Treasure from Rajgarh Palace spills onto village road:Bundela kings’ palace once had mint, coins surface decades later, linked to Bajirao-Mastani wedding legends and local history

A striking sight has emerged in Rajgarh village near Khajuraho—people are searching for gold coins scattered along a dirt road. Recent rainfall washed away newly laid soil, revealing coins that glinted in the evening light. What began as a child spotting a few coins quickly turned into a village-wide hunt. The soil in question came from the 800-year-old Rajgarh Palace of the Bundela kings, a historic structure that once hosted Maharaja Chhatrasal and is linked to the marriage of Peshwa Bajirao and Mastani. Dainik Bhaskar tried to unravel the layers of this mystery by talking to historians, local people, and experts of the Bundela dynasty. Read the report… Excavation sparks frenzy Preparations for the Basant Panchami fair led the village panchayat to fill a road with soil excavated from the palace staff quarters. When rain washed the soil, gold-like coins emerged on the surface. Villagers armed with shovels, rods, and spades rushed to search for treasure. Panchayat officials claim at least 10–12 people found coins, though many came away empty-handed. Among the eager searchers was a 5th-class boy, Pawan, who dug through the soil with an iron rod, saying innocently, “I am looking for treasure.” Rajgarh palace: A site of wealth and history The Rajgarh Palace, located on the Maniagarh hills of Chhatarpur district, was once a symbol of Bundela royalty. Surrounded by gardens and a rain-fed lake, it housed various buildings, an armory, and royal gardens like Narayan Bagh and Nazar Bagh. Notably, the palace also had a mint where coins were struck. Today, the palace is leased to the Oberoi Group, which is converting it into a heritage hotel. Chhatrasal, Bajirao, and Mastani: A historic chapter Constructed mainly during the 17th–18th centuries under Maharaja Chhatrasal and his grandson Hindupat Singh, Rajgarh Palace is steeped in history. In 1721, following an attack by Mughal forces, Chhatrasal sent a plea for help to Peshwa Bajirao in Pune. Bajirao arrived with his army, defeating the attackers. In gratitude, Chhatrasal arranged his daughter Mastani’s marriage to Bajirao and gave him two diamond mines, 3.2 million gold coins, and countless ornaments as dowry. A “Mastani Gate” still stands in the palace, commemorating the historic alliance. Why the royal treasure was lost Historians say the palace treasure was not entirely recovered. After Hindupat Singh seized the throne in 1758, his reign was marked by famine and epidemics, forcing people to abandon Rajgarh. Hindupat eventually moved to Panna, leaving Rajgarh deserted. Where did the coins on the road come from? Historian Anurag Shukla suggests that the coins found in the soil are likely Mughal-era coins, not part of the royal treasure. Rajgarh was a prosperous town with wealthy merchants, and it is probable that these coins belonged to private collections that got buried over centuries. Excavation during palace renovations brought them to the surface, and rain revealed their glitter. Shukla stressed that while the coins reflect the region’s historical wealth, they are not indicative of a hidden royal hoard. The area under Maharaja Chhatrasal once spanned from Kanpur to Sagar and Rewa to Gwalior, making such wealth unsurprising.