Little Blue Birdie’s Diary

The City of Kishangarh

Dear Diary,

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year is just around the corner. Everyone is enthusiastically buying new clothes and new gadgets for the new year and sprucing up their homes. All our group members are planning to be at their own homes, with their kith and kin, for the new year. So, even the little free time we get is spent on shopping.

I’m sure my group will have a lot to say about India to their families and friends. There are many untold stories about what we experienced during our visit. Unlike most other countries we visited, India has a lot of variety.

Each and every province is different from the other. The culture, lifestyle, clothes and even the language varies from province to province. The historical places tell stories of their own about the ancient kings and legends.

Today we are visiting the city of Kishangarh, which is located 27 km away from Ajmer. The city got its name from its founder Maharajah Kishan Singh who built it in 1611 AD.

This city was ruled by kings of the Rathore clan. Though it is known by one name, it is actually made up of two towns; one is a more urbanised part situated near the Kishangarh Station while the second is a beautiful settlement situated three kilometres behind the fort.

Kishangarh is mainly famous for the paintings in its fort and palaces. The famous paintings of the city, Bani Thani Paintings, attract many tourists who love paintings. These Bani Thani Paintings were once depicted on an official Indian stamp.

During Poet King Sawant Singh’s era (1637-1657), the finest schools for miniature paintings were set up here under the patronage of the King. The city has a temple dedicated to the nine planets(Navagraha). It is said that this is the only such place in the world. Unfortunately it was too late by the time we got to know about it, so we couldn’t even get some accurate details about this temple.

The city is now well known for handicrafts, and is also the largest marble and granite-cutting centre in India. Other attractions here are the Kishangarh Fort and the Dhool Mahal.

The best time to visit India is from October to March (not March to October).

Kishangarh Fort

This fort was constructed by one of the Rathore kings, Maharaja Roop Singh in 1653 AD. It is surrounded by a huge wall and a moat (a ditch, usually filled with water, around a fort), which makes it impossible to be captured by enemies. This is one of the few forts in Rajasthan that have remained unconquered to date.

There is a legend about how the Maharajah chose this place to build the fort. One day, while on a journey, he had seen a sheep defending its lamp from a pack of wolves at this place. This had given him the idea to build the fort here.

If you climb on to the top of the huge wall, you’ll be able to get a magnificent view of the surroundings. The Gundalo Lake located near the fort, is a paradise for bird watchers. It is a habitat for rare and exotic birds in India.

The interiors of the fort is beautifully carved and reflect the taste and lavish lifestyle of the Rathore rulers. Inside the fort there are many palaces and monuments. Majestic quarters, and courtyards adorned with stone-carved water fountains enhance the beauty of the fort. It reminds us how ancient kings, queens and members of the royal family would have lived here.

Phool Mahal

Another attraction in this city is the ‘Phool Mahal’. The name implies that this is a palace of flowers. There are not much historical facts to be found about this wonderful palace, since it is highly commercialised. Now it is converted into a hotel.

However, Kishangarh is one of the most popular tourist attractions in India, So, if you get an opportunity to visit India, here is another destination for you. We will be meeting you again, after a short break, after the new year. Let us take this opportunity to wish our readers a Happy Sinhala and Hindu New Year!