Visit Deeg Fort : History, Architecture, Attractions, Legend, Timings and Entry Fee, Best Time To Visit The Alwar Fort, Getting There (2024)

When it comes to mighty forts and majestic palaces, history has generously blessed the Indian state of Rajasthan. No matter in whichever city you go in the state, you can find at least one historically significant monument there. Out of the many popular forts to visit in Rajasthan, one can absolutely not forget about the Deeg Fort. With the soothing Roop Sagar flowing on one side, this huge magnificent fort is built on its elevated coast. Built long back in the year 1772, Deeg fort is undoubtedly considered as one of the most popular tourist places to visit in Rajasthan. The reason behind the immense popularity of this historical edifice is not just its glorious past or historical significance but also its architectural brilliance, grandeur and splendor.

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In fact, the people who have already visited Deeg fort praise the fort by saying that if you want to see an amalgamation of the Mughal and Rajasthani splendour at its finest, then there is no better place for you to visit than the Deeg Palace or Deeg Fort in Rajasthan. This also serves as one of the primary reasons as to why people from far and away come to visit this mighty fort. In fact, owing to this fort, the spot even serves as a great destination for a weekend getaway, especially for the people from cities such as Delhi, Bharatpur, Agra and other similar areas located nearby. Continue reading to know more about this mighty Deeg fortlocated inthe Rajasthan state!

History of the Deeg Fort

For understanding the history of this mighty Deeg fort, one first needs to know about the grand royal Deeg Palace first. After acquiring the throne, Badan Singh chose Deeg as the place for his stronghold and capital. Hence, he initiated the construction of the Deeg Palace here. Being the capital of the Jat rulers and located at a distance of just about 32 km from Bharatpur, his palace served as a summer mansion for the royal family. He became the founder of Jat House in Bharatpur and under his reign, the place gained immense prosperity and urbanisation. In fact, Surajmal, son of Badan Singh is often hailed as the hero of the Jat dynasty. Owing to its great location, architectural beauty and grandeur, the palace caught the attention of many dynasties and almost constantly under the threat from Mughals. Hence, in order to protect the stunning Deeg Palace against the attack from invader, Maharaja Suraj Mal ordered the construction of a mighty fortress around the palace.

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In this large quadrangle shaped fortress, massive walls were raised around the palace and deep moat was conceptualised as a few measures to protect the palace. Some historic legends also suggest that the fort and palace were constructed strategically at the location because of the great proximity of the place with Agra. The mighty structure of this popular fort of Rajasthan managed to protect its stunning palace successfully from the attack of many invaders and stands proudly till date. These majestic forts and lavish palaces of the state once again help in making its visitors remember that Rajasthan is rightly considered as the true realm of the erstwhile Maharajas. Exploring the place is nothing short of a dream come true for all the history buffs.

Architecture of the Deeg Fort

Besides its glorious past and historical relevance, this toptourist attraction of Rajasthan boasts of being an architectural marvel as well. Being highly inspired by Mughal style of architecture, the structure of the fort as well as that of the multiple attractions which it houses within its premises are worth all the admiration and appreciation. Once you visit the fort, you will actually be able to see yourself how much the fort is influence by the concept as well as design of the Mughal Charbagh. With lawns located on all the four corners of the fort and a grand walkway in the centre, the fort possesses almost a similar layout like Mughal Charbagh.

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Boasting of having an 8 km long wall serving as the boundary of the Deeg fort, there are 12 tall towers located within the fort. Out of all the towers of the fort, Lakha Burj is a whooping 70 feet tall tower and is considered to be the largest one. In fact, this tower situated at the north – west corner of the Deeg fort offers one to see multiple mesmerising panoramic views of the entire town. Other than that, the central tower of the fort is also worth mentioning as it is strategically positioned at an elevated height and has a shallow canal surrounding it. With the beautiful Roop Sagar flowing on one side of the fort and the mighty Gobind Sagar flowing on the other side, both of these water bodies ensure that the temperature of the fort remains pleasant and not too high. Decked up with as many as 900 fountains that were supplied water from the two big water tanks – Rup Sagar and Gopal Sagar which were flanked on the either side of the place, the fort actually possesses spellbinding beauty. As you go up the fort, one the roof you can see a cannon which is not ordinary but an ancient one. It is believed that this cannon must have been used in times of war during the rule of the Jat dynasty.

