The enchanting isle of Orchha, rising regally over the flat Bundelkhand countryside, is all of 500 years old. Its picturesque setting on an artificial island in the Betwa makes Orchha a difficult destination to resist. Raja Rudra Pratap chose this striking site, which was easy to defend from its strategic position, after he abandoned the former capital of Gard Kundhar, set high up on a most steep and inhospitable hill. But like its predecessor, Orchha too seems to have fallen into neglect. The citadel contains the ruins of numerous palaces and havelis. Many of these structures have, however, withstood the ravages of time and apathy, and you can still see traces of the paintings that once covered their walls, infusing the town with an air of romantic nostalgia for the splendour of a bygone age.