Jal Mahal Jaipur, About Jal Mahal, History of Jal Mahal, Ticket of Jal Mahal, Timings of Jal Mahal, Location of Jal Mahal, Architecture of Jal Mahal, Things To Do at Jal Mahal, Jal Mahal – Bird Watcher’s Paradise, How to Reach Jal Mahal Jaipur.
Jal Mahal
The words ‘Jal Mahal’ mean ‘water palace’ and the Jal Mahal Palace in Jaipur is just that. It was built in the 1750 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber, right in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. It is made of red sandstone. This is a splendid combination of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. It is a five storey palace, when the lake is full of water its four storey are merged under water, and only the top floor is visible.
Literally meaning as ‘Water Palace’, Jal Mahal is located amidst the Man Sagar Lake and was constructed by Sawai Pratap Singh in the year 1799. The beauty of the palace lies in its location as the palace cum hotel is standing in the centre of the lake.
The palace architecture boasts of a typical Rajput and Mughal style which is quite similar to that of Amer Fort. Made in red sandstone, the palace is actually five-storeyed where only the top story is visible (rest are submerged under water).
At the top, there is a garden which has semi-octagonal towers in every corner. Although any time is a good time to visit Jal Mahal but it is during the monsoon season (when the water level rises up) when the views from this palatial hotel are more captivating.
Jaipur is much popular for its marvelously built historical palaces and monuments which adorn the beauty of this Pink City. The specialty of the architectures of Jaipur lies in their uniqueness of construction. One such uniquely built structure is the Jal Mahal which stands in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. The eye popping aura of this architecture fascinates a large number of visitors from all over.
Surrounded by a web of mysteries, the actual construction date of Jal Mahal remains unknown. Likely to be built around 300 years ago, this masterpiece is said to be the brain child of the ruler of Amer but was later restored by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of the Jaipur City. Spread across 60 meter square in area, it is aptly located on the Amer Road which is popularly known as the artery of the tourists.
Jal Mahal, literally the “Water Palace”, was constructed in the Mughal-Rajputana style of architecture as a pleasure resort. It is five storey building made up of red sandstone. Four levels of the building submerge under water when the lake is full and only the top most level remains visible and can be accessed with the help of a boat. The building has chhatris on each corner while the terrace has been designed as the typical Mughal Garden.
Entry fee
- INR 10 per person for Indians
- INR 50 per person for foreigners
Timings – 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM
Location
Jal Mahal is located in the middle of Man Sagar Lake in the Jaipur city.
- The words ‘jai mahal’ mean ‘Water Palace’.
- Jaipur city of the Rajasthan state has a Jal Mahal.
- It is situated in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake.
- It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber in the 18th.century.
- It is made of made of red sandstone.
- It is a harmonious blend of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture.
- The Jal Mahal is a 266 year old building year old palace, which built in 1750.
- It is a five storey building, when the lake (Man Sagar Lake) is full of water its four storeys are dipped under water, and only the top floor is visible.
- It provides a pleasing glimpse of the Man Sagar Lake, and the Nahargarh Hills which is spread around it.
- The palace was built as a picnic spot for the sake of royal family.
History
The Jal Mahal was built by Maharaja Madho Singh I to serve as a lodge for his duck hunting parties. The Mahal is a testament to the bond that was formed between the Rajput’s and Mughal Empire. The architecture of the palace has resemblance of both types of construction.
The beauty of the palace was the enhanced by many generations of Maharajas. For example Maharaja Jai Singh II added to the beauty of the palace by creating gardens to make the Jal Mahal more picturesque. After generations of creativity we today have the magnificence of the “water palace”.
Architecture
Jal Mahal Jaipur is made of red stone and is 5 stories high. The 4 floors of the palace stay under the water and it is only the 5th floor that is visible. There are 4 chattris on all the four corners of the palace. These are octagonal in shape. The fort has some of the exquisite marble carvings which denote the royal touch and the palace also has twenty pillars which are the cenotaph of the royal family of Raja Jai Singh. The lake, as well as the place, was renovated by Maharaja Jai Singh 2 in the 18th century.
During the rainy seasons, the city lake gets filled up with water. The water palace is open only through boats that take the tourist from the land to the palace in the center of the lake. Even while crossing the palace for the road, the whole view looks very charming that it attracts people of all ages. The lake used to be a bird watcher’s paradise in the past and was a favorite ground for the Rajput kings of Jaipur for royal duck shooting parties during picnics. The lake was home to more than 150 species of local and migratory birds that included Large Flamingo, Great Crested Grebe, Pintail, Pochards, Kestrel, Coot, Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Ruff, Herring Gull, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Grey Wagtail, but their numbers declined with the worsening of the lake.
The reserve forest area of the lake catchment has several wildlife species such as Deer, Jungle cat, striped hyena, Indian Fox, Indian wild Boar, and leopards. Jal Mahal Jaipur is one or the sites which tells the story of the royals and their exclusive taste and creations.
Things To Do at Jal Mahal
Though tourists are not allowed to enter inside the Jal Mahal, there are couple of exciting things to do at Jal Mahal-
1. Sightseeing– The Water Palace nestled amidst Nahargarh Hills and submerged in Man Sagar Lake looks beautiful at sunrise and sunset. You can just sit and enjoy the scenic view as it unfolds in front of you.
2. Flaunt your photography skills– Jal Mahal gives you an amazing opportunity to wake the photographer inside you.
3. Shopping– Near the Mahal, there are many shops selling exquisite handicrafts and jewellery items of Jaipur. You can also find some khadi shops.
4. Camel rides– The bumpy and thrilling camel ride is also an option.
Jal Mahal – Bird Watcher’s Paradise
Jal Mahal or Water Palace which stands on the Man Sagar Lake was a dream come true for bird-watchers. It was a home for various migratory and local birds like flamingos, great crested grebe, pintail, pochards, kestrel etc. Unfortunately, as the quality of the lake went down, their numbers declined.
However, with the restoration work undertaken, some birds can be found at Man Sagar Lake like common moorhen, grey heron, White-browed wagtail and Blue-tailed bee-eaters. An annual birding fair is also held to increase awareness about the lake’s condition.
How to Reach
By Air
Air travel to Jaipur is the most convenient way to reach the city. The Jaipur airport is located at Sanganer, which is 12 kilometres from the heart of the city. It has both international and domestic terminal and is well connected to most of the cities across the globe with a number of airlines operating on a regular basis.
Popular carriers like Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Air India, IndiGo, Oman Air have daily flights to Jaipur. Now, flights to international cities like Kuala Lumpur, Sharjah and Dubai are also connected from this airport.
By Train
You can travel to Jaipur by trains such as Shatabdi Express which is air-conditioned, very comfortable and connects Jaipur to many important Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jammu, Jaisalmer, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Haridwar, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Goa.
Some of the popular trains are Ajmer Shatabdi, Pune Jaipur Express, Jaipur Express and Adi SJ Rajdhani. Also, with the advent of the Palace on Wheels, a luxury train, you can now enjoy the royalty of Jaipur even when you are on the move. Operating to, in and around Jaipur, this luxurious ride for a train leaves you in awe.
By Bus
Taking a bus to Jaipur is a pocket friendly and very convenient idea if you are looking to have a budget holiday. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) runs regular, Volvo (air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned) and deluxe buses between Jaipur and other cities within the state.
When in Jaipur, you can board the bus from Narayan Singh Circle or the Sindhi Camp bus stand. There is a regular service of buses from not just Delhi but other cities like Kota, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Vadodara and Ajmer. Their fare too is very reasonable and you can easily travel in these buses with your families.
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