Jal Mahal Jaipur

Jal Mahal or the Water Palace is one of the most majestic places to see in Jaipur. The city is dotted with marvelous architectural beauties and Jal Mahal stands at the forefront of these works of art. Standing amidst the center of Man Sagar Lake, the palace, when you first look at it, will give you the illusion of almost floating atop the lake and that is the moment when this sight takes your breath away.

The palace is not too high and has four dome-shaped pillars at four corners with a big one in the center. Jal Mahal was once the shooting lodging for the Maharaja of Jaipur and is now one of the landmarks of Jaipur.
Though the city of Jaipur has earned itself the moniker of the pink city because of pink stone being used in most of its buildings, Jal Mahal is unique due to red sandstone used in its construction. Today, visitors cannot explore the palace as a tourist attraction since the place has been converted into a restaurant and entry to visitors has been stopped.

Jal Mahal, Jaipur: History
Jal Mahal, one of the top places to visit in Jaipur, doesn’t have any recorded history about who built it or when. However, it is popularly believed that Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh constructed Jal Mahal in 1799 to serve as a hunting lodge during his duck shooting trips. Some people also credit Maharaja Madho Singh I for the construction of this palace and date its origins back to the 1750s. Regardless of who built the palace, it was never meant to be used as a regular palace for living.

Later, the palace was renovated by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber in the 18th century. Over the years, the structure suffered subsidence due to partial seepage of lake water and waterlogging issues. After several years of deterioration and neglect, renovation works were carried out in the early part of the 21st century to restore the palace into its former glory. Though the palace and many of its features have been restored, its original terrace garden could not be salvaged. Plans are on to create a new terrace garden modeled on the rooftop garden of the famous Amer Palace in Jaipur.

Jal Mahal Architecture
Jal Mahal stands in the middle of a lake that has a maximum depth of 15 feet and a minimum depth of 4.9 feet. It is a five-storied structure built in the Rajput style of architecture, with influences of the Mughal architectural style. While four of its stories remain under water, only the top story remains visible, giving you an impression that the palace is floating on the waters of the lake.

Jal Mahal has been constructed out of red sandstone. Four elaborate chhatris designed in octagonal shape adorn the four corners of the palace. A huge Bengal-style rectangular chhatri also exists on the roof of the palace. In its heyday, the terrace garden of Jal Mahal was decorated with arched passages.

Jaipur Tourism

Jaipur Tourism the capital of Rajasthan state, is often addressed as Pink City and is a part of the Popular Golden Triangle Tour of India. Vivacity and grandeur are two words that are very close to defining Jaipur. Forts and palaces built by erstwhile rulers of the area are a testimony of their power and their architectural intellect. Nooks and streets sparkle with traditional and vivid handloom, costume, jewelry and other Knicks and knacks. Owing to its splendor, Jaipur has emerged as a hotspot for wedding destination,/ in India and some of India’s best luxury and heritage hotels.