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Udai Bilas Palace
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Dungarpur, the "City of Hills" was founded in the 13th century and rose to fame under the Guhilot Ahara Suryavanshi rajputs, who separated from and trace their ancestry from the elder branch of the main lineage at Chittorgarh. The cousins however came together to fight many a historic battle against the Muslim invaders. Some 700 years later, Dungarpur is still a picturesque town set amongst the rugged peaks of Aravalli mountains. Nestled in idyllic splendour of the blue waters of Gaibsagar lake on one side and a cove of private reserve forest on the other, Udai Bilas Palace is the embodiment of the old world charm of princely India. It offers a scenic location for rest and recreation. An ideal paradise of unhurried hospiatlity from where to explore birdlife, fine murals and miniature paintings, exquisite rajput architecture, stone carvings and tribal life as well as splendidly romantic ambience for that very special honeymoon. |
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mere 25 kms from Khejarla, Balunda is another exclusive location of KJA
Tours. This feudality is a short drive from Pushkar where the world famous
'Mela' is held every year. Village attractions are the various trades of
mongery (brass and iron), pottery, carpet weaving (camel and sheep wool).
An especially intersting sight is the family owned village step well with
its intricately carved arches. Nearby is the seasonal lake with washing
platforms, built by an ancestor of the present Thakur, Gopal Sinhji, now
the common property of the village. Recomended a trek along the country
road connecting Balunda and Khejarla.
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A pivotal location central to the major destinations in the state, Daspan is situated midway on the Jodhpur-Ahmedabad railway line, with Bhinmal as the railhead. Thakur Mahipal Sinhji and his brother Amar Sinhji play host to their guests at Castle Durga Niwas with congenial regality. Excursions of note are the forts at Jalore and Sirohi, the marble faced Jain temple at Ranakpur, Kumbalgadh Fort and Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bhimghoda shrine, the town of Bhinmal - built over the ruins of an ancient settlement, the Sunda Mataji temple in a fairy-tale setting. One has a choice of horse, camel and jeep safaris along the Jaisalmer-Abu-Ahmedabad and Jaisalmer-Udaipur route. |
