Tucked away in the age-old Aravali hills of Rajasthan, the 18th century Devigarh Fort Palace, in the village of Delwara commands one of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur. Sajja Singh,
who hailed from the neighbouring state of Gujarat, was awarded this strategically significant principality, in recognition of his bravery and loyalty to Maharana Pratap against the Mughal emperor Akbar,
at the battle of Haldighati (1576). The actual construction of the fort palace started only in the 1760s, under Raghudev Singh II, with further additions being made to the structure by the rulers who
followed. The Devigarh Palace was absorbed into the state of Rajasthan in the 1960s, and was subsequently abandoned.
Today, after years of restoration and reconstruction, Devigarh has regained its past glory. An imposing and impressive structure, it is now a unique all-suite boutique hotel, with 23 suites and 7 tents. |
