Jal Mahal

About Jal Mahal
Vital Information for Visitors
Address:

Jal Mahal, Amber Road, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Open & Close:

Open on all days

Visiting Timing:

6:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Sunrise to sunset)

Entry Fees:

For Indians – INR 10 pp

For foreigners – INR 50 pp

Duration:

Approx 1 hr

Significance:

Picturesque for photography

Jal Mahal, one of the glorious monuments built during the Rajput era in Jaipur, is a masterpiece of Rajput architecture. This marvellous palace is a living legend and an example of a man-made masterpiece built in ancient era, a few centuries ago and still stands strong with all its glory. Jal Mahal means water palace or a palace in the water. This palace is in the middle of the Man Sagar or Man Sarovar Lake. The palace is surrounded by the Arvalli hills range. The famous and gorgeous Jal Mahal was made by Maharaja Madho Singh in the year 1750 AD. This palace was not built as a purpose of palace/ residence for the royal people but as a party place for the duck hunting for the king and his friends. The whole idea behind the construction of Jal Mahal was to chill over there while doing some offbeat activities and de-stressing. Further, the palace and the lake both were renovated by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber in the 18th century. Enough changes were made in the exteriors at that time and also a courtyard along with a garden (Chameli Bagh) was added.

The architectural style of the palace is an ideal one for the Rajput craftsmanship. The architectural style of Jaipur principality reflects amalgam of Hindu and Islamic tenets and characters. Jal Mahal also reflects the same. Red sandstone is used to construct the palace. The gargantuan building looks like a palace floating on the water. It is a low rise symmetrical palace amidst the lake, designed to serve twin purposes of being a hunting house and pleasure abode. From the outside, the palace looks like a single storeyed building but it has four submerged levels.

On the roof, there is one rectangular ‘chhatri’ which is of the Bengal Type and the rest four ‘chhatris’ are of octagonal shape. At the Gaitor, there are cenotaphs and ‘chhatris’ opposite to the lake which are erected over the cremation platforms of some Kuchwala rulers of the Jaipur kingdom. These were built within the landscape gardens by the famous ruler Jai Singh II. There is a special reason why these cenotaphs are built. The cenotaphs are built in the memory and honour of Jai Singh II, Pratap Singh, and Madho Singh II among the other rulers of that time. The most beautiful cenotaph is built in the honour of Jai Singh II which has some very interesting intricate carvings made out of marble. This cenotaph also has a dome with 20 carved pillars. On the roof of the palace, there are enough plants and few fully grown trees that can be seen from the shore. The terrace is beautifully designed and the whole palace has a lot of hand paintings as decorative pieces.

During the 18th century, a dam was built by the king of Amber in between the two surrounding hills to prevent any flood in the city. It was at that time that the castle was partially covered with water.

The colour of the sandstone used in the construction of the palace is of lighter shade of red which is a total contrast to the blue waters of the lake. This palace was built according to the will that was signed between the Rajputs and the Mughals. The colour and the view of the Jal Mahal palace is strikingly beautiful during the evening time after the sunset because of exquisite lighting. The reflection of the palace on the water makes for a gorgeous sight.

This palace is located at a distance of 4 km from the North of Jaipur on the main Amber-Jaipur road. Entry of the local visitors or the tourists is not allowed inside the palace. Though, having a ride on the lake is allowed. One can have a ride around the palace in the boats. These boats were made by the boat makers of Vrindavan. Presently, the palace serves as one of the best tourist attractions of the city wherein travellers can click pictures, have a boat or camel ride, enjoy ‘chowpatty’ or street food market, and see the sunrise and the sunset views. Boating in Man Sagar Lake to sea the Jal Mahal from close quarters also offers opportunity to spot several bird species like Pochards, Coot, Kestrel and Flamingo. The best time to photograph is sunset, the golden hour to enjoy its beauty in its fullest. The view of the Man Sagar Lake and the Nahargarh Fort is strikingly beautiful from this palace.

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