Devigarh

Devi Garh Palace
General information
Location Delwara, Udaipur, Rajasthan
Coordinates 24.7729N, 73.7493E
Opening 2000
Owner Boutique Hotels India Private Limited
Management Boutique Hotels India Private Limited
Other information
Number of suites 39
Number of restaurants 1
Parking Yes
Website
raasdevigarh.com//

Devi Garh Palace is a heritage hotel and resort, housed in the 18th-century Devi Garh palace in the village of Delwara. It was the royal residence of the rulers of Delwara principality, from mid-18th century till mid-20th century. Situated amidst in the Aravalli hills, 28 km northeast of Udaipur, Rajasthan, Devigarh forms one of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur.[1][2]

In 2006, the New York Times named it as is one of India's leading luxury hotels,[3] and Frommer's Review, while calling it "the best hotel on the subcontinent", stated that "Devi Garh is more than beautiful, it is inspiring.".[1] In 2008, it was featured in Lifestyle Channel Discovery Travel and Living series, 'Dream Hotels' spread over five continents, other two Indian hotels that made it to the list of 55, were Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, and Rambagh Palace, Jaipur[4]

History

Raj Rana PRAGYAT SINGH Ji, 20th and present Raj Rana Saheb of Delwara since 1999. Educated at Doon School, Dehradun, married to Rani Saheba Shivani Rajya Laxmi Rana, daughter of Nanda Sumsher Jung Bahadur Rana from erstwhile ruling Rana family of Nepal and she was educated at Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer and Lady Shree Ram College, Delhi.

Delwara: The Town of the Gods The kingdom of Mewar was originally divided into 16 rajwadas or districts, of which Delwara was one. Along with Badi Sadri and Gogunda, Delwara was ruled by the Jhala Rajputs. Devigarh Fort: Nestled in the Aravali hills, the 18th century DeviGarh Palace in the village of Delwara, forms one of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur. Due to its strategic importance, the principality of Delwara was awarded to Sajja Singh, who hailed from Gujarat, for displaying his bravery and loyalty to Maharan Sanga of Mewar against the Mughal Emperor babar in the battle of khanwa and after that He died in the second siege of Chittor (1534). Subsequent rulers made many additions to the building, which was abandoned in the 1960s after the principality was merged into the state of Rajasthan. This all suite luxury hotel consisting of 39 suites takes on the look of modern India, with an emphasis on design and detail, using local marbles and semi-precious stones. Rajasthan’s Delwara, known as the ‘town of the Gods’ due to the high density of temples it contains, as Sana Amir explains.

Delwara was originally known as ‘devkul paton nagri’ which means ‘the town of gods’. And true to its name the town at one time boasted approximately 1000 temples, out of which there were about 400 Jain Mandir Temples. Raj Rana PRAGYAT SINGH Ji, 20th and present Raj Rana Saheb of Delwara since 1999. Educated at Doon School, Dehradun, married to Rani Saheba Shivani Rajya Laxmi Rana, daughter of Nanda Sumsher Jung Bahadur Rana from erstwhile ruling Rana family of Nepal and she was educated at Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer and Lady Shree Ram College, Delhi. Genealogy Raj SAJJA SINGH I, 1st Raj of Delwara -/1534, married and had issue. He died 1534 at Chittor.

   Raj Jait Singh I (qv)

Raj JAIT SINGH I, 2nd Raj of Delwara and Raj of Kherwa 1534/1567, he was granted the Jagir of Kherwa, married and had issue. He died 1567.

   Raj Man Singh I (qv)
   Baisa (name unknown) [Rani Jhaliji Sahiba of Marwar], married Rao Maldevji of Marwar (Jodhpur).
   Baisa (name unknown) [Maharani Jhaliji Sahiba of Mewar], married Maharana Udai Singhji II of Mewar (Udaipur).

Raj MAN SINGH I, 3rd Raj of Delwara 1567/1576, died 18 June 1576 at Haldighati. Raj KALYAN SINGH I, 4th Raj of Delwara 1576/- Raj RAGHUDEV SINGH I, 5th Raj of Delwara Raj JAIT SINGH II, 6th Raj of Delwara fl.1600, married and had issue.

   Raj Sajja Singh II
   Kunwar Arjun Singh, third son, he was granted the estate of Kunadi in 1644, and succeeded there as Raj Arjun Singhji of Kunadi.

Raj SAJJA SINGH II, 7th Raj of Delwara Raj MAN SINGH II, 8th Raj of Delwara, married and had issue.

   Raj Raghudev Singh II (qv)
   Kunwar Shatrusal Singh, he was granted the estate of Gogunda and succeeded there as Raj Shatrusal Singh I of Gogunda.

Raj RAGHUDEV SINGH II, 9th Raj of Delwara, married and had issue. He died 1768?.

   Raj Kalyan Singh II (qv)

Raj KALYAN SINGH II, 10th Raj of Delwara, died 1768?. Raj SAJJA SINGH III, 11th Raj of Delwara Raj KALYAN SINGH III, 12th Raj of Delwara, he adopted Kunwar Fateh Singh, son of Raj Kirti Singh of Bari Sadri, married and had adoptive issue. He died sp.

   (A) Rao Bahadur Raj Rana Fateh Singh (qv)

Raj BAIRI SAL, 13th Raj of Delwara, married and had adoptive issue. Rao Bahadur Raj Rana FATEH SINGH, 14th Raj Rana of Delwara -/1891, created Raj Rana (Hereditary), created Rao Bahadur on 2 January 1888, born as Kunwar Fateh Singh, son of Raj Kirti Singhji of Bari Sadri, adopted by Raj Kalyan Singhji III (above), Member of the Mewar Council, married and had issue.

