Deeg
is located 22 miles north of Bharatpur. This small town, far off
the tourist trail, contains an exquisite pleasure palace that must be seen.
However, the palace is in much disrepair for the same reason--it's off the
tourist trail and therefore, low on the priority list. Upon our arrival at
the gate, we were put off by the hefty admission price $5 (American) for
foreigners, (5 Rs for Indians) the highest we'd seen during our visit.
However, we decided to go in anyway, and we were not disappointed. The
palaces were well worth the $5 entrance fee.
The pleasure palaces
are set around formal Mughal gardens and are considered by some to be second
only to the Taj Mahal in their beauty and symmetry. What made this place
interesting for us was the fact that the Bharatpur royal family lived here
until 1951. Inside you can still see their furniture and objects d'art. A
far cry from the other palaces we had visited that were stripped of their
furnishings and art. This place seemed more "real"--although the
furnishings are, sadly, badly deteriorated.
This exotic setting
was used for the film Siddharha which was based on Herman Hesse's novel.
Additional scenes in the film were made at Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary near
Bharatpur.
| » Other
Attractions Near Deeg Palace |
Keoladeo
National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) : The Keoladeo Ghana
National Park or-as many people prefer to call it-the Bharatpur Bird
Sanctuary lies between two of India's most historic cities, Agra and Jaipur.
This north Indian sanctuary is situated in the country's northwestern state
of Rajasthan, about 190 km from the national capital of Delhi. The name
'Keoladeo' is derived from the name of an ancient Hindu temple devoted to
Lord Shiva in the sanctuary's central zone while the Hindi term 'Ghana'
implies dense, thick areas of forest cover.
Government
Museum : Located in the centre of the famous Lohagarh Fort, the
Bharatpur Museum houses a rich collection of archaeological wealth of the
nearby areas as well as from the old Bharatpur State. The huge palatial
building Kachahari Kalan, once the administrative block of the rulers of
Bharatpur state, was converted into a museum in 1944 AD. Later on, the Kamra
Khas (personal chamber) building on the first floor was added to the museum.
Lohargarh Fort : The Fort was designed and
constructed by Maharaja Suraj Mal in the 18th century to withstand the
attacks of the British powers at that time. The fort encloses three palaces
within its precincts - Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. It is also
known as the Iron Fort, and occupies an entire small artificial island. The
main entrance to the Fort is through the Astadhatu gate.
Jawahar Burg and Fateh Burg : These monuments inside the
fort were built by Surajmal to commemorate the victory over Mughals and
British. The monuments reflecting in the glory of past are worth visiting.
The
Palace : It is a fine blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture, built in
various phases by different Maharajas. The magnificent apartments are richly
decorated with patterened floor tiles with exquisite intricate designs. The
museum occupies the main central wing depicting sollections dating back to
2nd century, which relflect the art and skill of the region.
| » Places to
Stay in Bharatpur |
There are plenty of accommodation options available from deluxe
heritage hotels to budget accommodation. There are forest rest houses and
PWD Dak bungalows also available.
| » Best time to
visit Bharatpur |
The temperature ranges from 38°C to a maximum of 45°C
during the summer which spreads from from April to June. In the winters,
after Christmas, temperature start falling below 10°C. The place can be
visited all round the year.
Air : Agra which is 56 kms away from Bharatpur
and is the nearest airport while the International Airport lies at Delhi.
Rail : Regular trains connect Bharatpur with
several cities on the Delhi-Mumbai trunk route, as well as to Jaipur and
Agra.
Road : A good network of bus services
links Bharatpur with several cities within and outside the state of
Rajasthan.
Deeg Palace - Bharatpur
