Deeg “Water” Palace or Deeg “Jal” Mahal
Deeg Water Palace & Fort is situated 32 km from Bharatpur in Rajasthan. It was built in 1772 as a luxurious summer resort for the rulers of Bharatpur State and was in use till the early 1970s. Conceptualized by Badan Singh, his sons Suraj Mal & Rup Singh and grandson Jawahar Singh can be credited with the making of the Deeg Palace & Fort.
The architecture of Deeg Jal Mahal consists mainly of bhavans such as Gopal, Suraj, Kishan, Nand, Keshav, Hardev. The striking features of these palaces are its fine proportions, spacious halls, sprawling greenery all around and many canals with fountains. In fact the design of the gardens has been inspired by the ‘Mughal Charbagh’
The Gopal Bhavan is an architectural delight — it is actually 4 storied but looks like a single storied from the front, two from inside and three from the back side…… one floor is under water (as part of the cooling system / technique)
Another marvel is the Keshav Bhavan or the ‘monsoon pavilion’. The spray of water from the fountains and the jets create a monsoon-like ambiance which is enhanced further by a unique technique that produces thunder-like sound all around the pavilion. “…….Hundreds of metal balls placed strategically on the channel surrounding the roof are set rolling with the water pressure which results in a thunderous effect……”
The 900 fountains, the major attraction of Deeg Palace, work twice a year during the avamasaya festivals in February & September “……Small cloth pouches with different organic colors were manually inserted into the holes in the reservoir wall. When the water flowed out through them passing along an intricate network of pipelines, the fountains begin spouting colored water…….”
The marble swing, rumored to belong to Nur Jahan, was brought here as spoils of war.
Architectural Glimpses
Keshav Bhavan or Monsoon Pavilion
1730, Maharaja Suraj Mal erected the strong fortress of Deeg with deep moats filled with water and inhabited with predators to safeguard the palace and keep away the invaders at safer distance. Due to its proximity to Agra and Delhi the Mughal armies often attempted to invade the town. The fort is in ruins and the sole attraction is the massive lone cannon placed on the largest tower of the fort known as Lakha Burj.
Deeg Fort
Massive & Lone Cannon on Lakha Burj
Peak from Fort Window
….and, if you like what you just read, do ‘like it’ & ‘share it’. Non WordPress users please ‘rate’ it to express your appreciation 🙂 Also do not forget to ‘follow the blog’ to remain updated about newer posts ❤
HAPPY TRAVELLING!
Monika Ohson / TravelerInMe
Monika Ohson 