Tourist Destinations - Patiala
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Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib: —-This Sikh shrine is located in the small village of Lehal which is now a part of Patiala city. A local tradition says that one Bhag Ram, a villager of the jhivar caste from Lehal village, went to the nearby town of Saifabad (now Bahadurgarh) to meet the visiting Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur. He pleaded with the Guru to visit and bless Lehal village so that its inhabitants could get rid of a mysterious sickness which had been plaguing the village for a long time. Shortly thereafter, the Guru visited the village and often sat meditating and preaching under a banyan tree by the side of the village pond. The village was soon rid of the sickness. The place where the Guru sat came to be known as Dukh Nivaran, meaning the eradicator of suffering. Devotees visiting the shrine have great faith in the healing qualities of the water in the sacred tank (sarovar) by the gurdwara.
Raja Amar Singh of Patiala (1748-82) had a garden laid out on the site as a memorial to the Guru’s stay which he entrusted to Nihang Sikhs. A committee of local people began collecting funds and started construction of the shrine. On completion, the gurdwara passed under the control of the state. Decades later, its control was finally passed on to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Apart from the shrine and the sacred tank, there is huge building complex spread over several acres. It now also has a big multistoried rest house where devotees can stay overnight for a few days. The shrine now has a two-storey gateway with beautiful mirror work on its inner walls and a black and white marble floor. On the left of the pathway leading to the main building of the shrine is a small ornate glass case marking the site where Guru Tegh Bahadur once sat under the banyan tree. The central two-storey building has a domed pavilion on its top, and is built on a raised base with a domed chamber at each of its four corners. The lotus dome on the top is pinnacled and has a round sun window on each side. There are domed pavilions at the corners. The floor in interior of the hall is paved with marble slabs in grey and white. The ceiling has stucco work in floral design while the walls are covered with white marble. The sacred book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib is placed under a richly decorated cloth canopy at the end of the main hall. To the right is the sacred tank for the pilgrims to bathe in. Just before sunset, the main building of the shrine with its gold-plated domes and the water of the sacred tank reflecting the changing colours of the evening sky in the backdrop, present an unforgettable sight. Devotees can be seen sitting here for hours listening to the soft sounds of ‘kirtan’ (hymns) being played on the loudspeakers.
On the left of the shrine is a massive hall called the Guru ka Langar (the Guru’s community kitchen), where visitors of all castes and religions can enjoy free meals several times a day. The shrine now has underground as well as overground parking lots for the vehicles of the visitors which can even accommodate buses and trucks. On the fifth day of the light half of each lunar month, a large number of devotees throng the shrine to pay obeisance and have a dip in the sacred tank for the festival of Basant Panchami which is held every year to mark the visit of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
The shrine is being administered by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, a mini-parliament of the Sikhs based in Amritsar in Punjab.
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Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports is the largest sports institute of Asia and is popularly known as NIS Patiala. This complex was made by the Maharaja of Patiala. Later this building was dedicated for the promotion of sports by his offspring.
NSNIS is always known as “Mecca†of Indian games. This institute created many highly talented coaches which showed their efficiency and proficiency in preparing teams for International competitions.
In ancient times this place was the house of Maharaja of Patiala. It is in old Moti Bagh Palace But now days this is an Academic Wing of the Sports Authority of India. On 7th May, 1961 it was established by the Government of India with the prime objective of developing sports and to impart training to the coaches in various sports. On 23rd January, 1973, it was renamed as a Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS).
Following sports facilities are available in NSNIS, Patiala:
1)Gymnasium & Swimming Pool Complex
2)Athletic Track – Synthetic (8 Lanes), Grass (4 Lanes) and Cinder (8 Lanes)
3)Volleyball, Handball & Judo
4)2 Squash Courts
5)3 Indoor Halls for Wrestling, weightlifting, Boxing, Basketball, Badminton, Table Tennis
6)Area for Throws Tennis (4 hard & 1 grass court)
7)Archery Ground
8)9-Hole Golf Course
9)2 Football Grounds
10)4 Volleyball courts
11)Turf Wicket Cricket Ground & 6 Cricket Nets
12)Cycling Velodrome
13)2 Basketball Cement Courts
14)Hockey Field Astroturf and 3 Grass Fields
15)2 Handball Grounds
16)5-Lane Jogging /Cross Country Track
Major achievements of NSNIS
1.Major Dhyan Chand winner of Gold Medal in 1928 Amsterdam Olympics
2.PT Usha winner of Seoul Asiad shoes in 1986.
