4 floors under water: why was the Jal Mahal palace built in the middle of the lake

India is famous for its unique architectural monuments, among which there are many beautiful temples and palace complexes. A special place among them is the Jal Mahal Palace, most of which is hidden under the water of an artificial lake. Tourists are told a beautiful legend related to the construction of this palace, and that it was flooded in order to build a reservoir and save people from drought. In fact, this story is not true.

Jal Mahal, or the Water Palace, is located in Rajasthan, in the city of Amer. It was built in the second half of the 18th century by Sawai Madho Singh II and was used as the summer residence of the rulers. According to legend, shortly after the construction of the magnificent palace in India, a terrible drought occurred, after which the Maharaja decided to build a dam on the river and create an artificial lake. After filling the reservoir, the four floors of the beautiful palace were under water, and today you can see only the very top of the Jal Mahal. The legend ends with the fact that Sawai Madho Singh II went down in history as a noble ruler, very loving his people, for the sake of which he did not spare a beautiful palace.

In fact, the Man Sagar reservoir, in the middle of which the palace is located, was built long before the construction of the Jal Mahal. At the end of the 16th century, India really had a terrible drought, which caused crop failures and famine. After these events, a dam was built on the Darbavati River, and in 1610 the artificial lake Man Sagar was formed. Lake water was used by residents to irrigate fields, and flocks of wild birds settled along its shores.

Jal Mahal was built when Man Sagar Lake already existed, and was originally designed so that its lower part will be under water. At the time of construction, the water from the reservoir was lowered so that the builders could work. The first four floors are made of stone blocks that do not allow water to pass, and on the roof of the palace there is an open terrace.

But why did Maharaja build himself a palace in the middle of a reservoir, which is so inconvenient to get to and life in which is fraught with a number of difficulties?

Jal Mahal was originally conceived as a residence for summer holidays and duck hunting, which today are found in abundance. Sawai Madho Singh II and his retinue came here for a short time to enjoy beautiful views of the lake and to hunt for waterfowl.

Over time, the palace became desolate and was no longer used for Maharaja trips. Not so long ago, a private company bought the territory of Man Sagar along with the Jal Mahal Palace. The lake and its shores were cleared of debris, and the summer residence of Maharaja was restored.

Today, the Jal Mahal Palace is one of the main attractions of the state of Rajasthan, and not a single excursion tour in this region of India is complete without a visit to this beautiful place.