I am the queen of a noble king, have all the riches of the world, but confined to the four walls of the fort, curtains and screens. And the sweltering heat is here, oh what would I do for the little drops of rain and the cool breeze on the swings under the shadow of neem and peepal trees. King Rana Sangram Singh could not see the plight of her beloved queen and gifted the queen a magnificent garden.

This breath-taking garden became the favorite entertainment spot for the queen and her 48 maids of honor who accompanied her from her parent’s home as dowry. It was named “Saheliyon-Ki-Bari”, also known as “Garden of Maids/Friends”.

Each section of the garden had a distinct pattern of it’s own. After a brief stroll in the gardens.…

…they would enter a courtyard with a white marble chhatri fountain in the centre and black marble chhatris at the corners, where the bunch of bougainvillea bent down to greet them. (Many of the fountains made of cast iron were brought from England and won’t be out of place in an English seaside resort. This garden presented a perfect fusion of Indian and English style of architecture).

Traveling along the shaded trees next they would reach the beautiful lotus pond blossoming with flowers, their aroma filling the garden with heavenly aura. Fountains jutting out of the intricately carved marble elephant’s trunks. The queen would often perform Ghoomar (twirling movement of the dancers pirouetting in a wide circle) dance on the periphery of this circular pond along with her friends.

On special occasions this became a place of celebration and festivity. The king and queen would witness the celebrations seated on the beautifully carved marble seat.

 And the best part was the Rain Garden with fountains in the center and water trickling down the trees on the periphery creating a perfect illusion of a heavy shower of rain. Thus alleviating the queen and the other royal ladies of the scorching heat.

Saheliyon-Ki-Bari in Udaipur, Rajasthan (north-western state of India) today draws innumerable visitors worldwide to witness and marvel in the architectural beauty created in 1710 AD. A museum has been created exhibiting the huge collection of royal households right within the garden premises. It has many ancient pictures and things of the bygone period. Sight of stuffed cobras and other animals will add a tint of adventure to your trip.

Take your friends out for a unique treat to Saheliyon-Ki-Bari truly a picturesque sight to behold.

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