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Tucked
away in the age-old Aravali hills of Rajasthan, the 18th century
Devi Garh Fort Palace, in the village of Delwara commands one
of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur. Sajja Singh,
who hailed from the neighbouring state of Gujarat, was awarded
this strategically significant principality, in recognition of
his bravery and loyalty to Maharana Pratap against the Mughal
emperor Akbar, at the battle of Haldighati (1576). The actual
construction of the fort palace started only in the 1760s, under
Raghudev Singh II, with further additions being made to the structure
by the rulers who followed. The palace was absorbed into the state
of Rajasthan in the 1960s, and was subsequently abandoned.
Today,
after years of restoration and reconstruction, Devi Garh has regained
its past glory. An imposing and impressive structure, it is now
a unique all-suite boutique hotel, with 23 suites and 6 tents.
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