The Jal Mahal Palace continues to be the most popular site in this city of Jaipur because it displays the quality of the construction of the vintage Mughal-Rajput era and exposes the Rajput history and culture to visitors young and old, providing a fantastic tour value.
Jal Mahal (meaning” Water Palace”) is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. The palace was originally constructed in 1699; the building and the lake around it were later renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber.
Jal Mahal, known by many different names, such as Jal Mahal underwater Palace, floating palace or the Water Palace, is regarded as the world’s finest examples of Rajput and Mughal architecture.
History of the Jal Mahal Palace
Initially built in 1699, the palace underwent extensive renovations and expansions in the 18th century. The original purpose of the Jal Mahal underwater palace was to serve as a hunting lodge for the Raja and his entourage, who frequently visited the region.
It was never intended to be a palace when it was constructed. The region was nothing more than a flat depression when it was dry, and the water level hardly rose except during heavy downpours.
The ruler of Amer, the historical area of Jaipur, built a dam between the two hills around the lake in the 18th century to avert a flood. The castle was half-submerged in water at that time.
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.
Jal Mahal was constructed right in the center of the Man Sagar Lake and though the place has five storeys, only one of the storeys is visible today, with the other four being submerged in water. The depth of this lake is 15 feet with its low-lying areas having a depth of 4.9 feet.
This red sandstone palace reflects a mélange of the Rajput and Mughal architectural style and is symbolic of those times when these two reigns existed in India. The four corners of Jal Mahal are adorned with four octagonal domes or chhatris and a large rectangular one in Bengali style graces the terrace at its center.
People who have witnessed its beauty in its erstwhile glory talk about arched passageways on the terrace but it is a fact only heard in tales now. Even after braving two centuries, the palace still looks magnificent. People who visit the Nahargarh Fort can see Jal Mahal from there and are entranced by its beauty even from a distance.
Nahargarh hills that surround the lake from the north-east side have quartzite rock formations and covered with lush greenery all the year-round. An interesting trivia about the restoration work of this palace is that the work was done using traditional materials for plastering, materials that are not used in the construction work today. The plaster consists of partly organic material: a mortar mix of lime, surkhi, and sand mixed with gur (jaggery), guggal and methi (fenugreek) powder.
Interesting Facts About the Jal Mahal Palace
Considering the age of the palace and the fact that it is surrounded by so much water, it is interesting to note that the palace had hardly any damage to it in all these years. There was only a little bit of water seepage over the years. The lake depth is 15 feet!
The solid stone walls around the palace are built so well that they have been able to hold back millions of liters of water for over 250 years! The special lime mortar used has prevented water seepage too.
When restoration work was carried out in the 2000s, they decided to use traditional materials for plastering, like what was first used. These organic materials were a mortar mix of lime, sand and surkhi mixed with jaggery, guggal and methi powder.
As the original terrace garden is lost, there is a new one being created in its place. This terrace is based on a similar roof garden like that of Amer Palace.
As of now, business tycoon, Navratan Kothar has a 99-year lease to use the Jal Mahal and 100 acres along the Man Sagar Lake. He is working on cleaning the lake and restoration of the Palace. He is also developing luxury hotels around the lake. This has boosted the economy around the area and provided plenty of employment.
Written by: Vaibhav Kunde
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