Sat, Nov 28 - The Deeg Palace

After breakfast we met at 6:50 and set off on the bus.  It was cool and misty all day and there was quite a smokey odor to the air from all the buffalo patties burning.  We set off north, stopping for a bit of birding before entering the very messy little town of Deeg, in the center of which is the magnificent buff sandstone palace of the Maharaja of Bharatpur which was built in the 1700s and occupied until the 1950s.  The main pavilion still contains all of its furniture and so gives you an unique sense of what life was like then.  

   Entry Hall of the Deeg

We entered through 70' high walls into beautiful gardens watered from two lake-like tanks one of which the main pavilion overlooks.  Unfortunately the water is heavily polluted today, but the views are still pretty stunning.

We entered the Maharaja's living quarters: the huge living room full of large sofas, intricately carved small tables over which long, 200 year old punkas, cloth panels, were strung from the ceiling to be manipulated back and forth by slaves/servants  to keep the royal family cool in the summer heat.

   Living room with Punkas hanging on the right

    Living Room Furniture

The Maharaja had a bedroom on the top floor with a 10' x 15' platform bed on silver legs with a chess room next door with pillows on the floor from which, I suppose, the players directed the movement of the chess pieces.  All the rooms were cleverly positioned to take advantage of any breeze coming off the water with carved screens separating rooms to provide plenty of ventilation. 

   The Chess Room

We wound around to the outside, past a large cage hanging off one of the buildings in which a tiger was kept on display.  We passed by a marble arch from which a swing used to be attached to amuse oneself on hot afternoons.  A large family was visiting from a wedding and they got me to take their picture, and then wanted me to join them in a photo.  Much hilarity!

We walked a ways to a building which houses a wrestling rink - a large stage of sand surrounded by painted columns with an attached swimming pool outside.

    The Wrestling Room

                                            

                                             Painted Column in the Wrestling Room

           

We finally tore ourselves away from all this fantasy lifestyle and returned to the bus and drove back to Bharatpur.  We stopped the bus and got off and walked along a pretty foul canel and got great views of the Greater Painted Snipe before before returning to the national park.  We had lunch at our usual restaurant, and then birded the road from our rickshaws, trying for a few species that we had missed.  We were then transported back to the park gate, visited the bookstore, and returned to The Bagh to pack, have dinner and prepare to leave tomorrow.

This is the wedding season and we can hear music and fireworks every night.  We passed a brass band walking along the road one evening.  The groom, looking very scared,  was being carried along in a sedan chair, followed by a crowd of pretty girls in multicolored saris.  The girls in the family group that I met at the Palace today all had henna-decorated hands.