Jal Mahal – The Floating Palace in the water
Built as a hunting lodge, Jal Mahal is located on the Man Sagar Lake. , Built 1799 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber, Jal Mahal Palace is one of the most romantic places in Jaipur. Even if it does not command the beauty of the Lake Palace in Udaipur, with its red sandstone intricate architecture Jal Mahal is considered to be built with both Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture.
The Man Sagar Lake is surrounded by Nahargarh Hills and this only enhances the beauty. The Maharajah Sawai Madho Singh used to invite royal dignitaries to this leisure palace.
Jal Mahal has also been the home to one of the prime ministers of Jaipur estate. Now the palace remains abandoned, but it is very well-preserved and provides a picturesque view from Nahargarh Fort. The first four floors of Jal Mahal remains submerged and only the top floor is above the water level.
The main dome on the roof resembles that of Bengal architecture. The smaller domes at the four corners are octagonal. Due to the constant seepage of water, the palace has been in a crumbling state in the past. The Government of Rajasthan has been actively involved in the restoration of this national wonder. On the terrace of the palace, a garden was built with arched passages. At each corner of this palace semi-octagonal towers were built with an elegant cupola.
The lake is home to a number of migratory and resident birds. The Mansagar Dam is situated on the eastern side of the lake and provides a good vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley.
In the past years restoration has been redone after removing the recent plaster work with traditional materials for plastering. The plaster now used consisted of an organic material of a special mortor mix of lime, sand and surkhi mixed with jaggery, guggal and methi (cummins) powder. It was also noticed that there was hardly any water seepage, except for a little dampness, in the floors below the water level. A new terrace is being created based on a similar roof garden existing on the Amer palace.
Traditional boat-makers from Vrindavan have crafted the Rajput style wooden boats that would take you across the Mansagar Lake to Jal Mahal.
At Gaitore, opposite the palace, are the cenotaphs of the royal family. They were built by Jai Singh II. The cenotaph monuments are in honour of Pratap Singh, Madho Singh II and Jai Singh II, among others. The royal cenotaph of Jai Singh is made of marble and has impressive intricate carvings. It has a dome with 20 carved pillars.
The visiting hours are from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm and entry is free.
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