{{Short description|Palace Complex in Dungarpur}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}{{Use Indian English|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Juna Mahal | location = Dungarpur, Rajasthan, India | type = | built = 13th century | owner = Harshvardhan Singh | image = Juna Mahal Dungarpur 2024. 57.jpg | caption = Juna Mahal Dungarpur 2024 }} '''Juna Mahal,''' also known as the '''Old Palace''' or '''Garh Palace''',<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Tillotson |first=G. H. R. (Giles Henry Rupert) |url=https://archive.org/details/rajputpalacesdev0000till |title=The Rajput palaces : the development of an architectural style, 1450-1750 |date=1987 |location=New Haven |publisher=Yale University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-300-03738-8 |pages=150–152}}</ref> is a palace complex situated in the city of Dungarpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated at the foothills of the Dhanmata Hill.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2020-05-05 |title=The Juna Mahal at Dungarpur |url=https://trottingon.com/2020/05/05/the-juna-mahal-at-dungarpur/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Trotting on |language=en-US}}</ref> The property is still owned by the former royal family of Dungarpur.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Sethi |first=Sunil |url=https://archive.org/details/indianinteriorsm0000unse |title=Indian Interiors (Midsize) |last2=von Schaewen |first2=Deidi |publisher=Taschen |others=Internet Archive |year=1999 |isbn=978-3-8228-2392-7 |pages=156–160}}</ref> == History == The first palace on the site was built in the late 13th century.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Sanjukta Das |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VDGIpkJ9BgwC |title=Narratives from the Margins: Aspects of Adivasi History in India |last2=Basu |first2=Raj Sekhar |date=2012 |publisher=Primus Books |isbn=978-93-80607-10-8 |pages=128–131 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Juna Mahal |url=https://www.wmf.org/project/juna-mahal |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=World Monuments Fund |language=en}}</ref> It was expanded over the centuries by successive Maharawals of Dungarpur, with additional rooms, wings, floors, courtyards, and fortifications, until it became a seven-story complex.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Tourism |first=Rajasthan |title=Dungarpur Tourism: Tourist Places in Dungarpur - Rajasthan Tourism |url=https://www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/dungarpur.html |website=Rajasthan Tourism}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leisure |first=Artisans of |date=2015-08-25 |title=Juna Mahal - Decorative Art in Rajasthan - Luxury India tours |url=https://www.artisansofleisure.com/luxury-travel-blog/2015/08/juna-mahal-incredible-frescoes-in-a-former-palace-outside-udaipur-india/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Artisans of Leisure |language=en}}</ref> It is built on a high platform constructed from pareva stone.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=RajRAS |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bdbHDwAAQBAJ |title=Art Architecture & Culture of Rajasthan |date=2018-03-02 |publisher=RajRAS |pages=75 |language=en}}</ref> Its rugged exterior gives it the appearance of a citadel.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The structure features fortified walls, watchtowers, and narrow corridors and doorways, all of which were designed to delay the enemy for as long as possible.<ref name=":2" /> A shrine is built into one of its walls in memory of the two wives whose husband, Dungaria, was killed by Maharawal Vir Singh.<ref name=":8" /> When the wives intended to curse him, Vir Singh, to protect himself and his descendants from the curse, agreed to name the town he was founding after their husband and had the shrine constructed in their honor, as they had committed sati.<ref name=":8" />
Over the course of several centuries, its walls were richly painted with murals; however, the earliest of these are unsigned.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Lyons |first=Tryna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cKnGJGOEQukC |title=The Artists of Nathadwara: The Practice of Painting in Rajasthan |date=2004 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-34417-5 |pages=40–45 |language=en}}</ref> During the reign of Maharawal Udai Singh II, several artistic works were undertaken at Juna Mahal.<ref name=":4" /> From 1864 to 1875, an artist named Devji painted murals on its walls.<ref name=":4" /> Later, from 1883 to 1886, the Nathu and Chhagan brothers from Udaipur were commissioned to repair and refurbish several areas of the palace.<ref name=":4" /> Their work included the restoration of the ''Am Khas'', a reception room, and the refurbishment of the Devji cut-glass inlay in the ''Shish ka Kamara'', or glass room.<ref name=":4" /> Their work was part of the preparations for the second marriage of Udai Singh's son, Khuman Singh, which occurred in 1886.