A mesmerizing heritage attraction in Jaipur: Jal Mahal

Niharika Mathur
3 min readNov 17, 2022

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Jaipur is known as the “Pink City” because of its rich history and culture. The city’s veins are teeming with art, architecture, and culture. If you enjoy learning about the past and wish to learn more about the art of old artisans, then your next stop should be Jaipur. Monuments like City Palace, Jal Mahal, and Nahargarh Fort are living reminder of Jaipur’s colorful past. Read on to learn more about the Jal Mahal, the historical place in Jaipur.

Jal Mahal- A Mystical Wonder

Jal Mahal is a must-see for anyone seeking a surreal, otherworldly experience. It is located in the center of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur. Which is observed to be an unusual location for a palace. The Jaipur family’s pleasure pavilion, It was built in the 18th century and is about 10 minutes from the city center, nestled against the stunning Nahargarh Hills.

History

Despite the fact that little is known about Jal Mahal’s past, a great deal of mystery still surrounds the pleasure palace. Its construction date is uncertain, despite the fact that it is estimated to be around 300 years old. It is stated in the book “Building Jaipur: The building of an Indian City” that Sawai Jaising II built this structure around the year 1734. This palace featured only a pavilion and a terrace garden; there were no rooms. Because of its design, it resembles a palace of pleasure, a place where kings and queens could enjoy royal picnics and hunting expeditions. As a result of the restoration of Jal Mahal by philanthropist Navrattan Kothari, its hallways resound with song and dancing and represent our belief in the Royalty formerly revered here.

The Jal Mahal Restoration

Mansagar Lake was a polluted wasteland just a few years ago, and Jal Mahal was a crumbling wreck. Later, the restoration of Jal Mahal and Mansagar Lake was undertaken by an individual who had fallen in love with his native city, Navrattan Kothari Pride of Rajasthan. That the magic of the water palace has been recreated is the result of an incredible endeavor integrating the talents of experts, historians, craftsmen and builders along with philanthropist Navrattan Kothari.

It was in ruins when restoration work began, and even century-old photos showed only crumbling structures. Jal Mahal was taken care of by the team after a lot of investigation was done by Navrattan Kothari’s team. They researched the materials, forms, and features of the monuments in great detail before beginning the reconstruction of stairways, corridors, terraces, jetties, etc. The rich vegetation on the terrace was traced down from surviving elements. Which was reconstructed, keeping the authenticity intact, as soon as the renovation work began.

Jaipur has a new tourist attraction thanks to Navrattan Kothari Pride of Rajasthan and the rest of the patriarch KGK Group’s efforts. Navrattan Kothari’s Jal Mahal that he envisioned, now exists in the form of a white marble terrace overlooking a lake surrounded by temples and historic forts.

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