Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur: A Luxury Resort for Kings
Nahargarh Fort is one of the 3 mighty forts of Jaipur. It is hard to visit all 3 forts of Jaipur in one day; nevertheless it is worth a try. Jaipur City features in prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage sites since July 2019.
The first time I visited Jaipur I could visit Amer Fort and Jaigarh fort, but missed visiting Nahargarh Fort, I was late by half an hour. So please check the open timings of the 3 forts and plan the tour time accordingly.
Do read and compare with Amer Fort of same Jaipur city
From Fortress to Palace to Resort: The Story of Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur
Nahargarh Fort: History
Nahargarh Fort is like a beautiful jewel in the crown of city of Jaipur. Never attacked even once, since it was constructed, the fort is more popular as peaceful retreat for the Kings of Jaipur.
It was built in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. Walls of the fort extended over the Aravalli Range forming strong defence for Jaipur, old capital of Amber. These walls went on to connect this fort to Jaigarh Fort.
Initially the fort was known by the name Sudarshangarh Fort. Later the fort was renamed as Nahargarh. The word Nahargarh translates to Abode of Tigers, Nahar means tiger.
Luxury Retreat Fit for Kings: Discovering Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur
Nahargarh Fort Haunted Story
But there is another haunting story that led to naming this fort as Nahargarh Fort.
Legend has it that ‘Nahar’ in Nahargarh is refers to ghost of Nahar Singh Bhomia who is believed to have haunted the palace. Locals say the land belonged to Nahar Singh Bhomia, a Rathore prince. Raja Jai Singh took over his land and started construction of his palace. Any effort at construction or renovation was obstructed by Prince Nahar’s ghost.
To remedy this, a large scale prayer was conducted to pacify the wandering ghost. They even built a temple in his memory and to calm his spirit. Add to all this they even named the fort after him! Things got better after this and the ghostly activities subsided.
Hair raising isn’t it!
Also read: Haunting Tales of Kumbhalgarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort palace rooms
Architecture of Fort of Nahargarh
The fort was extended in 1868, during the reign of Sawai Ram Singh. Between the years 1883 to 1892, a range of palaces was built at Nahargarh by Dirgh Patel.
Madhavendra Bhawan
In 1868 Sawai Ram Singh carried out renovation of the fort to turn it into luxury resort. Raj Imarat was chosen by the King for the job of building another fortress inside the fort for recreation purposes.
Experience Royalty at Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur
Madhavendra Bhawan was built by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II (1880 – 1922). It is a double storied building that had suites for his 9 queens.
The grand room at the head was a suite for the king himself. All the rooms are linked and connected to King’s room by a long corridor, known by the name – Raja ka Galiyara – which translates to King’s lane. The corridors act as a screen and one queen can’t see the room of another queen.
Each suite had a verandah, courtyard, kitchen and toilet. There is a fireplace in each room for use during winters.
All rooms are vacant and barren with no furniture or furnishings like the ones we usually find in royal castles and palaces. Slightly disappointing I will say. If I were to rate Amer fort and Nahargarh Fort on a scale of 10 – Amer Fort would get 9 and Nahargarh Fort a 6. Yet walking through them gave me goosebumps!
The walls and windows still have some delicate frescoes, all of gentle pastel shades. One can get the panoramic view of Jaipur city from the roof and the windows. Nahargarh was also a hunting residence of the Maharajas.
Attractions within Nahargarh Fort
Wax Museum – It has 30 wax and silicon statues from the field of sports, Bollywood, social activists, freedom fighters and royal family members. This is located in the heritage palace of Nahargarh Fort.
Sheesh Mahal – the palace of mirrors, a new landmark of Jaipur built in the adjoining building with 25 million glass pieces with thikri, mirror work and gold polish giving a magnificent royal look and feel.
There is a mixed reaction from visitors about both these places. While some have been extremely happy and satisfied about having visited the museum and the sheesh mahal, some have said the tickets are steeply priced and the visit is not worth the price. Take your call on this depending on the time you have to tour these places after the tour of the fort.
Ceiling art of palace rooms.
Nahargarh Fort: Interesting Facts
Though Nahargarh Fort was built with a primary role of protecting Jaipur, the fort was never attacked as I mentioned before. It is interesting that Rajasthan government used a gun fired from Nahargarh Fort as a signal to measure the solar time at the Jantar Mantar Observatory for its official purposes till 1944.
Bollywood blockbusters such as Rang de Basanti & Shuddh Desi Romance were filmed in Jaipur’s Nahargarh Fort.
During the uprising of 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny, Sawai Ram Singh, the then king of Jaipur, chose to side with the colonizers, the British. He offered protection to British Resident’s wife from the rebels. He allowed them the opportunity to stay within the guarded walls of the fort. Very unexpected example of Rajasthani Hospitality!
