Monsoon Palace
Encyclopedia
The Monsoon Palace, formerly known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, is a hilltop palatial residence in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan
in India
, overlooking the lake Pichola
. It is named as Sajjangarh after Maharana
Sajjan Singh (1874–1884) of the Mewar
Dynasty
, who built it in 1884. It offers a panoramic view of the city's lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. It was built basically to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, appropriately, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace. It is said that the Maharana built it at the top of the hill to get a view of his ancestral home of Chittaurgarh. Previously owned by the Mewar royal family, it is now under the control of the Forest Department of the Government of Rajasthan
and has been opened to the public recently. The palace provides a beautiful view of the sunset.
High in the Aravalli Hills, just outside Udaipur, the Palace is illuminated in the evenings, giving a glow of golden orange (see image in the infobox).
The palace was used in the 1983 James Bond
film Octopussy
as the residence of Kamal Khan
, an exiled Afghan prince.
. Sajjan Singh, Maharana (b. July 18, 1859 d. December 23, 1884), the initial builder of the Monsoon Palace was the seventy–second ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (1874–1884) and he ruled from Udaipur for a short period of 10 years until his untimely death. The Mewar dynasty traces its history to Guhil who founded the Mewar State
in 568 AD.
Even though Sajjan Singh accepted the crown when he was 15 years old, his uncle Sohan Singh had challenged his right to the crown and even plotted through astrologers, who had said the timing for the coronation was not appropriate. But the then British agent, who was in favour of Sajjan Singh, intervened and persuaded the astrologers to give a favourable date for the crowning. But the Coronation of Sajjan Singh took place two years after he was nominated to the crown. As the trouble maker uncle was still persisting with his obdurate attitude towards the newly crowned Maharana, his property was confiscated and he was also incarcerated. The Maharana, considered an enlightened ruler and a "Man of Vision", after he was invested with power in 1876, launched on a massive programme of developmental activities in his kingdom by way of enlarging infrastructure facilities such as roads, water supply works and several civil works. He also introduced civic administration and civil courts and improved all round environment by afforestation and lake improvements. He got the Pichola Lake desilted and the masonry dam re-built to improve storage capacity and also preserved national heritage with his personal interest in arts and culture. The most ambitious project he undertook was building of the Sajjan Garh Palace or the Monsoon Palace, as a western backdrop to the Udaipur city (lack of water is attributed as reason for the palace turning into ruins in later years). It was during his rule that Udaipur city got the distinction of being the second Municipality in India, after Bombay
. For his outstanding achievements to furtherance of Mewar kingdom and to remind him that his was a princley state under the British Raj
, he was conferred the title of "Grand Commander of the Star of India" in November 1881 by Lord
Rippon
, on the occasion of Queen Victoria
's crowning as the Empress of India.
The palace, built with white marble, is located on Bansdara peak of the Aravalli hill range at an elevation of 944 m (3100 ft) above m.s.l. and overlooking the Lake Pichola Lake from the west about 1100 ft (335.3 m) below the palace. The intention of the original planner, Maharana Sajjan Singh, was to build a nine storey complex, basically as an astronomical centre and to keep track of the movement of monsoon
clouds in the area surrounding the palace and also to provide employment to people. It was also meant to serve as a resort for the royal family. Unfortunately, the Maharana died prematurely at the age of 26 (after only 10 years of rule between 1874 and 1884), which resulted in shelving of his plans for some time. Before his death, he had built it partially, which was subsequently completed by his successor king Maharana Fateh Singh
who used it to watch the monsoon clouds. The Royal family also used this building as a hunting lodge.
The white marble palace has high turrets and guards regulating each of the towers. The palace has a grand central court with a staircase and many rooms and quarters. The palace has been built on marble pillars, which have been carved with exquisite motifs of leaves and flowers. The walls are plastered by lime mortar. At night, the illuminated palace with the Rajasthani architecture comprising domes, fountains and jharokas gives it a fairy tale beauty.
A unique water harvesting structure to collect rainwater in an underground cistern with storage capacity of 195,500 litre exists in the precnicts of the palace. In spite of this water supply was found to be inadequate and the palace was therefore abandoned.
Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, which encircles the palace, was established in 1987. It covers an area of 5.19 square kilometre. It is a well protected sanctuary now with concrete wall of Kishan Pol surrounding it. The hillside is thickly wooded and the former rulers maintained this area as a royal shooting preserve. When Udaipur was attacked by the Scindias in 1764, the hill was used as an ordnance dump; some cannons still remain.
The palace overlooks the sanctuary, which is a reserve for reptiles, tiger
s, nilgai
, sambhar, wild boars, hyena
s, panther
s, and jackal
s. It is also popular for bird watching.
The reserve can also be approached by a trek (as an adventure) starting from the Gorilla Point to the Jiyan Sagar or the Bari Lake to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Aravalli hills and the wildlife of the reserve forest.
film, Octopussy
. It appears as the residence of the principal villain, an exiled Afghan prince named Kamal Khan
(Louis Jourdan), and sequences shot include the finale, complete with a battle in the courtyard and a Union Jack hot-air balloon, a night-time visit by a Soviet military helicopter and a full 'tiger' hunt on elephant
s as 007 (Roger Moore
) escapes from the Palace and is pursued into the jungle. Other footage in the film was shot at Shiv Niwas Palace
and the Lake Palace Hotel. Although a significant part of the film involves Bond eating dinner inside the palace, and skirting between rooms, and features a grand staircase and finally a basement rendezvous for the villains in the film, these were not shot inside the Monsoon Palace although the film implied so. It is also said that the film Octopussy, which received worldwide attention, is screened daily in most guest houses in Jodhpur, as an advertisement of the type of accommodation that they provide. In 2008 The Cheetah Girls filmed part of their Indian movie at the palace filming the song Dance Me If You Can.
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, overlooking the lake Pichola
Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola, situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362 AD, named after the nearby Picholi village. It is one of the several contiguous lakes, and developed over the last few centuries in and around the famous Udaipur city...
. It is named as Sajjangarh after Maharana
Maharana
Maharana is a variation on the Indian royal title Maharaja, also meaning 'Great king' in Hindi. It is composed of Maha- 'great' and the royal title Rana, a variation on Raja.-Salute states :...
Sajjan Singh (1874–1884) of the Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
Dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
, who built it in 1884. It offers a panoramic view of the city's lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. It was built basically to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, appropriately, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace. It is said that the Maharana built it at the top of the hill to get a view of his ancestral home of Chittaurgarh. Previously owned by the Mewar royal family, it is now under the control of the Forest Department of the Government of Rajasthan
Government of Rajasthan
The Government of Rajasthan also known as the State Government of Rajasthan, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Rajasthan and its 33 districts...
and has been opened to the public recently. The palace provides a beautiful view of the sunset.
High in the Aravalli Hills, just outside Udaipur, the Palace is illuminated in the evenings, giving a glow of golden orange (see image in the infobox).
The palace was used in the 1983 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
as the residence of Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film Octopussy. He is portrayed by Louis Jourdan.Khan is a suave exiled Afghan prince living in India in the Monsoon Palace. He has a penchant for fine food and liquor, priceless jewels, "hunting" humans, and atomic...
, an exiled Afghan prince.
History
It reflects the history of the Mewar kingdomMewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
. Sajjan Singh, Maharana (b. July 18, 1859 d. December 23, 1884), the initial builder of the Monsoon Palace was the seventy–second ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (1874–1884) and he ruled from Udaipur for a short period of 10 years until his untimely death. The Mewar dynasty traces its history to Guhil who founded the Mewar State
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
in 568 AD.
Even though Sajjan Singh accepted the crown when he was 15 years old, his uncle Sohan Singh had challenged his right to the crown and even plotted through astrologers, who had said the timing for the coronation was not appropriate. But the then British agent, who was in favour of Sajjan Singh, intervened and persuaded the astrologers to give a favourable date for the crowning. But the Coronation of Sajjan Singh took place two years after he was nominated to the crown. As the trouble maker uncle was still persisting with his obdurate attitude towards the newly crowned Maharana, his property was confiscated and he was also incarcerated. The Maharana, considered an enlightened ruler and a "Man of Vision", after he was invested with power in 1876, launched on a massive programme of developmental activities in his kingdom by way of enlarging infrastructure facilities such as roads, water supply works and several civil works. He also introduced civic administration and civil courts and improved all round environment by afforestation and lake improvements. He got the Pichola Lake desilted and the masonry dam re-built to improve storage capacity and also preserved national heritage with his personal interest in arts and culture. The most ambitious project he undertook was building of the Sajjan Garh Palace or the Monsoon Palace, as a western backdrop to the Udaipur city (lack of water is attributed as reason for the palace turning into ruins in later years). It was during his rule that Udaipur city got the distinction of being the second Municipality in India, after Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. For his outstanding achievements to furtherance of Mewar kingdom and to remind him that his was a princley state under the British Raj
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he was conferred the title of "Grand Commander of the Star of India" in November 1881 by Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
Rippon
Rippon
-People:* Adam Rippon, American figure skater* Angela Rippon, British journalist* Dylan Rippon, British singer-songwriter* John Rippon, English Baptist minister* Geoffrey Rippon, British politician* Ted Rippon, Australian footballer* Todd Rippon, actor...
