Our journey continues, travelling through forested hills, farmland and small villages, we like these less traveled roads,
Our home for tonight is the Sardargarh Fort is one of the most magnificent and well-preserved examples of Rajput military architecture in Rajasthan. Located in the Lawa Sardargarh region of the Rajsamand district (about 90 km from Udaipur), it stands as a testament to the power and aesthetics of the Mewar nobles.
First stop is the Sas-Bahu Temple (or Sahasra Bahu Temple) in Nagda, Rajasthan, is a 10th-century Hindu temple complex located about 20 km from Udaipur. This strikingly beautiful complex is renowned for its intricate carvings and historical significance as a remnant of Nagda, the former capital of the Mewar Kingdom.
Originally called Sahasra-Bahu, meaning “the one with a thousand arms,” an epithet for Lord Vishnu.
It’s a prime example of Māru-Gurjara architecture (Solanki style), characterized by elaborate ornamentation. The complex consists of two main temples—the larger “Sas” temple and the smaller “Bahu” temple—facing east on a shared high platform.
The walls are adorned with scenes from the Ramayana, as well as depictions of the Hindu Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva).
Nagda was a flourishing city until it was largely destroyed by Iltutmish (the Sultan of Delhi) in 1226.
The temples are now protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Our journey takes us through marble quarrying country and kilometer after kilometer of marble cutting and processing workshops.
The fort was built between 1738 and 1743 by Thakur Sardar Singh, a prominent noble of the Mewar state. It was constructed on the ruins of an older fort called Mana Thal, situated atop a hill to provide a 360-degree view of the surrounding plains and Aravalli ranges.
Interestingly, history records the head mason’s name as Gajadhar Premji, who is credited with the fort’s symmetrical beauty and robust defense features.
The fort is massive and entirely carved out of granite. It follows a traditional layout but is noted for its “fort-within-a-fort” design.
We have sighted many birds today the landscape is full of birds and we have seen buffaloes, nilgai and monkeys.
The descendants of the original rulers still live here and one of the daughters gave us an informative tour of the fort. They have opened up the fort to guests to help them fund continued restoration work. It doesn’t have a hotel feel but more like a family home and it’s intentionally done this way. We enjoy traditional music and dance before dinner, the night is clear, beautiful and warm.
