Page 108 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

106  DELHI & THE NOR TH

over to the National Institute of
Sports, and the large pleasure
pool, where the maharaja
once watched dancing girls
cavorting, has been converted
into a wrestling pit.
In the north of the city
are the Baradari Gardens, laid
out in the late 19th century by
Prince Rajinder Singh, an avid
horticulturist, who also created a
rock garden and fern house here.
The splendid Kali Temple, which
is located within the walled city,
has a large marble image of Kali,
The splendid Durbar Hall at the Qila Mubarak, Patiala brought here all the way from
Makrana in Rajasthan.
4 Patiala hand-crafted leather shoes
(jutties), tasselled silken braids E Durbar Hall Museum
Patiala district. 63 km (39 miles) SW Open Tue–Sun. ^ without
of Chandigarh. * 406,000. £ @ (pirandis) and brightly
_ Basant (Feb). ( Mon–Sat. embroidered phulkari fabric. permission. &
The enormous Old Moti Bagh P Old Moti Bagh Palace
Patiala, situated between the Palace, completed in the early Open Tue–Sun. &
Satluj and Ghaggar rivers, was years of the 20th century in
formerly a princely state, ruled the Indo-Saracenic style, has
by a string of flamboyant rulers as many as 15 dining halls. 5 Sirhind
in the 19th century who Counted as one of the largest Fatehgarh Sahib district. 55 km
made its name a byword for residences in Asia, it is set (34 miles) SW of Chandigarh.
everything larger than life. amidst terraced gardens and * 61,000. £ @ n Punjab Tourism,
Thus, the “Patiala Peg” water channels, (01763) 22 9170. _ Urs at Rauza
is a whopping inspired by Mughal Sharif (Aug), Shaheedi Jor Mela (Dec).
measure of whisky, gardens. The terraces
the Patiala salwar lead to the Sheesh The town of Sirhind was one of
three times the width Mahal, where the the most important settlements
of an ordinary one, Art Gallery displays in North India between the 16th
and the gargantuan miniature paintings, and 18th centuries. Once the
palace, to quote an rare manuscripts, capital of the Pathan Sur sultans,
overawed English objets d’art, and the ruins of whose massive fort
visitor, “makes A typical phulkari motif hunting trophies can still be seen, Sirhind was
Versailles look like a from the former royal also a favourite halting place
cottage”. Its rulers were also collection. Pride of place is for the Mughal emperors on
enthusiastic patrons of given to a collection of medals, their annual journeys to Kashmir.
the arts, architecture and some awarded to, and some In the 11th century, Mahmud
sports, and the city’s gracious collected by, the former rulers. of Ghazni (see p52) expanded
ambience, and its rich folk The Art Gallery overlooks a large his empire up to this area, thus
crafts owe a great deal to their tank flanked by two towers, giving the town its name, which
generous encouragement. with a rope suspension bridge in Persian means “Frontier
The present city has grown to connect them. The main of India”.
around the Qila Mubarak, a fort palace has now been given The Mughals constructed
built in 1763. Its oldest part, Qila several beautiful buildings
Androon, though derelict, has here, in the area now called
traces of fine wall paintings. The Aam Khas Bagh, which today
Durbar Hall, added later, stands is a tourist complex run by
to the right of the entrance the government. Especially
gates and is now a museum interesting is the Royal Hamam,
with a beautifully ornamented a complex structure for hot
ceiling and well-preserved and cold baths that uses
murals. Inside it is a spectacular water drawn from wells nearby
display of cannons and arms, through an intricate system
including the sword of the of hand pulleys. Close to the
Persian ruler Nadir Shah (see baths are the ruins of Shah
p56) who invaded India in 1739. Jahan’s double-storeyed
The lively bazaar around the Hand-embroidered jutties on sale in palace, the Daulat Mahal, and
fort offers the city’s famous Patiala’s bazaar the better-preserved Sheesh
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp694–5 and p707

106-107_EW_India.indd 106 26/04/17 11:43 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm