A TALE OF TWO PALACES

A short drive away from Udaipur’s tourist crowds lies the historic town of Dungarpur. SANTOSH OJHA samples royal hospitality and heritage in the two palaces of its fi rst family, and discovers an undiscovered gem.

- SANTOSH OJHA

AS OUR CAR ENTERS the tiny town of Dungarpur, two hours south of Udaipur, my wife and I have our reservations about the destination. This is a town few tourists have heard of. But we are in for a surprise. The place is spotless; we cannot see a single sign of trash as we drive through its busy roads to our destination, Udai Bilas Palace, a royal boutique property.

The royal family of Dungarpur traces its origins to the Guhilot Ahara Rajputs of Chittorgarh. Around 900 years ago, Maharawal Samant Singh, the elder son of Maharawal Kshem Singh, left the family to carve out his kingdom in the deep south of Rajasthan, in an area called Vagad. In the early 14th century, the seventh king of the ruling family, Maharawal Bhachund, realised that he needed his capital to be at a place relatively safe from invaders. Dungarpur, already a part of his domain, was an obvious choice due to its hilly and thickly wooded terrain. Today, Dungarpur is home to the 34th king of the royal line, Maharawal Mahipal Singh II.

As I step into the courtyard of Udai Bilas Palace, the part that immediately grabs my attention is the Ek Thambia Mahal. Literally meaning single-pillared palace, the structure was built using white marble and the locally available greenish-blue pareva stones. It’s an exquisite specimen of Rajput architecture, replete with ornate balustraded balconies, friezes, and arches. It was built and used as a pleasure pavillion by Maharawal Udai Singh II, who ruled over Dungarpur for over 50 years in the 19th century. The other palace wings—Vijay Niwas, Udai Bilas, Lakshman Niwas, and Khuman Niwas—were added to the complex later. In 1993, the current heir apparent, Yuvraj Harshvardhan Singh, converted Udai Bilas into a 22-room boutique hotel.