Chapter 10 – Juna Mahal

We returned to the Udai Bilas Palace so that we could have Sachin drive us to the old palace, the Juna Mahal. Having read a bit about the palace in Planet Ranger, we were looking forward to actually seeing the palace. As we drove towards the palace we passed through light forest land and into farming land where a strange kind of cactus plant was used as a fence and where the boughs of trees were used to store hay. Soon we entered into a hilly region and began to climb up a very rough road. We came to what we thought was a village but was really just the outskirts of another arm of the city of Dungarpur, the city of hills.

We came to the end of the road and found ourselves outside of a faded and deteriorating wall fairly high up on the hill. The entrance to the old palace was through the doorway which was big enough for a car. Sachin made sure we were at the right place as it was his first time in Dungarpur as well. A barefoot, old and thin man met us and gave us a happy smile. He was to be our guide through the old palace. It was at times like this that I wish I could speak the local language as I could only imagine the stories he could have told us. We followed him as he nimbly began to go up the stone walkway and stairwells into the heart of the palace. First appearances in this case were indeed deceiving. First appearances suggest that it is a shabby and broken place, not worth the time or energy for a visit.

Beckoning us to follow, he led us into rooms that had small shards of mirrors covering the walls so that the room glittered with light coming in through strategically placed windows. One room was lined with round plates set into the plaster. We went through rooms which had to have been bedrooms for young children as well as work rooms. The workmanship and the colours were defiantly bright denying that the palace had been forgotten. Finally, we came to the main room which was used for both business and pleasure, the throne room.

Along one wall a set of cushions for royalty were in place. Maureen took the seat of honour and was fanned by our palace guide. After showing us each of the seven levels, some of which looked like they would soon fall down due to the ravages of time, the guide showed us a set of closed doors behind which was an extensive series of paintings showing most of the scenes of the Kama Sutra.

At different levels of the palace, we were able to view various aspects of the palace as well as the surrounding hills and city. As we looked out over the city spread out over a number of hills, we noticed that many of the homes were painted a bright blue. We also heard many horns and drums and music being played. Of course, it was still festival time in India. Standing on the rooftops of many homes, were people enjoying the afternoon. A huge number of kites were being flown by children and their parents. From the evidence of many small kites that were caught in trees, the activity had been going on for some time. As I looked out at the busy rooftops, I noticed that I was being watched with curiousity by a number of groups. They were as curious as I was.

On one rooftop, a father and his son were watching the flying of the kites as well. When he saw me, he beckoned me to come over for chai, tea. But, there was no chance to do this. There was no way from the palace to his place which wouldn't mean going a long distance back to Udai Bilas Palace and into town to circle the hills until the right valley presented itself. The gesture was enough, a positive indication between men acknowledging the other.

With the tour of the palace complete, we returned to our waiting car and driver, Sachin was ready to return us to Udai Bilas and have the rest of the day off. He had been driving since the early hours of the morning in order to meet us at the Ahmadabad airport.