Contact Information
Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports
Old Moti Bagh, Patiala -147001
Punjab-INDIA
Phone No: 0175-2215289
Fax No. 0175-2212070
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One of the consecrated place of worship for the Hindus, the Kali Devi Temple in the city of Patiala in the Indian state of Punjab, is devoted to the Hindu goddess Durga—an incarnation of Kali Mata (Mother Kali). Located on the Mall Road of this city, the magnificent temple lies just in front of the Baradari Garden next to the Rajendra Tank. The temple was built by the late Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1936. The maharaja brought the six-foot idol of Kali Devi and the “pawan jyoti†(sacred flame) from the East Indian city of Calcutta. The temple is an architectural wonder from the great days gone by when the city was ruled by the great Patiala maharajas who were great promoters of art and culture.
The Hindu temple draws many devotees from places across India , who visit the temple to seek divine blessings for eternal happiness from the great goddess Durga. Visitors to the temple can witness traditional rituals and customs of the Hindu society that have been passed down the ages to the modern day India. It may be of great interest to Hindu visitors that one can still observe traditional rituals being performed at this temple, which are slowly fading away with gradual westernization of the Indian society.
The temple inspires the devotees to rigorously adhere to all the great age old customs of Hinduism.
The sacred sanctorum of the Kali Devi Temple bears witness to the rich Hindu architecture and art of the ancient times. The walls of the temple have beautiful sceneries and mural paintings from the great Hindu epics and mythology that add to its beauty; so much so that it has been declared a national monument. The attractive and colorful paintings on the walls draw devotees from far off places that throng the holy shrine in search of eternal happiness. Interestingly, an older temple to a Hindu deity Raj Rajeshwari also stands in the middle of the temple complex.
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The Deer Park is situated on the Dakala road. It is just 5-6 kms away from the main city. It is open on all days except Saturdays. By paying a small fee anyone can visit the park. The best time to visit this park is between sunrise and sunset. The park has lush green grasses, shady trees of many varieties and a long water body. It is a fine place to find peace because it is situated well outside the city and is pollution free. People normally visit this place for picnics and walks. Children simply love the place, especially watching the wild animals in their enclosures.
Visit of deer park gives relaxation from hectic life of city. The park is divided into two sections: one is garden area and another one is a zoo. Zoo is a main attraction for children. Zoo consists of number of varieties of animals like different species of sparrows, monkeys, alligators, peacocks, rabbits and above all as its name tells lots of deer’s. It is really a heaven for bird watchers. Visiting this park is a fantastic way of bringing kids closer to nature.
A visit to this park is a welcome relaxation from the hectic life of the city.The park is divided into two sections: one is a garden area and the other one is a zoo. The zoo is the main attraction for the children. The zoo consists of a number of varieties of animals like different species of sparrows, monkeys, alligators, peacocks, rabbits and deer. The visitor learns a lot about the deer. Visiting this park is a great way of bringing kids closer to nature. The park is really a haven for bird watchers as well.
A small cafeteria near the entrance to the park provides snacks and cold drinks at reasonable rates.
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The importance Baradari garden can be ascertained from its name. This name was formed with two words of Punjabi Bara and Dar. Bara stands for twelve and dar stands for doors. It means garden with twelve entrances. It was built in a mughal style in 1876 by Rajinder singh. Baradari gardens are in the north of Patiala city. It is situated in the outer part of Sheranwala Gate. Baradari gardens were constructed near the Baradari palace. Baradari palace was a residence of Emperor Rajinder Singh. He brought rare species of trees and flowers from different places and planted them in this garden. The big fruit trees the Fern House and the Rock Garden shows his interest towards nature. Another name of Rajinder Kothi is Baradari Kothi because it is situated near the Baradari Garden. Today, the Baradari Palace is a warehouse of important historical documents.
