An
important Rajput state, Alwar came to lime light under Pratap Singh in the
18th century who successfully resisted the attacks of the Marathas and
pushed back the rulers of Jaipur to the south. Alwar is among the first
Rajput states to make friendship with the British Empire. Beautiful palaces,
hunting lodges at the Sariska Park stands testimony to the wealthy region.
Location
Alwar, formerly known as Mewat, is placed 150 km from Jaipur in the eastern
part of the state of Rajasthan.
Best Time to Visit
September to February is the best time to visit the place. The temperature
varies between a maximum of 37°C to a minimum of 24°C in summer
and 31°C to 11°C in the winters. Annual rainfall is of 62mm.
Major Attractions
The Bala Fort - The massive Fort stretches 5 km to the
north and lies 595 metres above the sea level. It was the place of residence
of the Mughal ruler Jehangir during his period of exile. The fort, which was
annexed by Pratap Singh in 1775, has a huge edifice with 15 large and 51
small towers. There are also 446 openings for musketry. Several gates namely
the Jaipol, Laxman pol, Chandpol and the Kishan pol form the entrance to the
fort. The remains of the Jal Mahal, Suraj kund, Nikumbh Mahal are to be
found inside the fort. The most impressive aspect of the fort is the
spectacular view of the city and the lake studded countryside. It is one of
the very few forts constructed before the rise of the Mughals.
The Vinay Villa City Palace - It is flanked by massive
gates and tanks lined with a symmetrical ghats. It has four pavilions on
each side and two on each end. Blended with the style of Mughal and Rajput
architecture, it was built by Maharaj Bakhtawar Singh in 1793. However a bit
of redesigned and addition work was done by his successors also. In the
central court yard is the marble pavilion set on lotus base with canopied
balconies. The splendid Durbar hall is decorated with rich and ornate
arabesque.
Today most of the complex is occupied by Government offices where busy
clerks can be seen working on the typesetters.
Cenotaph of Maharaj Bakhtawar Singh - The double storey
edifice, which rests on a platform of sandstone, was created in 1815 by the
Maharaja Vinay Singh in memory of his father. The cenotaph is also known as
the Chhatri of Moosi Rani, as one of the wifes of Bakhtawar Singh performed
sati or self immolation. Every day womens pay homage to the maharani at the
cenotaph.by pouring holy water.
The Museum of Vinay Villa Palace - Collections at this
government museum includes royal brocades, stuffed animals, Kashmiri lacquer
works and stone sculpture of god and goddesses. A statue of Vishnu can also
be found there. Some wealthy exhibits showing the rich heritage of the
Maharaja of Alwar consists of a pair of ivory slippers and a silver dinning
table.
Also among others traditional instruments of music in the museum is a sitar
preserved in the shape of a peacock. There is a separate exhibition hall to
show case the paintings of that time. Some of the famous work of creation
include a lovely depiction of Krishna and Radha featuring gold leaf, a copy
of the Gulistan by sheikh Muslihuddin Sadi and Scrolls of Bhagawat gita and
Mahabharata in miniature script.
Nearby Attraction
Jaisamand Lake - Also known as the Dhebar, the Jaisamand
lake, built by Maharana Jai Singh in 1685, is the second biggest artificial
lake of the world covering an area of 36sq km. The lake was the largest
artificial lake in the world until the construction of the Aswan dam in
Egypt. The lake, 9 miles in breadth, 102 feet deep at its deepest end, a
circumference of 30 miles with marble staircases leading into the water
reveal marvellous statistics. It is surrounded by the summer palace of the
Queen of Udaipur on three sides.
