Jal Mahal

Jal Mahal, the 'Water Palace', appears to float in the middle of Man Sagar Lake beside the main road from Jaipur to Amer. It began life around 1699 as a lodge for duck-shooting parties rather than a royal residence, and was later enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Madho Singh I, who also improved the lake. The palace has five storeys of pink and red sandstone, but when the lake is full the lowest floor is underwater, so it looks much smaller than it is.

On top is a terrace garden with arched walkways and a small domed pavilion at each corner. The palace interior is closed to general visitors, so a visit here means enjoying it from the shore. That suits most people well: the promenade along the western side of the lake gives a clear view, with the Aravalli hills as a backdrop, and the scene changes through the day as the light shifts on the stone and water.

The lake itself was badly polluted for many years. A large restoration project in the 2000s dredged silt, added a sewage treatment plant and wetlands, and built the lakeside promenade. The lakeside is a pleasant place to pause between the city and Amer.

A stop of 20 to 30 minutes is usually enough. Early morning and sunset are the best times for photographs. Keep an eye on traffic when crossing the main road.

Take a moment to look at the terrace from the promenade: the corner pavilions are octagonal, with small domes, and the building's symmetry is easiest to appreciate from directly opposite. The low hills behind the lake are part of the Aravalli range, and in the north-east the Kanak Vrindavan valley, with its temple complex, is a popular picnic spot on the way to Amer.

Jal Mahal lies on the route between the old city and Amber Fort, so it fits easily into a day spent at Amber and Jaigarh. Across the lake at Gaitore are the royal cenotaphs of several Jaipur rulers, a quieter sight that is worth a detour for anyone interested in carved marble and sandstone memorials.