INDIA VACATION 2007

INDIAN PALACES

India has many beautiful palaces. The one pictured in the first photo above is in Mehranghar Fort at Jodhpur and was built in the 17th Century. It is now a museum with many interesting things to see from the original palace furnishings.

The City Palace complex in Jaipur, part of which is pictured in the second photo, covers a very large area, and consists of gardens, courtyards and buildings. The Jaipur royal family continues to live in part of the palace.

The Jahangir Mahal in Orchha, seen in the third photo, is a fine example of Mughal architecture featuring typical stone latticework. Construction by the Orchha ruler, Vir Singh, began early in the 16th Century in honour of the Mughal emperor, Jehangir.

INDIA VACATION 2007

FORTRESSES OF INDIA

Gwalior Fort, situated 100 metres above the town, has a 1,000-year history. It was long considered impregnable. The Mughals held it until 1754 when it was captured by the Marathas. The first photo above is of the Man Singh palace located within the fort.

Devgiri - the entrance through the walls is shown in the middle photo - is a 14th Century fortress standing on a 200-metre-high hill above the city of Daulatabad. It has vertical sides 50 metres high. A very strong fort, it was captured only once after the guards had been bribed.

Kumbhalgarh Fort, built in the 15th Century in the mountains 60 km. from Udaipur, stands on the site of a 2nd Century citadel. Due to its inaccessibility, it fell only once after a long seige. Its walls stretch for 36 km. and are wide enough for eight horses riding abreast. Inside the fortress are temples and palaces built by the Mauryas. The third photo is taken at the start of the descent from the fort.