Jal Mahal Jaipur

Jal Mahal literally means the “Water Palace”, but when it was built, Maharaja Madho Singh I did not intend to use it as a palace. Instead, it was supposed to be a hunting lodge for the king and his entourage during their duck hunting trips. The palace stands in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, and is a famous spot till date for sightseeing. The Jal Mahal is designed in a classic Rajput manner, with pink sandstone in a symmetrical style.

While a lot of people come to see the Jal Mahal from the banks of the Man Sagar Lake, not many are aware of the technology and innovative design that has gone into building this ancient palace. On the surface, the palace appears to have one floor, but actually, there are four more submerged levels to the palace as its stone walls hold back millions of litres of water, and the specially designed lime mortar prevents water seepage into the palace, something which it has been doing for more than 250 years.

>For now, the palace is not open to a majority of the public, so tourists flock to the banks of the lake to gaze at this magnificent structure. In the evenings, the banks are full of street food vendors as well, and the place gets pretty crowded as people visit what is possibly the most serene spot in the hustle and bustle of the city. The light colour of the sandstone walls creates a sharp contrast with the deep blue of the lake, and one can also see some green foliage sprouting from the inner courtyards of the palace, making it one of the most photographed spots in Jaipur.

The History of Jal Mahal
Though there is no official record of the exact period of origin of Jal Mahal, legend has it that it was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, whose idea behind building this palace was to use it as a hunting lodge for his duck shooting adventures and not as a palace to stay. The origin of the lake can also be attributed to him as it was formed when a dam was constructed between the hills which led to the formation of the lake.

Another legend says that it was built by Maharaja Madho Singh in the 1750s to serve as a hunting lodge. His son Madho Singh II had a big role to play in enhancing the interiors of Jal Mahal during the 18th century when he added the courtyard grounds which are still a part of this palace.

Jal Mahal and the lake around it were given a makeover by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amer in the eighteenth century. Later years saw the facade of this heritage site deprecating due to sewage and water logging and restoration work was undertaken again to bring the palace to its current glorious state. Though there are trees atop the terrace of the place, the garden hasn’t been made to look like it was in its days of glory, including the arched gateways which used to be there at the terrace. However, plans are underway to recreate a rooftop garden here on the likes of the one at Amer Palace in Jaipur.

The Architecture
This palace is a great example of the Rajput style of architecture and owing to its location, it is also a great place for phenomenal views. You get a great view of the lake from the palace; you get a great view of the palace from the Nahargarh (“tiger-abode”) hills and the Man Sagar Dam.

As red sandstone is native to Jaipur, the palace was built using this. It is a five-storied building, and the interesting part is, 4 out of the 5 floors remain underwater when the lake is full, only the top floor is exposed. You’ll also notice Chhatris on the palace. Chhatris or umbrellas are a typical feature of the architecture of that time, it is like a small pavilion that marks the corners and roof of the entrance of important buildings. Here in the Jal Mahal, the main rectangular Chhatri on the roof is unlike the rest of the palace as it is built using a Bengal style of design. The other chhatris on the four corners are octagonal. On the terrace of the palace, there was a beautiful garden with arched passages, now though, it no longer exists. Check out this video to explore the palace more –