Jal Mahal, familiar by many dissimilar names, such as Jal Mahal underwater Palace, floating palace, or the Water Palace, is considered the world’s greatest example of Rajput and Mughal building. The palace was originally constructed in 1699 and has been restored many times. From the Jal Mahal palace, you may enjoy an attractive view of the Man Sagar Lake and the Nahargarh hills.

History of the Jal Mahal Palace

Originally constructed in 1699, the palace undertook large repair and growth in the 18th century. The native motive of the Jal Mahal underwater palace was to obey as a hunting wing for the Raja and his company, who regularly visited the region.

It was never calculated to be a palace when it was built. The region was nothing more than a flat misery when it was dry, and the water level rarely rose except during solid deluges.

The leader of Amer, the ancient area of Jaipur, constructed a dam between the two hills around the lake in the 18th century to prevent a flood. The fort was half-immerse in water at that time.

The Architecture of Jal Mahal

The Jal Mahal Palace, with its well-conserved hand paintings, decorating every hall and chamber and its broad stairwell and appealingly arranged terrace on the top, is one of the most elegant Indian buildings that have lived to the current day.

Structurally speaking, the Jal Mahal Palace is a large-scale sample of the Mughal-Rajput architectonic style, a theme general across Rajasthan back in time. It’s a 5-story palace. However, four levels are immersed when the lake is whole, and only the 5th floor is noticeable. The native garden, which had stood on the terrace, had been ruined. The fully new decor is constructed on the model of a roof garden similar to the one found in the Amer Palace.

The Uniqueness of Jal Mahal

The Jal Mahal Palace carries on to be the most admired site in this city of Jaipur because it exhibits the quality of the building of the year Mughal-Rajput age and reveals the Rajput history and literature to tourists young and old, providing amazing trip merit.

Visits to Jal Mahal are approved by birdwatchers globally because of the huge number of roaming birds that can be seen in this area of Jaipur. The lake truly donates to the call of the palace trip.

The enchanting after-sunset experience

Jal Mahal’s nighttime exhibit and impressive landscape can only be valuable if you trip to the palace during or after sunset. Although you are not allowed to enter the Jal Mahal, you are welcome to take delight in the amazing landscape. The calm and restfulness that hangs in the air at night only add to the glamour of the attractive site.

Architecture of Jal Mahal

Jal Mahal was constructed right in the center of the Man Sagar Lake and though the place has five stories, only one of the stories is visible today, with the other four being submerged in water. The depth of this lake is 15 feet with its low-lying areas having a depth of 4.9 feet.

This red sandstone palace reflects a mélange of the Rajput and Mughal architectural styles and is symbolic of those times when these two reigns existed in India. The four corners of Jal Mahal are adorned with four octagonal domes or chhatris and a large rectangular one in Bengali style graces the terrace at its center.

People who have witnessed its beauty in its erstwhile glory talk about arched passageways on the terrace but it is a fact only heard in tales now. Even after braving for two centuries, the palace still looks magnificent. People who visit the Nahargarh Fort can see the Jal Mahal from there and are entranced by its beauty even from a distance.

Nahargarh hills that surround the lake from the northeast side have quartzite rock formations and are covered with lush greenery all the year-round. An interesting trivia about the restoration work of this palace is that the work was done using traditional materials for plastering, materials that are not used in the construction work today. The plaster consists of partly organic material: a mortar mix of lime, surkhi, and sand mixed with gur (jaggery), guggul, and methi (fenugreek) powder.

Things to do at Jal Mahal

Since a regular tourist is not allowed to visit Jal Mahal and entry to the place is restricted for the public, it does not take more than an hour to see it from the banks of Sagar Lake. During the days when the palace was open for tourist visits, gondolas ferried over the lake, carrying the tourists over to the palace, giving them a chance to enjoy a romantic ride over the lake

1. Photography: You can take some amazing pictures from the seating points at the side of the road, with the backdrop of the hills and the palace. At night when the place is lit up and its glittering silhouette is reflected in the dark water around Jal Mahal, it is a sight worth watching and capturing in your memory and camera.

