Jal Mahal
Jal Mahal is an amazing palace in India standing in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Looking at it, it seems to hang in the air, barely touching the water. But in fact, its four floors are submerged in water, and only the upper part of the Jal Mahal is visible. The palace is located among low green mountains, in a beautiful valley, a few kilometers west of the city of Jaipur.
General Information
Jal Mahal Palace was built by Madho Singh I in the mid-18th century. It was originally located on land and was designed as an architectural complex meant for the summer vacation of the rulers of India. But when a terrible drought began in India, threatening people with starvation, the ruler decided to install a dam, thus blocking the valley where Jal Mahal was located. In time, the resulting basin was filled with water, which people began to use to irrigate the fields. The famine receded, the inhabitants were saved, and the first floors of the building were forever submerged in the water. Therefore, there is now no gap between the palace and the surface of the water, nor are there any roads leading to the palace.
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Unfortunately, you can only admire all this beauty from afar – the palace is closed to the public. But a glance from the outside is enough to appreciate the unusual and peculiarity of this place. In especially hot months (usually in early summer) the water level in the lake drops and you can see the once hidden floors.
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In recent times, the palace has not been cared for, the pond is overgrown with tina, and it has lost its former appearance. But relatively recently the building has been restored and the surrounding land has been cleared.