Baradari Palace is restored by Neemrana Hotels. This is a first venture of Neemrana non-hotel hotels chain in Punjab. It is the first heritage Hotel in Punjab. Baradari Palace, has 6 rooms and 11 suites.
Maharani club: This club is situated in Baradari garden. This club is also known as Rajindera gym khanna club.To visit this club, you have to be a member of it.
Dhruv pandav stadium: This is a famous international stadium of cricket located in Baradari complex.
Church: This is a biggest church in Patiala. It is wonderfully decorated on the occasion of Christmas.
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The Bahadurgarh Fort is 6 kilometers away from Patiala city. It is situated on the Patiala-Chandigarh road. The fort was constructed by Nawab Saif Khan in 1658 A.D and later renovated by a Sikh ruler Maharaja Karam Singh in 1837. The construction of the entire fort was completed in eight years. A sum of ten lakh rupees was spent on its construction. It covers an area of 2 sq.kms. The fort is enclosed within two rounded walls and a moat. The circumference of the fort is slightly over two kilometers.
The name Bahadurgarh fort was given by Maharaja Karam Singh as a tribute to the Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur who stayed here for three months and nine days before leaving for Delhi. The fort consist of a historical Gurdwara Sahib (a Sikh temple) named Gurdwara Sahib Patshai Nauvin.This Gurudwara shows fine Sikh architecture. This gurudwara is controlled by the Shiromini Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee. People visit this gurdwara on the occasion of the festival of Baisakhi on April 13, every year.
A mosque is also present in the fort. It was built by Saif Khan in the year 1668. The tomb of Saif Khan is situated 300 yards away from the fort. In the memory of Saif Khan a fair is organized during June and January. It is named as Mela Roza Sharit Nawab Saif Ali.
No doubt the town of Bahdurgarh has a rich historical background but nowadays it is better known for the Milk Food and Escorts factories. These industries provide plentiful employment opportunities to the local residents.
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Patiala city of emperors, gardens and palaces has a huge heritage. Quila Mubarak a Historical National Monument of Patiala is situated in the heart of the city and the oldest part of Patiala. The palace was built by Maharaja Ala Singh in 1764 .In earlier days, Quila Mubarak was just a kuch-garhi of a mud fort but later it was named as Quila Mubarak. It was reconstructed with baked bricks. It was again renovated into a sprawling two-storied mansion with a grand entrance with elaborate arches. A huge part of the fort was changed into a heritage museum. The construction of the inner palace was completed by Maharaja Amar Singh (1765-1781 AD). The royal members of the Patiala reign occupied Quila Androon or the Inner Fort. Maharaja Sahib Singh (1781- 1813 AD), Maharaja Karam Singh (1813 AD – 1845 AD) Maharaja Narinder Singh (1845 AD to 1862) also lived in this fort. The Quila Mubarak complex stands in 10-acre ground in the heart of the city and has the main palace or Quila Androon the guesthouse Darbar Hall or Ran Baas.
The Quila is followed by the Quila Chowk and surrounded by three major commercial markets, Bajaj Bazaar, the Gur Mandi, and Shah Nashin Bazaar. The Adalat Bazaar starts from the Quila and ends at the Anardana Chowk.
The Quila Mubarak Complex includes several buildings, namely the Ran Basa, Quila Androon, Darbar Hall, Sard Khana, Jalau Khana Quila Mubarak Gateway and the boundary walls. Quila Mubarak Gateway is the only entrance for Quila Mubarak Complex which leads to Quila Androon Chowk. The whole structure of Quila Androon can be watched from this space. It is made of red sandstone and carries the exterior of a multiple domes. Androon Gateway is in the inner boundary of the Quila Androon Chowk. The whole gateway is constructed with stucco work. Upper portion of this building was probably used by the king to direct over the functions performed in the court.
This building was constructed in the first half of the 20th century; the Quila was used by various people for various activities. Today, due to lack of relationship between the local people and the Quila, the building is loosing its meaning for the outsiders or visitors. The cultural importance of Quila Mubarak still lies in its form and the way in which its space has been utilized within it.