During the monsoons, when the sky is heavily overcast, the verdant hills behind Jal Mahal present a picturesque setting and that is why it is probably one of the most photographed sights in Jaipur.

2. Savor the moment: The boundary wall between the lake and the road is lined with seating areas where tourists can sit and enjoy the view of the lake and the palace. Though the place sees a lot of tourists, if you find yourself a good spot you can spend some time here.

3. Street shopping: On the footpath adjoining the boundary wall, you will find several hawkers selling traditional Rajasthani jewelry, mojris which are traditional kinds of shoes and handicraft items. You can surely put your bargaining skills to the test here and the hawkers will oblige you.

4. Camel rides: You will find several photographers here, ready to take your instant picture in traditional attire and you can even take camel rides. You might also spot a stall or two selling packed refreshments.

5. Bird watching: The salubrious hills are covered with lush green trees and the lake gets a lot of migratory avian visitors. You can spend a lot of time admiring the mesmerizing beauty of the place at sunset and doing some bird watching. In its glorious days and when the water of the lake was way cleaner than it is now, Jal Mahal was home to various migratory birds like great crested grebe, flamingos, pintails, kestrels, pilchards, etc. With pollution making the water of the lake unsuitable for them, gradually they stopped coming altogether.

After the restoration work was undertaken at the palace and its surrounding areas, a few birds can now be seen at Man Sagar Lake like the grey heron, common moorhen, blue-tailed bee-eaters, and white-browed wagtails. The authorities now even organize an annual bird fair to spread awareness about the lake’s condition and to urge tourists and the local visiting population to keep it clean.

6. Statues near Jal Mahal: A little distance from Jal Mahal and towards the side of the road there is another beautiful sight to witness. It is scenery or a tableau depicting a procession in place, with the sculpture of a king on an elephant leading the group and being followed by dancers and musicians. These bronze statues reflect the glory of the days of the Maharajas in the city.

Attractions near Jal Mahal

Temples: You can visit some temples that are close to Jal Mahal as you plan your itinerary for the day. There is the Garh Ganesh Temple (3.7 km), Badrinath Temple (5.1 km), Govind Dev Ji Temple (5.8 km) and Birla Mandir (9.9 km).

Other places for sightseeing near Jal Mahal: Other attractions in Jaipur that you can club with your Jal Mahal trip are City Palace (4.4 km), Amer Fort (4 km), Albert Hall Museum (6 km), Kanak Vrindavan Mahal (1.4 km), Anokhi Museum (5.2 km), Jantar Mantar (6.1 km), Hawa Mahal (6.2 km), Jaigarh Fort (6.6 km) and Rambagh Palace (9 km)

Location of Jal Mahal

The palace is located 4 km north of the main city of Jaipur, on the main Jaipur-Amer road. When planning your itinerary for the palace, most tourists also include a trip to the Amer Fort which is located at a distance of 8 km from it. Jal Mahal is accessible from the Jaipur- Delhi National Highway No.8 which links Jaipur to Delhi as well as Mumbai. From Delhi, it is at a distance of 273 km. Flights are available to the Jaipur International Airport from all major cities and countries.

How to reach Jal Mahal

The palace is easily accessible by bus, auto, and taxis. The nearest bus stop is Shahpura Bagh which is 200 m from Jal Mahal. To explore the various tourist attractions of Jaipur comfortably, you can book a cab from top car rental companies in Jaipur and have a hassle-free tour of Jaipur city.

The best time to visit Jaipur

The weather in Jaipur is amazing from October to March when the mercury levels dip and that is the best time to visit the city and see attractions like Jal Mahal which require you to stay outdoors.

Jal Mahal timings and Entry Fees

Since the entry to Jal Mahal itself has been stopped by the Government, you will not be able to visit the actual palace itself. However, a pathway around the Man Sagar Lake allows tourists to view the Jal Mahal. There is no entry fee and you can visit it during the daytime from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

FAQ’s on Jal Mahal Jaipur

Q1: Can we go inside Jal Mahal Jaipur?

The entry inside the Jal Mahal is restricted but you can see the Jal Mahal from the outside.

Q2: Why can’t we go inside Jal Mahal?

You can’t go inside the place as govt banned it after some boat was drowned a few years ago.