Sculpture Park in Madhavendra Bhawan
Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur is used for special activities. When I visited I got to see some amazing sculptures on various themes by reputed artists. Sharing some pictures here.
The Sculpture Park, India’s first Contemporary Art public sculpture park, put up their first display in Madhavendra Bhawan in Dec 2017. It is a collaboration between state government and private cultural philanthropy in contemporary art.
The Sculpture Park’s second edition opened December 9, 2018 and will run through July 1, 2020. If all goes well the 3rd edition to start from September 2020.
Painted fiberglass sculpture named – Migrant 2017 by Ravinder Reddy. He creates monuments of the unacknowledged heroes. With Migrant he commemorates a woman extremely pertinent in the world of 2017, the refugee who is forced to move from one location to another, often with her children and all she owns on her head and her back.
Plethora of female identities by Bharti Kher. Warrior, Goddess, witch, and angel are fused in to a single fantastical being, her rubbery arms in defiance of the solid metal in which they have been cast, a phantasm dancing to her own internal sound track.
Open air Restaurant in Nahargarh Fort
The fort offers the highest point, which happens to be a restaurant called Once Upon a Time, a Fine Dine open-air restaurant at the top. It gives awesome view.
Tips to Tour Nahargarh
- Visit time can take anywhere between 1 to 3 hours.
- Photography is allowed and there is lot of scope for insta worthy pictures.
- You can have food at Nahargarh Restaurant.
- Washroom facilities available.
- Be sure to include Nahargarh Fort in your Jaipur itinerary.
Nahargarh Fort Tickets and Timings
The fort is open all days from 10am to 5.30 PM. Ticket prices: 50INR for Indians and 200INR for foreign nationals.
Tour time: It can take around 3 hours to complete the tour of the fort in a relaxed manner.
Address: Krishna Nagar, Brahampuri, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302007
FAQ about Nahargarh Fort Jaipur
What are the highlights of Nahargarh Fort?
The fort offers stunning views of Jaipur city and the surrounding Aravalli hills. Visitors can explore the various palaces, courtyards, and gardens inside the fort, as well as the Sheesh Mahal or “Palace of Mirrors”. The fort also houses a sculpture park and a fine-dining restaurant.
Is Nahargarh Fort haunted?
The popular belief is that the fort was once haunted by the spirit of King Nahar Singh Bhomia. The spirit obstructed construction of the fort. Nahar’s spirit was pacified by building a temple in his memory within the fort, which thus became known by his name.
Is Nahargarh Fort accessible for tourists with disabilities?
While the fort is not completely wheelchair-accessible, visitors with mobility issues can still enjoy parts of the fort. There are ramps and elevators in some areas, and the restaurant and sculpture park are easily accessible.
What are the best times to visit Jaipur Nahargarh Fort?
The fort is open from 10 AM to 5.30 PM every day, and the best times to visit are during the cooler months of October to March. Early morning or late afternoon visits are recommended to avoid the heat and crowds.
It is worth visiting Nahargarh Fort in the evening, when the temperature dips a little, and the sky is filled with stars.
Are there any special activities held at Nahargarh Fort?
Yes, the fort hosts several events throughout the year, including music concerts, film screenings, and cultural performances. Visitors can check the fort’s official website or social media pages for updates on upcoming events.
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Very interesting post, I am fascinated by the decorated walls… I like the ghost story too, we have a lot of haunted buildings in Australia, usually by the spirits of convicts, certainly not princes!
Every time I read another post on India, I realize how big and beautiful it is. So many spots to visit. It would be interesting to visit Nahargarh Fort. I would certainly be looking for some reason why this would be named for the “abode of tigers”. I didn’t see an overwhelming tiger motif in the design. But certainly the wall and ceiling art was stunning. Good to know that the tickets can be purchased for different parts. And that there is mixed reactions about some of the additional sites.
The fort has a fascinating back story, especially with the haunting ghost. Shame that he is no longer around. But then again, with all the furnishings being removed, where would he relax or sleep? The sculpture park looks very interesting too and great to see that they change it at regular intervals.
It was the statues that got to me – an art museum of a sort inside the fort. The wall decoration patterns look wonderful as well, but it’s a shame there are no furnishings inside. And too bad we can’t see the ghost anymore. Your first line was very interesting – did you truly see all three forts in one day? And are they so close together? I suppose if the furnishings were sparse, one can knock out all three, and good to know there is a restaurant on site.
Nahargarh Fort looks and sounds like a really interesting place to explore. I’m really fascinated with the ghostly history behind it all. It’s a shame that there were no furnishings, as that always adds authenticity to a place and gives you a real idea on what it would have looked like in the day.