<ref name=":4" /> In later years, Udai's great-grandson, Maharawal Laxman Singh, invited two groups of artists from Nathdwara to work at Juna Mahal and decorate it.<ref name=":4" /> In 1939, Laxman Singh called upon an artist named Kanhaiyalal from the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara to work at Juna Mahal.<ref name=":4" /> Kanhaiyalal traveled to Dungarpur accompanied by another artist, Kajorimal.<ref name=":4" /> During his time there, Kanhaiyalal primarily worked on the ground floor, including the Durbar Hall, Am Khas, and Shish ka Kamara, where he touched up and repaired damaged paintings.<ref name=":4" /> In certain cases, he replaced the original murals with his own compositions.<ref name=":4" /> The artwork at Juna Mahal is better preserved than that of any other palace in Rajasthan.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/rajasthan0000unse/ |title=Rajasthan |date=1996 |location=New York |publisher=Knopf, Distributed by Random House |via=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-679-76591-2 |pages=266}}</ref>
It was used until the mid-20th century, when the then Maharawal moved his residence from there to Udai Bilas Palace.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> It was included in the 2014 World Monuments Watch to highlight its historical and artistic significance and raise public awareness.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /> == Structures within the complex == === Am Khas === Udai Singh II added Am Khas, a large audience hall, to the structure.<ref name=":5" /> It served dual purposes: as the Diwan-i-Khas for receiving courtiers and state guests, and as the Diwan-i-Am, where members of the general public could present their grievances.<ref name=":5" /> The hall is very conservative in style, with its ceiling supported by columns.<ref name=":5" /> Adjacent to it is a Hingrat, a small personal chamber, whose surfaces are entirely covered in glass inlay work.<ref name=":5" /> Adjacent to it is a Hingrat, a small personal chamber, with surfaces entirely covered in glass inlay work.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> It also incorporates portraits of the Maharawals of Dungarpur, which are surrounded by floral and animal motifs.<ref name=":6" /> The floor is laid with mirrored and painted tiles.<ref name=":6" /> === Chini Gokhada === Chini Gokhada, also known as the Chinese balcony, is decorated with 144 Staffordshire Blue Willow Pattern plates embedded in the four walls.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/oapen-20.500.12657-77027 |title=Global Goods and the Country House - Comparative perspectives, 1650-1800 |date=2023 |pages=323–324 |language=English}}</ref> It is complemented by additional murals and mirror work.<ref name=":7" /> One of the painted plate in it shows a miniature of the Maharawal of Dungarpur sitting in a garden and receiving visitors.<ref name=":7" /> It was used as a private durbar hall in the late nineteenth century, overlooking Kothar Chowk, a storage area, where the public was invited and spectacles were held.<ref name=":7" /> == In popular culture == In 2008, Karen Knorr traveled to Rajasthan, where she captured a series of photographs depicting Indian interiors with animals from Indian folklore.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Penelope |year=2011 |title=Karen Knorr's Photography Offers an Ironic Sense of Place |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/garden/karen-knorrs-photography-offers-an-ironic-sense-of-place-qa.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref> She also visited Dungarpur, where she photographed several images at Juna Mahal, which are part of her work titled India Song.<ref>{{Cite web |title=India Song {{!}} Karen Knorr |url=https://karenknorr.com/photography/india-song/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=karenknorr.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Knorr |first=Karen |url=https://archive.org/details/karenknorrindias0000knor/ |title=Karen Knorr : India song |date=2014 |publisher=Milano, Italy : Skira Editore S.p.A. |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-88-572-2235-6 |pages=11–12}}</ref> == Gallery == <gallery> File:Haveli Dungarpur.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 4.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 2024 24.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 28.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 0 48.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Wandmalerei in Juna Mahal.jpg|Painting on a wall of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 2024. 9.jpg|Painting on a wall of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 16.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal File:Juna Mahal Dungarpur 0 33.jpg|View of the Juna Mahal |thumb|Interior </gallery>
== References == <references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahal, Juna}} Category:Rajput architecture Category:Palaces in Rajasthan Category:Palaces in India Category:Royal residences in India Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century Category:Houses completed in the 13th century