Quila Androon has a grand gateway as mentioned above. Central axis is located with its northern front wall. It is almost in a square shape. It is very simple in outer look but the gateway is decorated with stucco work.
The Quila is divided in multiple courtyards. Each courtyard is indicating as a palace. Three axis are located with every court. These are known as central, the eastern and the western axis. West courtyards of the central axis are private- residential in nature. The east axis zone is more for public use including performing music and art. A passage between central and east axis leads to the houses the jyot—a sacred flame that was brought from Jwalamukhi by Baba Ala Singh, the founder of Patiala and it continues to be lit till date. The jyot is kept in raised court. Design of the rooms shows the purpose of the construction. The Rang Mahal is an elaborately painted chamber and large in size meant for royal audience—Diwan-i-khas. Whereas Quila Androon itself is a Diwan-i-am or the public court.
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The Sheesh Mahal is the famous tourist place in Patiala. Maharaja Narinder Singh built this Mahal in 1847. The design and the decoration of the palace was chosen by Maharaja Narinder Singh to a large extent. One section of Sheesh Mahal is decorated with colored glass and mirror work and it is also known as ‘Palace of Mirrors’. It is situated behind the Moti Bagh Palace. It is a triple storey building. There is a bridge across the artificial lake in the centre of the palace. This bridge is known as Lakshman Jhoola. There are gardens and fountains on the sides of the lake. Sheesh Mahal was the residential palace of Maharajas of Patiala. To give the artistic look on the walls and ceilings of the Sheesh Mahal, Maharaja Narinder Singh engaged artistic painters from Rajasthan and Kangra. The artist made the floral designs on the walls and ceilings. Their art depict the vision of Bihari, Surdas and Keshav in the poetic form and in colors. The paintings of these artists show the very old stories in the style of Rajasthan.
There is a museum in the Sheesh Mahal. In the museum, there are paintings of Jaya Deva’s poetry and Geet Govinda. The Kangra paintings on the walls of the museum show the Krishan Lila in very artistic way. There are also various fine objects of art like art of Tibet, Punjab’s ivory work objects, objects of Kashimiri art and wooden furniture of Maharajas time. The collection of these objects shows the life style of Maharajas. The large portraits of maharajas beautify the walls of the museum. The Medal collection of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh and Maharaja Yadwinder Singh from all over the world lies in the museum of Sheesh Mahal. There are about 3200 medals collected from different countries of the world by Maharaja from 12 to 20th century. There is also a collection of coins of 19th century. These coins show the history of different countries trade. The North zone culture centre is situated in the sheesh Mahal. On 6th November 1985, our Prime Minister Late Shri. Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated this centre. Every Year many cultural programmes and heritage festivals are organized in Sheesh Mahal.
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The District Courts, Patiala
The courts are now housed in modern multistoried buildings near Lahori Gate. All the work from filing of a case to the pronouncement of the judgment is now computerized. Computer training has been provided to the entire staff. Each lawyer has his own chamber on the court premises.
The Central Library:
The Central Library on the Mall Road is next point of attraction after the district court. The library has a large collection of all kinds of books. It is one of the oldest complexes in Patiala.
The Mall Road
This is a magnificent boulevard in the city. On one side is the old walled city and on the other side lie the beautiful Baradari Garden. On the road lie the Capital, Phul and Malwa cinemas. There is a beautiful fountain on a traffic roundabout opposite the Phul cinema. Nearby lies a famous sweets shop, Gopal Sweets, and dhabas (Punjabi-style eateries) like Sheetal and Nagpal’s. Also on the Mall Road lie the Muslim shrine of Peer Baba Rodey Shah, the head offices of the State Bank of Patiala and the Punjab State Electricity Board. The most famous landmark on the Mall Road is the famous Hindu temple of Kali Devi, which is also a national monument. There is a small lake next to the temple. The huge Omaxe Shopping Mall has recently come up opposite the Kali Devi Temple. The mall has proved to be extremely popular with the residents of the city. It houses food courts like the MacDonald’s, a Walmart (Easy Day) retail store, film theatres (multiplexes) and a growing number of showrooms of Indian and foreign companies. Next to the Mall is the old Green Hotel and Restaurant which also runs a bar.
