Orchha State was a princely state in central India during the British Raj. It was located in the Bundelkhand region, in what is now the northern part of Madhya Pradesh state. The state was founded in 1501 by Rudra Pratap Singh, a Bundela Rajput chieftain, who established the capital at Orchha. The rulers of Orchha belonged to the Bundela Rajput dynasty and maintained a degree of autonomy under Mughal suzerainty before coming under British protection in the 19th century.
The state was one of the small states within the Bundelkhand Agency, a political unit administered by the British Indian government. Orchha State covered an area of approximately 1,909 square kilometers and had a population that varied over time, recorded as around 97,000 in the 1901 census. Its economy was primarily agrarian.
Orchha was notable for its historical architecture, including the Orchha Fort complex, Jahangir Mahal, Raj Mahal, and several temples, many of which were constructed during the 16th and 17th centuries under the patronage of its rulers.
Following Indian independence in 1947, Orchha State acceded to the Dominion of India. It was later integrated into Vindhya Pradesh, a state of the Indian Union, and in 1956, with the States Reorganisation Act, its territory was incorporated into Madhya Pradesh.
The rulers of Orchha held the title of "Raja" and were entitled to a hereditary salute of 15 guns. The princely state ceased to exist as a political entity after integration into the Indian Republic.