Sisodia Rani Bagh: A royal tryst with nature

The Sisodia Rani Bagh was a soothing end to my over-charged and overwhelmed senses – that I had from visiting the heritage forts and palaces of Jaipur. 10 kms from the city center of Jaipur, we ended up here just in time for a sunset. For my travel companions, it was a welcome change from the walking that they had done through the day. For me – it was just the place that I needed to collect my thoughts, absorb all that I had seen through the day and spend some time relaxing behind the lens ;-).

The Sisodia Rani Bagh is a perfect haven from the bustling city life. It was in fact, made as a haven for the Queen, so that she could spend some time away from the court politics. Interestingly, this place still remains peaceful and to me, still does its job of shielding people from the hustle-bustle of daily life. Sisodia Rani Bagh is a great combination of history and nature. It enthralled me on various counts and here are those reasons –

History of Sisodia Rani Bagh

I have already told you about the Saheliyon ki Bari in Udaipur. However, I happened to visit the Sisodia Rani Bagh first. The concept of the garden was quite similar to the one in Udaipur, though I found the one in Udaipur more elaborate and romantic. 🙂

The Sisodia Rani Bagh in comparison, is more serene and calm. To share my imagination – I could picture elegant Queens with their hand maidens just strolling around, quietly enjoying nature at Sisodia Rani Bagh. In contrast, I could picture mischievous Queens running around and playing with the fountains at Saheliyon ki Bari. 😉

The reason I thought of Saheliyon ki Bari is because these royal gardens were laid down for the 2nd Queen of Maharaja Jai Singh. The Queen Sisodia Rani was from the Royal family of Udaipur and since this garden was built later than the one in Udaipur, I am guessing that the Queen got this idea from her maternal home :). You can read about the rest of the history here.

Garden Structure at Sisodia Rani Bagh

The entrance to the garden is through a small palatial structure. The structure itself, was so beautiful and colorful. Different scenes from the life of Lord Krishna and Radha were painted on it and with the sun setting on it low, I had a blast capturing it. The ticketing office is located here and you can get a glimpse of what could be inside as you go in to get your tickets.

Once you enter the gardens, you see lots of pavilions and fountains interspersed with lots of greenery. The effect is quite soothing the eye. I felt an immediate calm rushing through me, cooling down my over-heated senses. I hope my pictures make you feel the same. 🙂

At some points, I felt as if the Mughal-Rajput gardens resembled the ones at Taj Mahal. Specifically, the picture above made me feel that.

Here and there are some statues of Lord Krishna and Radha. That along with the pavilion sketches and the lattice work screens add to the artistic beauty of this place.

Delightful Flora and Fauna

Note the use of the word Nature in my post heading. Half the reason why this place is so beautiful are the gorgeous flowers, the trees and the chirping of thousands of winged beauties in this place. Take a look.

You don’t really have to hunt hard to find the fauna. The squirrels scamper all around you as walk or even sit on the lawns. A lazy eye here and you are bound to find some woodpecker pecking away. I saw quite a few unusual birds too. However, I was so intent seeing them and absorbing them that I forget to click them for you. Also, I admit that naming these winged beauties is not my cup of cake – I know they are unusual but I really cannot identify them.

I am told that there were peacocks that used to roam around freely in this park and some still do, frequent it. Personally, I believe it –  for I found one, in the vicinity, preening and posing for me. 🙂

Sisodia Rani Bagh – A Photographer’s Paradise

With gorgeous heritage buildings, flanked by a green paradise and its frolicking inhabitants. Sisodia Rani Bagh is a photographer’s delight. Every angle has something different for you. For me, the best part was the setting sun casting an unusual glow over this entire heritage garden.

No matter if you are a heritage photographer or a nature photographer, there is something for you here at Sisodia Rani Gardens.

We of course, grabbed a few memories of our own. My personal favorites were the pavilions that added a natural frame to my pictures.

Just some “Me Time”

After I had explored it and captured it, I slowed down a bit. I lay there on the grass, listening to the sounds of chirping birds and scampering squirrels and did nothing. The 5 minutes of this “Me Time” helped me soothe my senses, re-energise myself and more importantly, absorb all that I had seen and done through the day. The best part – it wasn’t just me feeling this. My travel buddies and my hubby too, took this opportunity to just sit on the lawn and gaze at infinity.

The kids – they too, had their “Me time” – and why not? 😉

We left the Sisodia Rani Bagh with a strange calm and headed back to our hotel in Jaipur. I know that I can never justify why you should go to this place – I mean, there isn’t anything that unusual either. If you are short of time, you likely with skip it but for me, it was a strange and unique experience. I cannot justify it beyond what I have already said.  I guess, sometimes, not everything has to have a logical reason. Sometimes, you just need to let things be. Sisodia Rani Bagh may not be unique in a logical sense, and may not always be a “Must-do” among the many things to do in Jaipur, but to me, it surely was a befitting end to a day of sightseeing in Jaipur.

Getting here:

• My earlier posts on Jaipur will serve as a guide to getting into this city.
• Sisodia Rani Bagh is slightly on the outskirts, in a direction that is completely opposite to the fort area of Jaipur. There are a few buses to Sisodia Rani Bagh, but the best way to get here is to hire a cab.

Travel Tips:

• The Sisodia Rani Bagh does come under the composite tickets. However, if you want to visit it separately, the entrance for Indians is at INR 50 while for an overseas visitor, it is INR 200.
• The Sisodia Rani Gardens are open from 8 am to 8 pm. Given this and the distance, it is advisable to either start your day with these gardens or end it with a visit here.
• There are no guides available here. Frankly, there isn’t too much to see and hence, you may not even need one.
• There are no cafes or restaurants nearby. Hence, stock up your snacks and water before heading here.
• There are decent restrooms available at the gardens.
• When visiting in the evenings, keep a mosquito repellent handy.