Adalat Bazaar
As one enters the city from the side of the Sheranwala Gate and proceeds towards the Quila Mubarak, one comes to the narrow Dharmpura Bazar. Further up, one comes to the Adalat Bazaar, a thriving shopping centre. This area is the downtown part of the city. Adalat Bazaar means ‘the court corridor’; till the then underage king grew up, this area was used as the administrative centre by the caretakers of the king.
The Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law
It was established in 2006 by the Punjab government. It is the first national law school of the northern region. Presently, this university is operating from an old building called the Mahendra Kothi but soon it will be shifted to its new location at Siduwal village on the Bhadson Road outside the city. The university is approved by the UGC.
The Phowara Chowk (The Fountain Square)
The square is a beautiful sight in the evening when the fountain with coloured lights built on a traffic roundabout is played. The square is crowded with people visiting the nearby cinemas or those who have come for sweets and food at the nearby eateries of Gopal, Sheetal, Nagpal and others.
The Leela Bhawan, Surya Complex, the City Centre and the ‘22 No. Phatak’ (railway crossing) Shopping Zone
This area has rapidly developed into the commercial centre of the city. The area has a large number of banks; offices of insurance and immigration companies; coaching institutes teaching English to students planning to go abroad; restaurants and eateries like Gopal’s and Sahni’s and Verma’s and retail showrooms selling high-end branded garments, shoes and electronic goods.
An ultra-modern Columbia Hospital providing world-class medical care has now come up in the area.
Earlier, the area also had several open air banquet halls, locally called ‘marriage palaces’. Most of these have now closed down. New marriage palaces have come up on the Sirhind Road, Bhadson Road and Rajpura Road slightly outside the city.
Modern hotel and restaurants in Patiala
In the recent few years a few high class hotels have come up in Patiala: The Narain Continental and The Iqbal Inn. A high-class heritage hotel run by the Neemrana group called the Baradari Palace has now come up next to the Baradari Garden. It has had visitors ranging from foreign delegates and many leading actors from Bollywood.
Connectivity: Patiala is about 250 kilometers from New Delhi by road. It is also accessible by train. However, its airport can take only small aircraft.
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Since ages, Patiala has been the center of various types of trades and still the same tradition continues. One who comes to Patiala would never be able to resist the temptation to buy various types of items from Patiala. Patiala has some old traditional market places as well as the modernized ones keeping in mind the likings of the modern buyers. Among the various shopping places in Patiala, the AC market is the one which is considered to be one of the best as the shoppers get all items needed from within a one single complex.
As the name suggests, AC Market is fully air conditioned. This awe-inspiring completely air-conditioned shopping heaven is spread crosswise four storeys and boasts of over 650 shops. The products range from cheap goods to costly brands that consist of Sony, Levis, Nike and many others.
The AC market Patiala has made the shopping a very trouble free activity for the shoppers. There are shops keeping the branded products of clothes, shoes, electronic goods or any other items needed by the people as well as there are many shops which keep the special items of Patiala. There are shops of bangles, wedding accessories, gift items, utensils etc.
There are shops of the handicrafts which always allure the visitors with their beautifully decorated items commemorating the land of Punjab and its tradition and practices. People from the surrounding areas as well as the local people come here to do their shopping. After a tiring shopping day, one can always take rest and enjoy the food they want in the various eateries in the AC Market. Typical, Punjabi food is available and visitors find them extremely delicious.
Patiala is famous for its phulkari work of embroidery and for its well-decorated and comfortable jutis (shoes). For the people, who come from outside Patiala, buying the Phulkari work fabrics, suits, dupattas, and carpets will remind them the cherished moments of their visit in Patiala. There are many shops keeping different items of Phulkari work in the AC market, Patiala.
Patiala is well connected to many north Indian Cities by road such as Delhi, Chandigarh etc. One can get the buses and drive their own private vehicles and reach Patiala using the national highways. Patiala is well connected by the trains with trains like Inter City Express or Shatabdi Express. Chandigarh is the nearest airport from Patiala.
