Palaces just reflect a rich history and culture of a particular land and it is extremely interesting to visit such locations. And Rajasthan as a location is all about these beautiful palaces that bring in with them the history of the location. If you are ever visiting the city of Udaipur then you would find so many locations that you can explore here but the palaces definitely are some of the major attractions here. One such magnificent palace to visit here is the Monsoon Palace. The Sajjangarh Palace, also popular as the Monsoon Palace, is one of the many palaces to explore in Udaipur. However it does have some interesting history attached to it that is surely worth exploring. The palace is located on top of a hill and offers a pristine view of the surroundings. And all of these makes this a popular sightseeing location in Udaipur as well.
The Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace was a dream project for Mahrana Sajjan Singh and even today it reflects the rich heritage and the culture of the days long gone. From the architecture to the history and the location everything about the Monsoon Palace Udaipur is breathtakingly beautiful. It can be one of the locations to visit in Udaipur that will totally win over your heart. And especially for photographers and nature enthusiasts a visit to this location would be even more exciting. A visit to the Sajjangarh Palace would also ensure that you gain a rich insight about the history of the Mewar Kingdom. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Monsoon Place. It will be a helpful article for you if you are travelling to the Sajjangarh Palace in Udaipur any time soon.
Monsoon Palace Sajjangarh
Location: Kodiyat, Udaipur, Rajasthan
Timings: The timings of the Sajjangarh Palace are from 9 am to 5 pm on all days of the week from Monday to Sunday.
Entry fee: Monsoon Palace tickets for the Indians are Rs. 110 and for foreigners the Monsoon Palace entry fee is Rs. 300. There is an additional charge for vehicles and it is Rs. 55 for 2 wheelers and Rs. 300 for 4 wheelers.
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur is the nearest airport to reach the Sajjangarh Palace. From the airport the distance of the Monsoon Palace is 31 km. It would approximately take you around an hour to reach the location of the palace from the airport. You can easily take a car or hire a taxi from the airport to reach the location of the Sajjangarh Palace.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach the Sajjangarh Palace is the Udaipur Railway Station. This is a well connected railway station and you will get trains from major cities and towns to reach Udaipur Station. From the railway station the distance of the Sajjangarh Palace is about 10.5 km. Approximately it would take you around 30 minutes to reach the location of the palace from the railway station. You can easily take local transport like auto rickshaws from the railway station to reach the palace. Or else you can also take a car or take a cab as well to reach the Monsoon Palace.
By road
While travelling by road the buses are a convenient way of travelling to reach the location of the palace. You will get buses from nearby major cities and towns to reach Udaipur. And from the main city of Udaipur the Sajjangarh Palace is located 10 km away. From there you can opt for local transport like auto rickshaws as well to reach the palace. For traveling shorter distances auto rickshaws are good ways of communication to reach the Sajjangarh Palace. You can also take a car or else take a car as well from different locations to reach the Monsoon Palace.
Best time to visit
The ideal time to visit the Monsoon Palace would be from October to March. These are comparatively the cooler months and it is also the time when Rajasthan enjoys pleasant weather. If the weather remains pleasant it would obviously be more convenient to roam around the area and to explore the location well. Make sure you wear some comfortable outfits so that you can visit the location more comfortably. The temperature during this time also remains at check and would make it comfortable for the visitors. Avoid visiting here during the summer months though. The summer can be too uncomfortable for a visit to this location. The area experiences scorching heat and humidity during peak summer months so it would be extremely uncomfortable to visit here during that time. So plan your visit accordingly to enjoy the best of the Sajjangarh Palace Udaipur.
Overview of Monsoon Palace
Located in the outskirts of the city of Udaipur on top of a hill the Sajjangarh Palace is one of the major sightseeing locations in Udaipur. Previously the Sajjangarh Palace was the royal residence of the Mewar Dynasty. The palace is named after Maharana Sajjan Singh who originally built this palace. According to his ideas he wanted to make this location a nine storey structure that would serve as an observatory to assess the patterns and also the arrival of clouds. And hence from there the palace received its name as the Monsoon Palace. Currently the location offers a beautiful view of the whole area including the City Palace, the Chittorgarh Fort and the Lake Fateh Sagar. It is a magnificent palace and even the architecture of the palace is worth exploring. So whenever you are visiting Udaipur make sure you are visiting the Monsoon Palace here.
