FORT & PALACE

Fateh Prakash Palace Museum

Inside the historical Chittorgarh Fort, one big portion of Fateh Prakash palace was converted into a museum in the year 1968. It has a fine collection of sculpture. Among the important ones are Ganpati (8th-9thcentury) from pangarh. Indra and Jain Ambica statues from Rashmi village of post-medieval period.

Tribes with their  with their traditional out lifts have also been displayed in a room. The entire palatial museum has been divided in various sections like Archaeology, Coins, Art Gallery, and Wood Craft off Bassi village, weapons and Tribal life.

Jaiselmer Fort

Like a yellow sand stone fabric that seems to issue skywards from the golden sands, Jaisalmer Fort is sheer magic standing proud to a height of hundred meters over the city with its 99 bastions, the fort is a splendid sight at any time of the day its double lined rampart enclose a palace complex, the carved sandstone havilies of rich jain merchants and Hindu temples.

While the havelies and the palace warrant the mandatory visit, Jaisalmer is incredible for the experience it beings alive of the medieval township caught in a time warp, as you move up its ancient cobbled streets.
Jaisalmer is also one of the few forts in the world, which enclose and entire town. People still live inside the fort walls. All parts of the fort, including the havelis with their carved balconies and the temples project an unmatched architectural purity preserved because of Jaisalmer’s remoteness.

MEHRANGARH FORT

In the turbulent political times of the 15th century, the ruler of Marwar, Rao Jodha was advised by a saint to establish an impregnable head-quarter, and so the Meherangarh Fort was built atop a steep hill. This formidable hilltop fort is one of the finest in India, both from the defense point of view, approached as it is by a series of seven gateways set at an angle so that the enemy could not attack it with any success.

Stepping inside the fort, the visitor is transported to another world of huge courtyards and palatial apartments displaying exquisitely latticed windows. Carved panels and porches adorn windows and walls of the palaces built over 5 centuries of bristling history. Today, managed as a museum by the Trust that maintains it, only some of palaces are open to all visitors. These include Moti Mahal with its pierced screen windows overlooking the coronation seat of Marwar’s rulers, Jhanki Mahal, from where the zenana (women of the royal household) would watch the court proceedings, the royal Darbar Thakht (throne room), and the Rang Mahal where the Maharaja would play Holi with his zenana. Also noteworthy are Phool Mahal, Umaid Vilas and Maan Vilas. A large tent captured in battle from the Mughals is also displayed.

Preserved in these palaces is a collection of musical instruments, palanquins, royal costumes, the coronation seat, furniture’s and formidable cannons on the fort’s ramparts.