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A new address of fun and enjoyment in Patiala is the Omaxe Mall, Patiala. This Omaxe Mall has become the place where not only the locals but the people from the surrounding areas do visit to have shopping, eating and watching movies and other enjoyment under one roof. This is the place where the people from all spheres of life come and leave with fun-filled memories. The first of its kind in Patiala , Omaxe Mall is attracting people since the time of its inception and has become the center of attraction in Patiala.
Omaxe Mall is constructed beautifully with an operational space of 2.3 lakh square feet where as the total space for the Mall area is actually 3.55 lakh square feet. In future this extra area will be used for the beautification of this mall and will help the people of Patiala and any one visiting the mall to get the best services and facilities. Bringing the new and modern concept of marketing and shopping to the people of Patiala, the Omaxe Mall, Patiala is actually considered as one of the prides of Patiala.
Omaxe Mall, Patiala is the only Mall which is operational in the city and a place of appreciation for the residents of Patiala and people from the surrounding places. People need not always come to this place to buy things but strolling around and having to look at more than thousands of showrooms from the known national and international brands are pleasure in itself. One can get almost all the renowned brands from across the world like McDonald, Nike, Reliance, Hypermarket etc. under one roof. The versatility of the Omaxe Mall, Patiala help one to buy different types of things from one single place and help in saving time for the shoppers.
One can have delicious foods of different types from various eateries and also relax after a long-day shopping in the movie halls which run shows of the current movies. The visitors have a wide choice of movies as the mall has a multiplex consisting of 4 screens. Kids would love to come to this mall over and over again as it has a fantastic kids zone and food court. One can order for different types of cuisines in the specialty restaurants in the mall.
A place with all types of modern facilities and services like central AC system, full-proof security system, underground parking space and power backup for 24×7 , Omaxe Mall, Patiala has become one of the distinct places of Patiala. Many social events like the blood donation camps, cultural events, CRY- projects are also associated with this Omaxe Mall, Patiala. The customers can enjoy their leisure time and enjoy utmost luxury and pleasure here in this Mall which is located in the center of city opposite Kali Devi Temple on the Mall Road, Patiala.
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One of the awesome sight seen places in Patiala, Moti Bagh Palace, is situated near Gurdwara Motibagh and has been attracting hoards of tourists and the local people for its fabulous architecture and beautiful sculptures. This palace of architectural expertise has become the integral part of the history of Patiala.
The construction was started when Maharaja Narinder Singh was the king of Patiala and the construction got completed during the reign of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the early years of 20th Century. The estimated cost for building this largest residential of the world is about Rs. Five lakhs. The architecture of Moti Bagh Palace was designed after the marvelous Shalimar Gardens, Lahore.
This one of the largest abodes in the globe has been used by the Patiala regal family as their residence till the late 40’s and the family then shifted to the New Moti Bagh Palace which became their permanent residence since then. The initial construction was started by the Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1847 and the later expansions of this residential building was done by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1920s. After India got Independence in the year 1947, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh presented this great building to the Indian administration. The Indian Government used the part of this Royal Residence as Museum and a taxidermy art gallery. The North Zone Cultural Centre is also here.
This magnificent four-storey residential building’s beautification has gone to a different height with a surrounding terraced garden and water ways. It has a palace made of glasses called Sheesh Mahal. This heritage building has huge walls made of stones, the arched front areas. Highly decorated grills and crowing domes adding manifold beauty of the palace.
The back part of this wonderful palace is now an amusement park attracting visitors of all ages from within the country and around the world. There are two huge water tanks on both side of the front area of Sheesh Mahal. There is an amazing rope bridge which is named as Lakshman Jhula, connecting Moti Bagh Palace with Bansar Garh, which has the Natural History Gallery. This place attracts the tourists with its display of stuffed animals and birds. The most of the main Old Moti Bagh Palace now has the National Institute of Sports and Sports Museum (popularly known as SAI), and has been the center of training for thousands of promising sports personalities.
