Deeg Bharatpur

As per Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna started his parikrama from Goverdan and blessed Deeg with his auspicious presence in his path. Erstwhile ‘Dirgha’ or, ‘Dirghapur’ as in the Skanda Purana, Deeg was the first capital of Bharatpur during the reign of the Jat leader Badan Singh in 1722. Maharaja Suraj Mal shifted the capital to Bharatpur wherein Deeg became the second capital. Post third battle of Panipat, Deeg went into Mughal reign and thereafter it went in hand of the British. Even today, Deeg is an escape from the noise and hustle of city life into the peaceful abode of nature.

The Deeg Palace

The Deeg Fort which has the famous Deeg Palace within was built by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1730. He was moved by the Mughal constructions and the influence is evident in this monument as well. Layout of the fort garden resembles the Mughal Charbagh. There are four gardens separated by walkways in the middle.

The fort has a square shape. The fortifications rise 20m from the surface. You can enter the fort from the north and get the view of the ruins in Redstone and marble.

The fort is adorned with nine hundred fountains. To operate all, gallons of water is needed. In the olden days, bullock carts were used to carry water to fill the tanks. To get the royal view of the running fountains, you need to visit during the monsoons, when on Saturdays, the fountains are run. There are two tanks on either side, the Gopal Sagar and the Rup Sagar. The presence of so many water bodies intended to lower the ambient temperature of the fort.

The King resided in the main building named Gopal Bhavan. From here you get an awesome view of the gardens. The ground floor has a big hall where the King greeted his guests and while his family lived in the apartments above.

Beside the Rup Sagar lies the Keshav Bhavan, where the King would retreat in the monsoons. The King held important meetings with his officials to strategize the royal policies in the Kisan Bhavan.

Nandi bhavan sported the wrestling matches. Another attraction of this fort apart from the numerous fountains are the two boat shaped edifices named Sawan and Bhadon. The designs are splendid and the craftsmanship with which water runs through a chute from each of the structures and falls onto a verandah is worth a watch in the monsoon.

During Holi, colors were added to the reservoir and the colored water coming out of the fountains would enhance the beauty of the fort manifold.

Such a splendid display of colors in the desert location is simply amazing.

Attractions

The cycle and auto rickshaw rides through the town are cheap and affordable. The celebrations during Teej, Diwali and Gangaur have lured the tourists since ages. You may travel 30 to 35km from Deeg to reach Bharatpur known for the bird sanctuary or, go to Mathura the pious land of Lord Krishna.

Timings

The Fort can be visited between 9am to 5pm on all days except Friday.

Best time of visit

The best time to visit Rajasthan as a tourist is from October to March. The fountains of the Deeg Palace are run twice every year to further uplift the festive mood in the months of September and February. Hence, you can plan your trip accordingly and definitely with prior booking for accommodation.

How to Reach

Bharatpur is the nearest city at a distance of around 35km. From Bharatpur you can hire a car. Bharatpur is well connected by road, rail and air to Jaipur and Delhi.

If you have a single day in hand make sure it is not a Friday else the travel would be in vain as the Deeg palace would remain closed.