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Deeg delights

Deeg, near Bharatpur bird sanctuary, is a lesser-known but no less charming tourist spot. Home to the Jat rulers, its intricate fountain system is a marvel of engineering skills, says N. Shiva Kumar.

Few may know that close to Bharatpur bird sanctuary in Rajasthan lies another extraordinary tourist complex, consisting of a mini-lake palace, fort and an intricate fountain system. Located about 35 km north of Bharatpur town, Deeg hamlet is set in rusti c surroundings. While it does not have the romantic lure of Udaipur or Jaipur, its quiet elegance touches the soul immediately.

Deeg finds mention in ancient texts as Dirgha or Dirghapura. It is known for its famous water palaces, aesthetic gardens and fountains. The famous fortress of Deeg, which contributed substantially to the making of the Jat principality, is now in a shambl es but retains the grandeur of a once thriving kingdom. Its formidable cannons and large moats lie in disuse. Even in desolation, it is an impressive sight.

The Deeg palace and the fort strike you immediately as beautiful pieces of architecture. The palace complex is ample proof that the Jat community possessed aesthetic sense.

Deeg was the first capital of the Jat people with Badan Singh being proclaimed its ruler in 1722. He was responsible for conceiving and constructing the royal palace on the southern side of the garden, now called Purana Mahal or old palace. Because of it s strategic location and proximity to Mathura and Agra, Deeg was vulnerable to repeated attacks by invaders. In 1730, crown prince Surajmal is reported to have erected the strong fortress with towering walls and a deepwater moat with high ramparts about 20 feet wide in the southern portion of the town.

Although Surajmal shifted his capital to Bharatpur, he continued to lavish attention on Deeg. He built elegant palaces clustered around a garden complex, with multiple fountains in front and enormous water bodies in the rear. The entire complex, sprawlin g with palaces and gardens, is a marvel of engineering skill. The elegant designs and perfection of workmanship of these palaces are a rarity.

The palaces form a quadrangle. At its centre is a well-laid garden with walkways, decorative flowerbeds, shrubs, trees and numerous fountains which cool the place considerably during summer. The building to the north is called Nand Bhawan. The main build ing on the west, Gopal Bhawan, is the largest of all the palaces. On either side of Gopal Bhawan are two smaller buildings called Sawan and Bhadon Bhawans, named after the Indian seasons. These buildings, including Gopal Bhawan, command a pleasing view o f the western tank and gardens beyond it.

A curious feature of these three palaces is the appearance of a single storey from the front while there are actually two additional floors cleverly concealed at the back. One floor of these palaces is either partially or wholly submerged in water throug hout the year. Not only does it lend it the illusion of being a lake palace but also provides a cooling effect during summer. On the southern side of the quadrangle are two palaces facing north. One of them, Suraj Bhawan, is built entirely of marble and is tastefully ornamented with stones of different colours. The other palace, built of grey sandstone, is called Kishan Bhawan.

A massive water tank on the terrace of Kishan Bhawan feeds the fountains in the middle of the garden. The gigantic water tank is capable of holding six to seven lakh gallons of water. Bullocks were employed with large leather `buckets' to draw water to t he tank through a complex pulley system. It took 60 days for the task, it is said.

Today, the tank is filled using motorised pumps. It still takes about 24 hours to fill up but just two-three hours are needed to flush the tank through numerous tiny holes strategically placed along the walls of the tank. The water flows out through an i ntricate network of pipelines opening up into different fountains in the middle of the garden.

James Ferguson in his `History of Indian and Eastern Architecture' says that the Deeg palaces have been built on a perfectly level plain and laid out with a regularity that would satisfy the most fastidious Renaissance architect. While the palaces are no t as massive as the fortified Rajasthan palaces, they surpass them all in the grandeur of conception and their beautiful detail.

The Jat rulers of Deeg and Bharatpur were influenced by the magnificence of the Mughal courts of Agra and Delhi. Various items such as designer gates, stone slabs, decorated beams, etc from Mughal constructions were used in construction and decoration. A fine marble swing was brought here as a war trophy by Raja Surajmal from the Mughal court of Delhi and placed overlooking the gardens. Similarly, the black marble throne installed in front of Gopal Bhawan is a trophy brought by Maharaja Jawahar Singh, w ho secured it in 1764 A.D. during his victory over Delhi.

If you plan a visit to Deeg during the colourful month of Holi, the spectacular view of the fountains unfold. For exact dates, check with the Rajasthan Tourism Department. Unlike other artificial fountains where one waits till sunset for the coloured lig hts to illuminate the fountains, at Deeg the fountains gush multi-hued displays during the day as well.

Fact file

When to visit: The palaces are open throughout the year but the best season to visit is October to April. In the month of Holi, one can also explore the villages around Mathura. What to carry: A cap as a guard against the sun, drinking water, snacks and lunch as there are no decent eating places.

Where to stay: Good hotels are available only at Bharatpur to suit all pockets. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation runs Sarus Hotel at Bharatpur.

Local transport: Tourist cars and buses are available at Bharatpur while unmetered jeeps, auto-rickshaws and tongas are available at Deeg. It is wiser to hire transport from Bharatpur.

How to get there: The nearest airports are at Agra (70 km) Delhi (200 km) and Jaipur (270 km) The nearest railhead is at Bharatpur junction (35 km). A number of Rajasthan State buses and private buses operate from neighbouring destinations. The journey b y road is 5 hours from Delhi, 1 hour from Mathura, 2 hours from Agra and 3 hours from Jaipur.

Pic.: The largest palace, Gopal Bhawan with its sloping roof.