, on the occasion of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
's crowning as the Empress of India.
Structure
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
clouds in the area surrounding the palace and also to provide employment to people. It was also meant to serve as a resort for the royal family. Unfortunately, the Maharana died prematurely at the age of 26 (after only 10 years of rule between 1874 and 1884), which resulted in shelving of his plans for some time. Before his death, he had built it partially, which was subsequently completed by his successor king Maharana Fateh Singh
Fateh Singh
Fateh Singh can refer to:* Maharana Fateh Singh, the King of Udaipur and Mewar* Sahibzada Fateh Singh, the youngest of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons* Fateh Singh , a Sikh leader from India, revered as Sant Fateh Singh...
who used it to watch the monsoon clouds. The Royal family also used this building as a hunting lodge.
The white marble palace has high turrets and guards regulating each of the towers. The palace has a grand central court with a staircase and many rooms and quarters. The palace has been built on marble pillars, which have been carved with exquisite motifs of leaves and flowers. The walls are plastered by lime mortar. At night, the illuminated palace with the Rajasthani architecture comprising domes, fountains and jharokas gives it a fairy tale beauty.
A unique water harvesting structure to collect rainwater in an underground cistern with storage capacity of 195,500 litre exists in the precnicts of the palace. In spite of this water supply was found to be inadequate and the palace was therefore abandoned.
Other attractions
The palace overlooks the sanctuary, which is a reserve for reptiles, tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s, nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...
, sambhar, wild boars, hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
s, panther
Panthera
Panthera is a genus of the family Felidae , which contains four well-known living species: the tiger, the lion, the jaguar, and the leopard. The genus comprises about half of the Pantherinae subfamily, the big cats...
s, and jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
s. It is also popular for bird watching.
The reserve can also be approached by a trek (as an adventure) starting from the Gorilla Point to the Jiyan Sagar or the Bari Lake to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Aravalli hills and the wildlife of the reserve forest.
In popular culture
The Monsoon Palace was used as a major location for the filming of the 1983 James BondJames Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
. It appears as the residence of the principal villain, an exiled Afghan prince named Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film Octopussy. He is portrayed by Louis Jourdan.Khan is a suave exiled Afghan prince living in India in the Monsoon Palace. He has a penchant for fine food and liquor, priceless jewels, "hunting" humans, and atomic...
(Louis Jourdan), and sequences shot include the finale, complete with a battle in the courtyard and a Union Jack hot-air balloon, a night-time visit by a Soviet military helicopter and a full 'tiger' hunt on elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s as 007 (Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
) escapes from the Palace and is pursued into the jungle. Other footage in the film was shot at Shiv Niwas Palace
Shiv Niwas Palace
Shiv Niwas Palace is a former residence of the Maharana of Udaipur, Rajasthan, located on the banks of Lake Pichola.-Guesthouse:Located to the south side of and part of the City Palace complex, work on this building was begun by Maharana Sajjan Shambhu Singh and finished by his successor Maharana...
and the Lake Palace Hotel. Although a significant part of the film involves Bond eating dinner inside the palace, and skirting between rooms, and features a grand staircase and finally a basement rendezvous for the villains in the film, these were not shot inside the Monsoon Palace although the film implied so. It is also said that the film Octopussy, which received worldwide attention, is screened daily in most guest houses in Jodhpur, as an advertisement of the type of accommodation that they provide. In 2008 The Cheetah Girls filmed part of their Indian movie at the palace filming the song Dance Me If You Can.