Read More: City Palace Udaipur Photos, Ticket Price, Timings, History, Interior
History of Monsoon Palace
Maharana Sajjan Singh was an influential ruler of Mewar but his rule was very short lived. He ruled only for a period of 1874 to 1884. But even during this short span of his rule he has made extraordinary contributions in the construction and development of the city of Udaipur. He had made various roads, dams as well as contributed to infrastructural developments throughout the city. The construction of the Sajjangarh Palace started during his reign. His main idea was to create a location to primarily study the clouds and hence it came to be popular as the Monsoon Palace. He wanted to develop this palace into an astronomical centre. And this construction was supposed to be a structure with 9 stories. Also this construction would have provided employment to several people in the region as well. It was also supposed to serve as a resort for the royal guests.
But due to the untimely death of Maharana Sajjan Singh he could not complete this construction. Later his successor Maharana Fateh Singh completed the construction though. The royal family used this location as primarily a hunting lodge. And they also used the location for watching the monsoon clouds as well.
Read More: Jagdish Temple Udaipur Timings, Photos, History, Location
Architecture of Monsoon Palace
Located on Bansdara Peak of the Aravalli Hill at an elevation of 3100 feet above sea level the Sajjangarh Palace is a stunning palace. It is a palace made in white marble that looks beautiful in its appearance. The palace has high turrets and guards that regulate each of the towers of the palace. There is a grand central court here as well along with a staircase. You will also find many rooms and quarters here. There are marble pillars which form the base of the white palace. Furthermore the pillars have beautiful floral carvings and motifs on them. The walls of the palace are further plastered with lime mortar. There are beautiful fountains, domes and jharokhas inside the premises as well that reflects exquisite Rajasthani style of architecture.
The ground floor of the Monsoon Palace is currently a museum that is one of the major attractions for the visitors here. It has an extensive collection of paintings, pictures and maps. Also there is another unique structure here as well. This is a harvesting structure that collects rainwater in an underground cistern. This structure moreover has a capacity to store 195,500 litres of water. But even after that much planning the water during those days fell short. It was not adequate for the palace and hence the royals abandoned this palace.
Read More: Kumbhalgarh Fort Timings, History, Resort, Wall Length, Photos
Major Attractions of Monsoon Palace
The palace also offers a breathtaking view of the whole surrounding including lakes, palaces as well as mountains. One of the major attractions of visiting the palace is the pristine view of the sunset here. There is a specific Sunset Point here and during the sunset the palace offers a breathtaking view and you should not miss out on that at all. The golden hue of the sun along with the shades reflecting on the walls of the palace makes up for a visual treat for the visitors.
You can also visit the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary which encircles the Sajjangarh Palace. Previously the royal family used this location as their hunting spot and they also maintained the location. But currently this is under the control of the Forest Department of Rajasthan. It is therefore currently open for public viewing and is one of the major attractions in the location as well.
The evening view of the palace is also something that is one of the major attractions here. After it gets dark the palace is lit up with fairy lights and that offers a dreamy feel. It can be exciting and thrilling to enjoy the majestic view of the palace during the night as well.
You should surely carry your cameras along if you are visiting a location like this. However there is an additional charge for video cameras here though. But at a location like this you would truly get to capture so much of beauty. So make sure you are definitely capturing the beauty here with your lenses.
Wrapping Up!
So that is all about the Monsoon Palace and now you can plan a successful trip to this location as soon as you can. It would be one of the most beautiful and visually pleasing locations that you can visit in Udaipur. So on your trip to the location make sure you are definitely including this location in your itinerary. The palace is one of the architectural marvels in Rajasthan and also reflects the culture and the heritage of the land that would be too exciting to explore. Make sure you are definitely exploring this beautiful palace on your trip to Udaipur otherwise you would miss out on a lot of things. So when are you planning your trip to the Sajjangarh Palace? And let me know if this article on the Monsoon Palace Udaipur is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
