The Hilltop Beauty – Sajjangarh
A Palace in the clouds
The majestic Sajjangarh Palace sits on the top of a hill, Bans Dhara, giving the view of the beautiful Fateh Sagar. Originally it was to be used as an astronomical centre. The project was initiated by Maharana Sajjan Singh, however, upon his death; the Palace was used by the royal family as a monsoon retreat and for hunting wild animals. According to the legends, the Palace was built on the hilltop so that the Maharana could see the Fort of Chittor, which was his ancestral house and had the roots of Mewar.
The Palace is known by a various names. It is known as the Monsoon Palace because its height allows the view of the clouds of the monsoon and it was built in monsoon season as well. It is also known as the Vani Vilas Palace named after the revered guru, Yogeshwar Vani Vilas, of Maharana Sajjan Singh as a tribute to the guru. It is also known as the Jewel of the Crown, Mukut Mani, because it lies in the heart of Udaipur.
The Palace is the highest Palace and can be seen from most of the Udaipur. Like the other magnificent structures of Mewar, this Palace is also built of marble. The Palace is difficult to reach because of its height. The tourists can take a cab or local autos to reach the Palace. The Palace provides a beautiful sunset view and has a sunset point to witness it. The white walls of the Palace match the calmness of the nature. The Palace has a grand Court and various rooms as well. The beautiful jharokhas in the various directions give a panoramic view of the city from the Palace. The Palace has featured in various international films like the James Bond movie called Octopussy. The Cheetah Girls’ movie, Dance me if you can, shot a song in this majestic Palace.
The Palace is situated in the proximity of the nature as such has a forest around it. The entire area is home to a number of wild animals. The Palace is now under the control of the Forest Department and the government has undertaken a number of initiatives in the area to protect the wildlife. The area was converted into a sanctuary and homes a variety of wild animals like the hyenas, tigers, wild boars, panthers, reptiles and so on. There is also a biological park, the Sajjangarh Biological Park, developed by the government which starts at the foot of the hill.
There are a lot of fun and adventurous activities that tourists can undertake here like bird watching and trekking. The tourists can reach the reserve by trekking which starts from the Gorilla Point and goes to the Jiyan Sagar or the Bari Lake. Trekking here is the most adventurous activity to undertake which gives the tourists the joy of the beautiful nature and the scenery of the mighty Aravalli.
Entry Timings
- Palace: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Biological Park: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Ideal time to visit
The best time to visit is somewhere between September to April. Since, it is a monsoon Palace, the monsoon season adds on to the beauty of the Palace. However, given the tough location one has to be very cautious while visiting the Palace in the monsoon season.