Sticking my neck out of our tuktuk, I could already see the outline of the Jal Mahal Palace as it appeared to float calmly over the glass-like waters of Man Sagar Lake. It was an impressive architectural wonder—seemingly fluctuating or plummeting deep into the stoic blue waters. As I stood from a distance, I immediately recognized it as a thing of beauty stuck out of place. Nonetheless, I felt it eliciting a probing element calling to answer how it ended up in its historical state; abandoned, fascinating, yet left to the mercy of the tranquil lake.
Jaipur, India | Man Sagar Lake’s 'Floating' Jal Mahal Palace
Three Hundred-Year History of Jal Mahal
The Jal Mahal Palace was originally built upon the orders of **Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II** of Amber, in seventeen thirty-four. It was designed with the Rajput style of architecture prevalent in the state of Rajasthan during those times. The outer layers of the palace were composed mostly of red sandstone, which expanded to the exterior walls of the palace’s five levels. A Bengal-inspired rectangular Chhatri on the roof and four corner octagon-shaped chhatris formed the foundation of the other domes, arches, and walls of this palatial structure.
Directly translated to “Water Palace”, Jal Mahal used to be a favorite venue for duck-hunting soirees, theatrical performances, and al fresco gatherings of the then-reigning Maharajah. Today, due to centuries of soil erosion, forest denudation, and the rising of the lake’s bed level, the palace was submerged four floors deep, with only the fifth floor and the rooftop gardens remaining aloft.
The intricate wall carvings symbolizing royalty and arching pillars remaining visible screamed of an abstract reminder of its colorful history—which was then left with an air of mystery, as whatever was then buried underwater carried an interesting set of stories from the bygone years of the intriguing Maharajah eras.
An Object of Fascination from Afar
Finding myself drawn by the equally visually arresting Amer Fort a few hours earlier, I thought I had experienced enough architectural eye candy for the day. I stood corrected the moment I gaped with amazement at Jal Mahal Palace—as a flock of birds glided over it and its reflection danced almost rhythmically to the slow tidal movements of the calm Man Sagar Lake.
At the lake bank beside the highway, I observed many locals huddled together under the shade of trees enjoying their respective family picnics. A few women adorned in colorful traditional Rajasthani clothing instantly captured my attention. The vibe somehow gave me a little peek into the kind of scene surrounding the water palace almost three hundred years ago.
A Masterful Renaissance Project
In the year two thousand, the 'Ecological Restoration of Man Sagar Lake' was spearheaded by the government of Rajasthan, aiming to preserve and bring back the palace to its olden glory in order to lure more tourists to this beautiful lakeside spot.
“In 2004, the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation decided to try and restore the monument to its original glory. They signed an agreement with Jal Mahal Resorts, granting it a ninety-nine-year lease to develop one hundred acres along the Mansagar Lake (in the middle of which Jal Mahal stands) and the palace.” [1]
Skilled craftsmen and architects were called upon to bring the palace—or what remained of it over water—into a semblance of how it looked before. Today, the palace—notwithstanding the emphatic way it surrendered to time by sinking underneath the Man Sagar Lake—with its sole heavenward level and garden terrace, remained a picture of a stunning floating structure, radiating with a quixotic impression that fused perfectly with its enigmatic history and undying, eye-catching architectural form.
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