Attractions To See In The Deeg Fort

If you were thinking that architectural brilliance and historical significance are the two only interesting features about the mighty Deeg fort, then we would be pleased to tell you that there is a lot more to do, see and explore in this popular fort of Deeg. The entire Deeg fort complex is divided into several mansions which are worth exploring.

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Some of the attractions to see in the Deeg fort are:

1. Gopal Bhavan: This is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular attractions to see in the Deeg fort. Apart from a wonderful exterior appearance, the Gopal bhavan boasts of impressive interiors as well. Once you go inside the place, you will be greeted with a palanquin rood and an unobstructive views of the surreal gardens outside. The reflection of the bhavan in the surrounding water, adds on to its charm. It is believed that the king himself resided in this mansion.
2. Suraj Bhavan: It is another beautiful mention located inside the Deegfort premises. As you can guess from the name, his mansion was built by Maharaja Suraj Mal himself. Built with buff sandstone with white marble encased subsequently, the mansion has a beautiful verandah with five arched opening as well as corner rooms on each of the sides.
3. Keshav Bhavan: Located right next to the stunning Roop Sagar, Keshav Bhavan is often referred as the monsoon pavilion. The entire interior of the pavilion is a work of fountains and canals. Even the walls are pierced with a plethora of minute water jets. Combining with the fountain sprays, there water jets create a monsoon like ambience. The experience is further enhanced by a unique technique that produces thunder like sound all around the pavilion.
4. Purana Mahal: This is one spacious rectangular palace, the interior of which comprises of two separate courts. Built by Badan Singh, the Purana Mahal continues the tradition of typical palace and boasts of an impressive exterior appearance. The royal abodes are located along the periphery of the central garden and are flanked by the reservoirs on either side, give it a scintillating ambience.
5. Kishan Bhavan: Located on the south – east side of the complex, this bhavan basically served as a meeting hall in the olden times. The Kishan Bhavan is a well – decorated mansion with a panelled façade, broken by five large central archways the beauty of which is amplified with a series of fountains on the terrace.

Timings of the Deeg Fort

This popular tourist place to visit in Deeg is open for public visitors from 9 AM till 6 PM. Since the place is open on all days of the week, you don’t have to worry about reserving any specific day for visiting it. On an average, a visitor spends about 2 to 3 hours to completely explore the place. However, it is always better to have a little extra time in hand.

Entry Fee of the Deeg Fort

As far as entry fee is concerned, in order to explore this popular fort of Rajasthan, visitors have to pay a meagre entry charge. If you are an Indian citizen or visitors of SAARC or from BIMSTEC countries, then the entry fee for you will be just Rs. 15 per person. However, if you are a foreign traveller who does not belong to the SAARC or BIMSTEC, then the entry fee for you will be Rs. 200 per person.

Best Time To Visit The Deeg Fort

Like the rest of the state, Deeg also experiences a rather harsh summer season with temperatures soaring as high as to about 50 degrees Celsius. The arrival of monsoon season, the city experiences a great relief from the scorching heat. Though some people feel that the evening in winter season can be a bit chilly but the temperatures during the day time remain pretty pleasant which makes it a good time to visit Deeg. Other than that, if you are still looking for the best time to visit the Deeg Fort, then it will probably in the month of September. In this month, the city organises a three – day fair which is the joy and pride of the local people of the city. During the celebrations of the festival, the city fort is decorated prettily and even the entire city is in the mood of joy, festivity and celebrations.

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How To Reach The Deeg Fort?

Deeg is well-connected with most of the country through multiple means of transports. Some of the ways to reach the Deeg Fort are:

1. By Air: The nearest airport to reach the Deeg Fort is located in Delhi, which is about 150 km away from Deeg. From the airport, you can take a cab, hire a taxi or catch a bus to reach your destination.
2. By Rail: The city has a railway station of its own. There are some express trains which halt at the Deeg railway station. Some of the best places to opt for a train to reach Deeg are Bharatpur, Delhi, Agra or Mathura.
3. By Road: Located on the Mathura – Always Highway, you can easily find a state – run bus on the route. You can even travel by personal vehicle.

Well-known for its magnificence, beauty and grandeur, a simple look at this mighty fort and the famous Deeg Palace that it encompasses within its premises will make you absolutely fall in love with the place.