Bada Bagh is a Hindi word which means Big Garden. This garden is located in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, a state in India. Various royal cenotaphs (Empty Tomb Monument) were built over the years and now more than 100 cenotaphs are present in the Bada Bagh. There used to be a mango groove located in front of the Cenotaphs but over the years and lack of maintenance, only a few remain.
Tourists can also view the sand dunes and the drylands from these cenotaphs. This garden was originally built for Jait Singh III, for his cenotaph, by his son Rawal Jait Singh III. But over the years, cenotaphs of the royal family members were also added to the original cenotaph. The Bada Bagh cenotaphs of the royal family were built with the help of sandstones and the design was carved into it.
According to history, Jait Singh was the Maharaja of the Jaisalmer state and his son built a dam across his cenotaph. Therefore heavy greenery could be seen across the Bada Bagh. Garden and Cenotaphs were later built beside the artificial lake near the Bada Bagh. There is an incomplete Cenotaph present at the Bada Bagh, it was meant for Maharaja Jawahar Singh. Post the Independence of India, the construction of cenotaph stopped and has not been finished till date. The Bada Bagh is located on top of a hill and tourists travelling from Jaisalmer to Ramgarh can view this garden on the way. Therefore, tourists who are visiting Jaisalmer and Ramgarh should definitely visit this garden.
History of Bada Bagh
The credit for the construction of this piece of land goes to the Maharaja Maharawal Jai Singh. He started his work by constructing a dam in the desert region so that it could serve the purpose of a water tank for the nearby villages. Soon, the water from this dam brought unparalleled glory to the entire periphery, and the region witnessed a surprising bloom in both its flora and fauna. This delighted every boon of efforts that Maharaja Maharawal Jai Singh invested into the construction of his venture.
With his death on 21st September 1743, it was his son to commemorate him with the construction of a Chhatri here. The creation of this commemorable structure in the immediate neighbor of the lake laid the foundation of a new tradition for all the Bhatti dynasty rulers. After that, to recognize and valor the contribution of each of its Bhatti dynasty rulers, a new cenotaph came to be constructed.
It was in the year 1947 when this tradition of cenotaph construction was discontinued on account of the sad demise of one of the princes who passed away after suffering from a mysterious disease. This death was considered to be a reflection of lousy omen amongst the Royals. Hence, they inanimate on the discontinuation of the tradition.
Best Time To Visit
The period between October to March is the best time to plan your visit to the Bada Bagh in Jaisalmer. Although, the afternoon may still be hot throughout this period but not as much as the sweltering extremities faced during other months.
Evenings are the most preferred time to plan your visit to Bada Bagh as the weather remains pleasant to a reasonable extent. The mixture of daylight transitions and a cold breeze blowing will keep you encouraged to explore the beautiful aura of the Bada Bagh’s cenotaphs.
How To Reach
Bada Bagh is located at a 6 km from the railway station of Jaisalmer as well as the city center. To reach Bada Bagh, you need to pass through an entrance located at the bottom of the hilltop, which displays the Bada Bagh on its top summit. As this is a very famous tourist attraction of Jaisalmer, you will easily find a cab or a rental vehicle to drop you to the foothills. Besides, there are regular bus services to transfer you between Ramgarh bus station and Bada Bagh, Jaisalmer.