The entire palace is ornamented with beautiful sculptures and antique art pieces and has been attracting the people not only interested in history or art but from all other spheres also. There is no doubt that this magnificent residential building of the Royal Family of Patiala is the creator of history itself.
One can reach Patiala very easily and visit all the places of attractions. The nearest airport is Chandigarh and one can take cabs to reach Patiala. Trains services are there connecting Patiala to the different other important cities of India. Patiala can be reached from the surrounding areas using the bus services also.
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Sheetla Devi Temple is a very famous shrine for Hindus and hoards of Hindu pilgrims gather here through out the year. Sheetla Devi is worshipped to help the devotees get prevented from the deadly disease of small pox. The idol of the Sheetla Devi holds a broom, water and a fan, which symbolizes that once a person prays Devi Sheetla with full devotion, it helps in keeping the germs away.
The Sheetla Devi Temple has a beautiful idol of Goddess Sheetla, which has a red colored dress holding a silver broom, a small bowl and a pot filled with holy water from the River Ganges and a fan. During the annual fair in the months of August, the Sheetla Devi Temple gets lakhs of devotees from the surrounding area as well as from the various areas of the country.
During the “Chaitra†month according to the Hindu calendar, thousands of visitors gather in this temple. The “Chaitra†month is comprised of March and April months. The surrounding place of the Sheetla Devi Mandir looks similar to the Kumb-Mela which is held in different religious places of India such as Hardwar, Allahabad etc. During all the Mondays of the Chaitra month, the pilgrims come to the pond located near the temple and offer their prayers. For shaving the heads of the sons (the “mundan†ceremony), thousands of Hindus come to this Temple Premise. This temple of Sheetla Devi is also called “Shakti Peeth†and is always has rush of people expect in the months of July and August (“the Sravana month†according to the Hindu Calendar).
There are many legends associated with this temple. A poor woodworker in Farukh Nagar had a girl who was very beautiful and a Mughal monarch wanted to tie the nuptial knot with her. The carpenter got afraid as he did not want her daughter to get married out of the cast so he went to the king of Bharatpur- King Surajmal for his help but he said no to get in the way. The carpenter then went to the prince of the Bharatpur, Surajmal’s son and the prince revolted against his father and attacked Delhi. While going on the way to Delhi to fight the battle of save Hindu pride, he offered his prayer to Sheetla Mata and promised that he would construct a place of worship after his victory in this war. The prince kept his promise when he came back as the victorious one and the existing shrine was constructed for Sheetla Devi.
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This one of the oldest building of architectural excellence is the place of residence for the royal family of Patiala, and is currently been used as the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS). This one of the largest and beautiful residential building is the epitome of the architectural work of Indian craftsmen. The construction of the palace started in the time of Maharaja Narendra Singh in the year 1847 and the expense was almost Rs 5 lakhs. The construction could be finished during the time of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the early years of 20th century.
The magnificent structure of the Old Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala is one of the largest residential buildings in the entire world and was designed on the structural design of another spectacular work of architecture- the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore. The Old Moti Bagh Palace has numerous terraces which still commemorated the golden days of the rulers of Patiala and their families who used to walk through these terraces. There are many water ways, well-decorated gardens and one could really enjoy the serenity and the beauty of the nature when pass through the well-maintained garden and surroundings of the Old Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.
The palace has a beautifully decorated front area which has been constructed with the Rajasthani architecture with many jharokhas and Chattris. This four storey residential building has also got huge stone-walls, well-designed grills, and dome-shaped towers and curved entrances which enhance the beauty of this one of its kind residential palace, the Old Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala. There is another palace which is made of and decorated with beautiful glasses- the Sheesh Mahal. Till the late 30s, the Old Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala used to be the main residential building of the royal family of Patiala. After the new Moti Bagh Palace got constructed, the royal family shifted there and started living there.
After India got freedom, the Indian Government used the Old Moti Bagh Palace to be the National Institute for Sports. Each year, thousands of visitors from around India and the world come to the palace to look at the architectural expertise and the antique art peaces. It has become a must-to-see heritage building in Patiala.
One can reach very easily to this Place as Patiala is well connected to the most of north India and rest of the countries through air, road and railway services.
(4.00 out of 5)
