Situated about 110 km south of Udaipur, Dungarpur, or the City of Hills, was founded in the 13ht century. You can visit the Juna Mahal which is adorned with beautiful frescoes, paintings, mirror work and glass inlays; the well maintained Government run Rajmata Devendra Kanwar Museum and the beautiful Deo Somnath Temple.

HISTORY

Dungarpur district is the stronghold of the Bheels, a tribe whose history of occupancy in the Aravalli range is said to date back to 4000 BC.Founded in 1197. The rulers of Dungarpur claim descent from the Rajput house of Mewar. The first rulers of Dungarpur were Kunwar Mahap and his descendants who resided in the town of Galiankot, where their ruined castle still stands. Towards the end of the 12th century, Samant Singh, the eldest son of the ruler of Mewar, had to leave Mewar in favor of his younger brother Kumar Singh. Samant Singh drifted into the hilly area of Bagar and, within the next century, Samant Singh's successors controlled the whole province of Bagar. Rawal Udai Singh of Bagar was killed at the battle of Khanua in 1527, fighting for Mewar against Moghul Emperor Babur. His territory was thereafter divided between his two sons, forming two separate states. Prithvi Raj remained in Dungarpur while his brother Jagmal Singh became independent ruler of Banswara.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Vijay Raj Rajeshwar Temple : Dedicated to Lord Shiva is an architectural splendor and a fine example of craftsmanship of the shilpis of Dungarpur.

The wondrous flora & fauna : The area is rich in teak, mahau and mango trees. The unspoilt forested areas provide shelter to the jackal, jungle cat, Indian fox, hyena, black faced monkey and porcupine. This area is ideal for those interested in outdoor life since the terrain is ideal for walks and treks. The flora and fauna are unique to this area.

The Udai Bilas palace : was the royal residence named after Maha Rawal Udai Singh II, a patron of art and architecture. The palace is an example of the Rajput architecture characterized intricately sculptured pillars and panels, ipressive balconies, bracketed windows, and marvelous arches.

The Gaib Sagar Lake : is a famous shrine of Shri Nathji lying along the lake. The shrine is a collection of several exquisitely built temples with one main temple.

LOCATION

The district is located in the southern part of Rajasthan. The district Udaipur and Banswara lie in north and east of Dungarpur district respectively. On south and west, it is surrounded by the borders of the neighbouring state of Gujarat

By Air

Nearest airport is Udaipur (110 km).

By Rail

Rail Nearest railway station is in Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) (80 kms) connected with all the major cities of the country.

By Road

Dungarpur is approchable by road from Udaipur (110 km).

CLIMATE

- The district has a dry climate with hot season, milder than in the desert regions of Rajasthan. - The maximum temperature in the district is between 40-45 degrees celsius. - The minimum temperature is between 10-12 degrees celsius. - The annual rainfall varies from 820 mm at Kanaba to 477 mm at Dhambola.

The Government run museum has pieces from 6th century. They are well displayed but the captions are in Hindi.

The seven storey palace, Juna Mahal was built in stages between 13th and 18th centuries. It is filled with many old frescoes and paintings. The Aam Khas, or main living room, has impressive mirror work and glass inlays. The former royal hunting lodge, on a nearby hilltop, has sensational views over the town and its many temples.

About 50 km south east of Dungarpur is the important Muslim Pilgrimage center of Galiakot. This town is famous for the tomb of the saint Fakruddin, who spread the word of Mohammed in the 10th century. Each year, thousands of local and international Bohra Muslims flock here to pay homage to the saint.

Baneshwar is the confluence of three holy rivers: the Mahi, Som and Jakham. In January - February the week long Baneshwar Fair is held at the Baneshwar temple, about 80km from Dungarpur. It attracts thousands of Bhil tribal people.

The beautiful Deo Somnath Temple about 25 km north of town, dates back to the 12th century. An amazing banyan tree which must be hundreds of years old also attracts attention.