The adjacent island was given to the prince for his personal use. Pavilions of the palace were made before 1734 and after his enthronement Gadi Rana Jagat Singh II (1734-1751) further elaborated the marble water palace. Jagat Singh II gave the name of this palace, Jagat Niwas. The Jag Niwas faces east to let the inhabitants to pray the Sun God at dawn.During the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 various European families fled from Nimach and to shelter in the island offered to them by Maharana Swaroop Singh. The Maharaja, in order to save the guests destroyed all the boats so that the rebels would not get a chance to reach the island.
The later half of the 19th century saw the weathering effect of time on the magnificent water palaces of Udaipur. Pierre Loti, a French writer, accounted Jag Niwas as "slowly mouldering in the damp emanations of the lake." When Maharana Bhagwat Singh went up the throne in 1955, Udaipur’s golden years were on a declining note. Bhagwat Singh realized this and geared up for the future of his dynasty and kingdom. With this in mind he resolved to convert the Jag Niwas Palace into the first luxury hotel in Udaipur. Didi Contractor, an American artist, became the design consultant to the project of this hotel.
Thus, Jag Niwas is one of the best attractions in Udaipur which one should visit while on a tour of Rajasthan.
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