12. Deloche, op.cit., p. 14. 13. I am extremely grateful to Shri Hari Vishnu Awasthi of Tikamgarh who very kindly provided me information about the foundation stone of the bridge which was named as the Shri Nand Kunvari Bridge. The foundation was laid down on 12* October 1931 (Cf Administration Report of Orchha State 1931-32 by Bindeshwari Prasad Pandey Dewan, p. 7). But still I am confirm on my assertion that originally thus bridge was built in early period because the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and other travellers crossed over this bridge. Therefore, there is a strong possibility that either a portion was renovated or reconstructed in 1931 and assigned a new name. 192