Delhiites just need an excuse for a quick getaway! Come on, we’re not judging! We love vacays. And when we are not making a dash for the hills, Rajasthan usually happens to be our destination of choice. We just can’t get enough of the Rajputana! Which is why we’ve got another reason for you head to the Venice of the East a.k.a Udaipur. Perched on top of a distant hill, like a fairy-tale castle, lies a melancholy neglected late-19th-century structure. You can call it The Sajjangarh Fort or The Monsoon Palace and here’s everything you need to know about it! Because now (monsoon) is the right time to visit it.
The History Behind It
Overlooking the majestic Fateh Sagar Lake, the Sajjangarh Fort was originally named after and built for Maharaja Sajjan Singh of the Mewar Dynasty. The Maharaja intended to construct a nine-storey astronomical centre that could facilitate the tracking of monsoon clouds and diagnose the weather conditions.
But Maharaja Sajjan Singh’s untimely death led to a change in plan. The palace which was chiefly built to watch the monsoon clouds was appropriately named The Monsoon Palace and was turned into a hunting lodge.
All About The Architecture
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Built with white marble, you’ll see the high turrets of the palace regulated by guards. Once inside, you’ll find a grand central court with a staircase and many rooms and quarters. Built on marble pillars, upon a closer look you can see the exquisite motifs of leaves and flowers carved on them. The walls are plastered with lime mortar. At night, the illuminated palace with the Rajasthani architecture comprising of domes, fountains and jharokhas, looks straight out of a fairytale!
You can expect marvellous views from up here, particularly at sunset
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Looming at a great height, the fort offers an exhilarating bird’s eye view of Udaipur city overlooking the two lakes – The Pichola & Fatehsagar. The road leading up to the fort is hilly, steep and twisty with loads of blind turns but is totally worth taking for an astounding and charismatic view of the city.
It was also in a James Bond Movie!
You can even see the Monsoon Palace in one of the most iconic James Bond films, Octopussy, which came out in 1983! All the Cheetah Girls fans, we bet you didn’t know that even the song “Dance Me If You Can” from their movie One World was shot here in 2008! Imagine, this palace has definitely been standing tall and pretty since centuries!
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You happen to be in luck because the rainy season happens to be the best time to visit this fort. So, planning your visit to The Monsoon Palace already?
Featured Image Source: Reddit
