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Rajasthan
( Dungarpur )
INTRODUCTION
Dungarpur was
founded in the early 13th century. It is famous
for its unique architectural style. The areas
of interest here are Udai Bilas Palace and Juna
Palace. Another interesting place to visit is
the famous shrine dedicated to Shrinathji that
lies on the bank of the Gaib Sagar lake. The
water bodies in Dungarpur attract a large
variety of migratory birds during the winters.
Other commonly seen birds are partridges,
peafowl's, quais, cuckoos, eagles and vultures.
Udai Bilas Palace
is a good example of Rajput architecture with
its intricately sculptured pillars and panels,
impressive balconies, bracketed windows and
marvellous panels. Jama Masjid is a seven
storeyed structure, resembling a fortress with
crenellated walls, turrets, narrow entrances
and corridors.
The interiors are
embellished with beautiful frescoes, miniature
paintings, glass and mirror work. While some of
the most beautiful palaces all over Rajasthan
were vandalised by invaders, Dungarpur was
fortunate to have been located in the deep
interiors. Its wall paintings are well
preserved and there is very little damage to
the buildings.
The surrounding
areas are full of interesting little temple
towns, archaeological sites of great importance
and ruins of ancient kingdoms. Visit Baneshwar
located at the confluence of the Som and
Mahirivers. The Baneshwar temple is much
revered by the Bhils. Other temples dedicated
to Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma are worth seeing
for their exquisitely carved pillars and
gateways. This is also the place to be in when
the Bhils celebrate their biggest and most
important fair - the Baneshwar Fair.
Dedicated to Lord
Shiva, this is the largest gathering of the
Bhils who collect here from all over, including
Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. A visit to the fair
can be great fun as you mingle with the crowds
and watch the simple tribal folk enjoying them
selves Dev Somnath is a splendid 12th
century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is
an exact replica of the original Somnath temple
in Gujarat. When the original temple was
destroyed several times by the Muslim invaders
devout Hindus decided to create this replica in
the interiors so that it would remain safe.
Galiyakot
was once the capital of the Parmar King but today it is renowned
for its magnificant shrine dedicated to Sayed Farkhruddin.
Thousands of devotees gather here during the Urs. Other important
places to see are Baroda, the erstwhile capital of Vagad, where
some temples still survive and Bhuvaneshwar, which can be visited
for its famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
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