   Raj Rana Zalim Singh (qv)
   Kunwar Bijay Singh, he was adopted by the Raj Sahib of Kunadi, and succeeded there as Raj Bijay Singhji of Kunadi.
   Thakurani Raj Kanwar, married Thakur Shambhu Singhji of Auwa, and had issue.
   generation
       Raj Rana Jaswant Singh (qv)

Raj Rana ZALIM SINGH, 15th Raj Rana of Delwara 1891/1900, born about 1863, married and had issue. He died 1900.

   Raj Rana Man Singh III (qv)
   Rani Nand Kunwar, married Rawat Vijai Singhji of Deogarh.
   Baisa (name unknown) [Rani Jhaliji Sahiba of Shivrati], married Maharaj Himmat Singhji of Shivrati.

Raj Rana MAN SINGH III, 16th Raj Rana of Delwara 1900/- , born 1892, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer. Raj Rana JASWANT SINGH, adopted from Maharaj Jawan Singhji of Bari Sadri (brother of Rajrana Rai Singhji of Bari Sadri), 17th Raj Rana of Delwara, Member of the High Court in Udaipur, married the sister of the Maharaj Sahib of Khatoli in Kotah, and had issue, two sons and one daughter.

   Raj Rana Khuman Singh (qv)
   Rajkumari Laxmi Kunwar [Rajmata Laxmi Kunwar of Sanjeli], married Maharaja Narendra Singhji of Sanjeli, and has issue.
   Thakur Nareshwar Singh, educated at Bhupal Noble High School, Udaipur.

Raj Rana KHUMAN SINGH, 18th Raj Rana of Delwara, educated at Mayo College, Ajmer; married a daughter of the Thakur Sahib of Badnore. Raj Rana VIKRAM SINGH, 19th Raj Rana of Delwara, married Rajkumari Ravija Kumari, second daughter of Raja Dinesh Singh of Kalakankar, and his wife, Rani Neelima Kumari, and had issue. He died 1997

   Raj Rana Pragyat Singh (qv)
   Maharaj Vigyat Singh, born 1975, educated at The Doon School, Dehra Dun, married to Soha Singh and has issues, 2 daughters.
       Rajkumari Smayana Singh
       Rajkumari Smera Singh

Restoration

Two centuries later, it was in ruins and empty for 20 years, when it was acquired by Poddars, an industrial family from Shekhawati region in 1984.[5] The restoration took over 15 years and a team of 750 people, led by architect Gautam Bhatia and architect Navin Gupta. The interior spaces were redesigned in minimalistic style by Mumbai-based interior designer Rajiv Saini, to turn this palace into an all suite luxury hotel, complete with a spa and Ayurvedic retreat,[6][7][8] today it is considered one of India's best designed hotels.[9][10]

Visitors and events

In 2004, came into limelight with British model-actress Liz Hurley and her NRI boyfriend Arun Nayar visit to the Devigarh Palace to celebrate the latter's birthday.[11] Since then it has also been visited by Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Fardeen Khan, and the Ambani brothers.[12]

The 2007 Hindi film, Eklavya: The Royal Guard was set and extensively shot at Devigarh.[13]

Transport

Located 28 km northeast of Udaipur, on the road between Udaipur and the religious township of Nathdwara, Devi Garh is a 45-minute drive from the city.

References

  1. 1 2 New York Times Review - Devi Garh New York Times.
  2. ↑ Arabian Nights The Dragon's Playground: Exploring Asia with Panache, by Christine Meaney, Various. Published by PPP Company Ltd, 2005. ISBN 988-98225-7-1. Page 164.
  3. ↑ Devi Garh, one of India's top hotels. New York Times, November 20, 2006.
  4. ↑ Discovery brings home global Dream Hotels from Aug 21 The Economic Times, Aug 13, 2008.
  5. ↑ Rajasthan & Gujarat handbook, by Roma Bradnock, Anil Mulchandani. Published by Footprint Travel Guides, 2001. ISBN 1-900949-92-X. Page 202.
  6. ↑ ...The Mumbai-based Saini’s big moment was designing Devigarh Palace in Udaipur. Indian Express, Aug 03, 2008.
  7. ↑ India: Palace hotel with a minimalist twist The Daily Telegraph, Feb 6, 2001.
  8. ↑ Devi Garh Frommer's India, by Pippa De Bruyn, Keith Bain, Niloufer Venkatraman, Shonar Joshi. Published by Frommer's, 2008. ISBN 978-0-470-16908-7. Page 463.
  9. ↑ Devi Garh Best designed wellness hotels 1.: Indien, Südostasien, Australien, Südpazifik, by Martin Nicholas Kunz. Published by Birkhäuser, 2002. ISBN 3-929638-90-8. Page 28-30.
  10. ↑ India: decoration, interiors, design, by Henry Wilson. Published by Watson-Guptill Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-8230-2513-6. Page 47.
  11. ↑ Hollywood diva Liz Hurley and her boyfriend Arun Nayar arrived at the majestic Devigarh Palace in Udaipur to celebrate the latter's birthday Rediff.com, November 05, 2004.
  12. ↑ Rajputana Royalty The Economic Times, Jun 22, 2008.
  13. ↑ Eklavya belongs to Amitabh Bachchan! Aprajita Anil, Indian Express, February 16, 2007.

External links

Coordinates: 24°46′21″N 73°44′57″E / 24.7725°N 73.7493°E / 24.7725; 73.7493

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