Built by Raja Suraj Mal in the middle of the 18th century, Deeg Palace served as the summer resort of the royal family of Bharatpur. Built to ward off the summer heat, Deeg Palace is an engineering marvel standing elegantly amidst beautifully laid out gardens.
History has it that Raja Badan Singh who was crowned in 1722, built the Deeg Palace. But owing to its strategic location and proximity to Agra, Deeg Palace had to face repeated attacks by invaders. This instigated his son, prince Surajmal who began the construction of a fortress around the palace in 1730. The fort featured massive walls and a deep moat to keep away invaders.
Deeg was the site where the Jats successfully fought off a combined Mughal and Maratha army comprising of 80,000 soldiers.
The Deeg Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in Rajasthan. Like a fairy castle it stands, with its reflection in the surrounding waters mesmerizing every passer by. Elaborately filigreed gates, stone slabs, ornate beams and marble jaalis from Mughal monuments characterize the Deeg Palace in Rajasthan. A beautiful marble swing, claimed to have belonged to Nurjahan, was also brought here as a war trophy from the Mughal court. The swing is positioned at a vantage point overlooking the gardens.
The Deeg Palace forms a quadrangle, with the center being beautified with well laid garden with walkways, beautiful flowerbeds, shrubs, trees and many fountains which provide a wonderful cooling effect during summers. Two huge water tanks, Gopal Sagar and Rup Sagar stand on either side, aiding considerably in bringing down the temperature as well as creating a romantic ambience.
The entire complex at Deeg Palace is sprawled beautifully with palaces and gardens. An architectural marvel, Deeg Palace is one of the must visit destinations while on tour to Rajasthan. Singh Pol, Gopal Bhawan, Suraj Bhawan, Kishan Bhawan, Hardev Bhawan, Keshav Bhawan, Nand Bhawan and Purana Mahal are the important monuments inside the Deeg Palace. Though these palaces are not as massive as most of the fortified Rajasthan palaces, they are unmatched in terms of grandeur of conception and attention to detail.
