Deogarh

Deogarh is located on the boundaries of Mewar, Marwar and Merwara, about 80 miles northeast of Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan. Being at an elevation of 2100 feet above sea level, it is cooler than other parts of Rajasthan. In medieval and British Raj period, the Rawat, chief of Deogarh, was one of sixteen Umraos (feudal barons) entitled to wait upon the Maharana of Udaipur, the ruler of Mewar. These types of feudal estates that were sanctioned by the ruling Maharana to a nobleman either due to blood relationship or for an act of valor were called Thikanas. Deogarh is also famous for its distinct school of miniature painting. Some of the typical Deogarh miniatures from the personal collection of the present Rawat Sahib adorn the Deogarh Mahal. Frescoes of this art form can also be seen on the fort walls.

Rawat Dwarka Dasji built Deogarh Mahal in 1670 CE as a family residence. It is a magnificent structure, replete with graying battlements, domes, turrets, Jharokhas (latticed windows) and huge arched gateways. Situated atop a hill in the Aravali mountain range, the picturesque landscape is interwoven with numerous lakes. The present owner Rawal Nahar Singh converted Deogarh Mahal into a heritage hotel. The palace is easily accessible by rail and road. It is at a distance of 135 kilometers or 84 miles from the Udaipur airport and less than a mile from the Deogarh train station.

All the 60 rooms (3 Royal Suites, 2 Regal Suites, 21 Deluxe Suites, 34 Deluxe Rooms) are elegantly furnished with the motive of offering the guests an ambience of the past. Each room is reflective of an era. The Mahal also has some exciting rooms to explore like Sheesh Mahal - the colorful hall of mirrors and Yog Maya Mahal or temple room that enshrines the family deity. All suites have mini bars, tea-kettles, heaters/ air conditioner, safes, attached bathroom, telephones with direct dialing facility and 24 hours room service.

Home grown fruits and vegetables, in-house milk products and oils provide a sumptuous and distinct freshness to the food served in the hotel. Apart from Indian and continental dishes, guests can also savor typical Mewari cuisine. The hotel also offers delicious seasonal jams, and juices made from fruits grown around the Mahal. Apart from mundane facilities like laundry, dry cleaning, travel counter, doctor on call, conference facilities, credit cards, taxi services etc., Deogarh Mahal also offers special therapeutic Ayurvedic massage, a coffee shop which brews a unique organic south Indian coffee, a library, a LCD projector & theatre for Hollywood and Bollywood movies, CD- Writing to convert Digital Camera flash cards into CDs and the on site shop 'Rijhavan' for books, garments and antiques. Sport buffs can avail themselves of the Snooker Table, Indoor Badminton Court, Table Tennis and the Indoor Gym. Activities for guests include jeep safaris, trekking, horse rides and boating.

An ideal stopover to experience the colorful desert, Deogarh Mahal is a suitable base for visiting the world renowned Kumbhalgarh and Chittorgarh Forts and the Jain temples of Ranakpur.

Dashavatar Temple: This exquisite temple has been devoted to Lord Vishnu and belongs to the Gupta period when it was known as the Panchayatan temple. Lying above the temple plinth is the terraced basement that is decorated with a continuous row of sculptured panels. The intricately carved with Ganga -Yamuna images doorway leads to the sanctum sanctorum. Three big rathika panels namely the Gajendramoksha panel, Nara-Narayan tapasya and the Anantshayi Vishnu are set in the side walls having Vaishnava mythological images carved in them. This temple is marked for being the first northern Indian temple to have a Shikhara or spire but only the lower part of the Shikhara has survived.

Manastambha: This is a group of 31 Jain temples belonging to the post-Gupta period up to the seventeenth century. The panels portray scenes from Jain mythology, Tirthankara images. A Manastambha (votive pillar), Ayagpatta (votive tablet), Sarvato bhadra pratima (Jaina images visible from all sides) and Sahastrakuta (pillar carved with a thousand Jain figures) are other attractions of this temple.

Chanderi: Chanderi is a small town famous for its Chanderi saris and some of the finest examples of Bundela Rajput and Malwa Sultanate architecture. Among the important sights here are a beautiful Mughal fort; the Koshak Mahal, commissioned by Mahmud Khilji in 1445, the Badal Mahal Gate -a victory arch, Jama Masjid, the Shahzadi ka Rouza, a building with beautiful arches and the Parmeshwar Tal Lake.

Hotel:

Devgarh Mahal, heritage hotel – 50 rooms

Distance from Deogarh in Kilometers and Miles:

Ajmer: 150 Kilometers or 91 Miles
Udaipur: 130 Kilometers or 81 Miles
Jodhpur: 170 Kilometers or 106 Miles
Jaipur: 280 Kilometers or 174 Miles
Kumbhalgarh: 85 Kilometers or 53 Miles
Ranakpur: 100 Kilometers or 62 Miles
Chittorgarh: 140 Kilometers or 87 Miles
Kota: 250 Kilometers or 155 Miles