Jal Mahal

This blog tells you everything about the Jal Mahal Palace in Jaipur, including its history, architecture, timings, entry fees, and other details.

Jal Mahal also known as the Water Palace is a palace which is located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is a spectacular structure that seems to be floating on the lake’s surface. It looks like an architectural marvel in itself and it is an embodiment of the engineering prowess of the Rajput period. The palace, which was built as a hunting lodge for the Maharajas of Jaipur, has now become one of the prime attractions in the city.

More Information About Jal Mahal

• Name:  Jal Mahal, also known as the Water Palace
• Type: Palace
• Location: Amber Road
• Made by: Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh 
• Year of establishment: In the 18th century
• Material Used: Red Sandstone 
• Architectural Style: Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture 
• Timings: Morning till evening; every day 
• Entry Fees: Not open to visitors; can only be viewed from the lake shore 
• Camera: Allowed and free

History of Jal Mahal 

Jal Mahal is one of the top places to visit in Jaipur, Rajashthan. It doesn’t have any recorded history about who built it or when. However, it is popularly believed that this palace was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to serve as a hunting lodge during his duck shooting trips. After being fully constructed this palace was renovated by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber in the 18th century.

The architecture of Jal Mahal 

The palace stands in the middle of a lake that has a maximum depth of 15 feet and a minimum depth of 4.9 feet. The palace is a five-storeyed structure built in the Rajput style of architecture, with influences of the Mughal architectural style. The main interesting part is that four out of the five floors remain underwater when the lake is full, only the top floor is exposed which gives a beautiful impression and look like the palace is floating on the water of the lake. 

The palace has been constructed out of red sandstone. In the palace, there are four elaborate chhatris designed in an octagonal shape that adorns the four corners of the palace and also there is a huge Bengal-style rectangular chhatri also exists on the roof of the palace.

Interesting Facts about Jal Mahal

• Considering the age of the palace and the fact that it is surrounded by so much water and it is interesting to note that the palace had hardly any damage to it in all these years.
• The depth of the lake is 15 feet.
• The solid stone walls around the place are built so well that they have been able to hold back millions of liters of water for over 250 years.
• As the original terrace garden is lost, there is a new one being created in its place. The terrace garden of the Jal Mahal is known as chameli bagh.
• Since the palace was constructed as a picnic spot for the people rather than a residential structure, there are no personal chambers inside it.
• The best time to visit Jal Mahal is in the month of October and November.

Nearby places to the Jal Mahal 

• Kanak Vrindavan Mahal– about 1.4km
• Garh Ganesh Temple– about 3.7km
• Amer Palace– about 4km
• City Palace– about 4.4km
• Badrinath Temple– about 5.1km
• Anokhi Museum– about 5.2km
• Govind Dev Ji Temple– about 5.8km
• Albert Hall Museum– about 6km
• Jantar Mantar– about 6.1km
• Hawa Mahal– about 6.2km
• Jaigarh Fort– about 6.6km
• Bapu Bazar– about 6.7km
• Jaipur Zoo– about 7.4km