Jal Mahal

 

A wonder on land can be just a wonder, but what about a wonder in water? Its magical, its majestic!

Jaipur too has its own majestic wonder–JalMahal, a ‘palace’ floating over the beautiful lake- ManSagarLake. The structure stands just at the center of the wide and expansive lake. Calm and serene water all around casts a beautiful shadow of the palace offering a picturesque and eye beholding view of this winsome architecture.

Hills at the backdrop and the edifice standing amid the water presents a perfect sight to cherish.This pale colored edifice has a vague and misty history. Although, it is very clear that it is not a ‘palace’ in actual, but was a huntinglodge constructed by Maharaja for the purpose of hunting nearby. But who constructed it and when is a question which has an undefinedanswer. Some are of the view that MaharajaPratapSingh constructed it in 1799 A.D., while some credit it to SawaiMadhoSingh.

A fable associated with lake and the palace is that a severe drought occurred in 16th century and the locals were prompted to divert the water of Darbhawati River, flowing between Khilagarh Hills and Nahargarh Hills, by constructing a dam and thus, creating an irresistible and astonishing lake around the lodge which hid 4 of itsstoreyes. And that’s how, may be, a water locked lodge came to be known as Jal Mahal.

The most fascinating fact about this structure is that it do appears as a one storey high building but in actual it is five story high, the rest four of its storeyes stashed under the water. The Palace, constructed out of red sandstone, is the perfect amalgamation of Rajput and Mughal Architecture. Semi octagonal chhatris with delicately design cupolas adorn its four corners. An intricately carved Bengali styled chhatri or a domed pavilion in the mid of these two cupolas at both the ends present a perfect royal view of this water locked lodge.

Looking at the Palace from the front, there are 13 arched doorways like Jharokhas between the two ends. The two Jharokha at both ends are smaller while the rest 11 are somewhat bigger. The upper floor also has 3 arched doorways like Jharokhas at its center. Although, the number and stature of these Jharokhas are somewhat different in the back side.

There are stairs in all 4 directions to go up in the Palace. There are large rooms both at the first floor as well as at the second floor. As soon as, you reach at the top of the Palace, or the roof of the Palace, the vistas around will make you amazed! It has a decorative and elegant garden with arched passages on its terrace. This garden is named as ChameliBagh. It is probably designed on the pattern of ‘MughalChaharbagh”. The center of the Bagh has a dazzling water fountain. The four corners have aesthetically carved 5 pillared chhatris. In the mid of the two ends, on every side of the Palace, in all 4 directions there are magnificent and architecturally rich ‘Barahdariyan’.

The view all around along with the artistic and royal garden will leave you stunned! Surya Mandir or Sun Temple, CharanChhatri, Ganeshgarh in the front; expansive Jaipur city in the South; the dam and the hills in the East; Jaigarh, Amber Fort, and the old Govind Devji Temple in the North all together make it the most perfect destination where a human heart might desire to go! Alas! The garden, the fountain, the palace interior and the royal aesthetic taste of visiting inside the edifice all are now torn down. Ages of time and poor maintenance have washed off its beauty. All you can experience in the palace is just its remnants.

But the saddest part is now the entry inside the Jal Mahal as well as in the water of the lake is restricted.Few years back, specially designed ‘Gondolas’-boat like structures with boatman, used to be there in the lake, would take you across the lake to the Palace. Now the visitors can throng only on the banks to contemplate this astounding and wonderful structure.

The two most sunning facts about the Palace are- firstly, although, it is known as a ‘Palace’ or Mahal’ among the localites, the grand architecture of the place being the perfect evidence of it, but still it does not house any personal chambers inside. Probably, this is the proof that it was a created as a ‘hunting lodge’.

Secondly, standing amid the water, the structure might have been damaged but the limestone mortar used in its construction has made the walls of the Palace ‘rough and tough’- standing strongly against the waves of times and waters! Apart from this, the place is habitat for a variety of migratory birds like flamingoes, crested grebe, pintail etc.

Although, Jal Mahal is said to have been renovated and enlarged by MaharajaJaiSinghII of Amber in 18th century. But 200 years of time have made this Palace demolished and damaged. Moreover, the water of the lake is continuously drying up. Also, not much efforts have been made to keep this heritage afresh and that charming and that alluring as it was during its own golden period. Various restoration projects and plans, in the recent past, have been carried out to restore and preserve this jewel of our heritage.

Partly brown and partly green hills nearby, light and serene sky, pale colored edifice gliding over a large and extensive blue painted sheet of water, sun rays during sunrises and sunsets providing a crimson tinch of reddish golden color to the vistas, birds flying and chirping all around with beauteous migratory birds swirling in the lake makes this placea perfect aura of tourist destination. This spectacular and panoramic scene not only just soothes your eyes but also pacify your heart, pleases your ears and tranquilizes you mind creating somewhat a soporific effect all over you! Isn’t it amazing? A hunting lodge having such a magical effect all over you?

Photography by Manav Singhi - Article by Garima Gupta