Daita Bir Singh Deo Palace

8/18/2019 Daita Bir Singh Deo Palace

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Built entirely of brick and stone with no cement or iron to hold it together, Datia

Mahal is one of the nest examples of the blend of Indo-Islamic architecture.

look by !hitra "amaswamy

#e make our way through narrow, crowded alleyways $anked by shops selling a

myriad of wares. %he aroma of sweetmeats wafts the air and there is a $urry of

acti&ity all around' yet, paradoxically, the mood seems relaxed as our Inno&a

pushes past the melee to come upon the grand sub(ect of our interest ) the Datia

Mahal.

In the wee hours of the December dawn, the rays of a mild sun pierce through a

thin &eil of mist to cast its warm glow, gently on this magnicent eastward facing

structure. It is an imposing architectural beauty, e&en as it stands desolate,

uncared for and apparently forgotten. %he *-storey +urana Mahal , originally

called Bir ingh Deo Mahal after its founder, or simply Datia Mahal in Datia, is

about km from /rchha, on the 0hansi-1walior route. It stands in testimony to

the friendship between Mughul 2mperor 0ehangir and Bir ingh Deo, the ruler of

Datia, a part of the region then known as Bundelkhand. 3ortunately for us,

B.."a(put, caretaker of the Mahal doubles up as guide as we begin our tour of

the large building, ducking our heads at times to a&oid the fragile lms of

cobwebs, thri&ing here and there for want of proper care. %wo of its se&en $oors,

we learn are built underground and closed to &isitors.

%he palace perched atop a rocky outcrop, encircled by a fort wall and o&erlooking

the 4arna agar 5ake, is &isible from trains passing the 1walior-0hansi railway

line. Built entirely of brick and stone with no cement or iron to hold it together, it

is one of the nest examples of the blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. %he

building, in the design of the wastik, with its restraint and emphasis on a

classical and symmetrical plan inspired none other than ir 2dward 5utyens,

architect of 6ew Delhi. 3or a man whose impressions of Indian architecture werenot $attering to begin with, he was so o&erwhelmed by Datia Mahal that he

chose to &isit other edices in India before he embarked on designing 6ew Delhi.

7e incorporated aspects of Datia Mahal in the interior design of 6ew Delhi8s

6orth and outh Blocks.

Datia Mahal is only one of &ery few palaces and forts structure in north and

central India that boasts a spectacular amalgam of Indo-Islamic architecture

though examples of such fusion are found in se&eral temples in the regions. %he

palace is marked by a large courtyard at the core, in the centre of which is them-high, &e-storey tower, housing rooms and se&eral courtyards. It has a


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ribbed dome atop which is lotus petal-shaped shikhar, typical of Bundela

architectural style . #hile the arched doorways and dome are characteristic of

Mughal architecture, the sculptures and paintings of birds, animals and $owers

are suggesti&e of the "a(put style. +aintings executed with &egetable and other

natural dyes, ex9uisite and intricate in design, adorn the walls and ceilings of

se&eral chambers of the top three $oors of the palace. ome paintings ha&e

e&idently withstood the test of time, being discernable in good measure. %he

palace windows are a beauty in themsel&es, &eiled with elegant stone lattice

work, each motif di:erent from the other.

%he play of light and shade in se&eral areas of the palace is scintillating as we

walk down its labyrinthic corridors, embellished with ornate pillars and arches.

%he balcony of each $oor accords a stunning &iew of the city of Datia dotted with

temples, shops and residential areas, while from its terrace, the city8s 3ort can be

seen in full &iew with its royal 9uarters and temple.

Bir ingh Deo, the ruler of Datia and an a&id builder of the times, laid the

foundations of Datia Mahal in ;


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rchitecture "a(put and Mughal rchitecture

6earest Metro tation 6o Metro er&ices

%heDatia castle is a well built fort with magnicent architecture. %he

architectural designs include the layout of Mughal and "a(put 2mpire. %hat is the

fort consists of both the royal Mughal as well as the "a(putana grace.

%he fort was constructed by Bir ingh De&, %he !hief />cer of Bundela in the

year ;


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purely of stone and bricks with no trace either of wood or iron. It is built in the

form of a s9uare, the monotony being relie&ed by four octagonal towers, one at

each corner, and string courses of stone lattice work dening the &e storeys.

%he summit is ornamented by numerous chhatris crowned with ribbed domes,

while many of the ceilings in its chambers are nely car&ed. %he southern face

o&er looks a large lake.

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H/ctober A;

Datia palace is situated nearly *F k.m. from 1walior !ity in Madhya pradesh. %he

specialty of this palace is that it is of * $oor. 7owe&er neither member from the

royal family did e&er li&ed here. %he founder of the Datia state in Bundel4hand -

Mahara( Birsingh Deo Build many such FA monuments all around the !ountry

India. DatiaEs +alace or the atkhanda +alace is also called the +urana Mahal or

the J/ld palaceJ, 7istorian bdul 7amid 5ahori came to this city with hahan

0ahan on ; 6o&ember ;


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beautiful place to &isit for those who are really interested in the Mughal and

ra(putana architecture and their beauty

Datia

town of great historic signicance, DatiaEs se&en-storeyed palace built entirely

of stone and brick by "a(a Bir ingh Deo in ;


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%he &iew from the terrace infront of the palace shows the old city spread in

cubistic pattern with a predomonance of blue. %hese are huts and small cottages

painted blue with a mixture of Mud plaster- bio degradable, and copper sulphate.

#hen spread on walls it both disinfects the plaster and gi&es it an attracti&e

colour.

%he !hhatris

%he royal families of Datia built !hhatris to commemortae their dead. %hese are

decorated with elaborate memorials with stories, myths and legends from the

holy scriptures , somrtimes they also ha&e a depic=ion of the great deeds of

those remembered. %here is a hige complex of !hhatris built in the ;Cth and

;th centuries and really worth a &isit.

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Daita Bir Singh Deo Palace