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Nestled in a valley formed by three hills, time seems to have stood still in Patan Mahal which retains an old-world charm. Patan is also the site of one of the last great battles in Indian history. Called the Battle of Patan, it saw the Marathas pitted against the Rajputs of Jaipur and their Mughal allies in 1790
They once ruled Delhi. Then Anangpal Tomar III’s kingdom was wrested from him by his kin Prithvi Raj Chauhan. And one branch of his descendants (also known as Tanwars) came to Patan (pronounced Paatan; ‘t’ as in tomato), in Sikar district of Rajasthan where in the 13th century, they built on a hillside in the Aravalis, about 800 feet above the plains, a palace called Badal Mahal. Another 1,200 feet higher they constructed a formidable fort. The transplanted kingdom must have prospered under Tomar rule. The story goes that when, in the late 18th century, the Marathas, smarting from their defeat at Panipat, started throwing their weight around, they kidnapped the Raja of Jodhpur. A ransom of 10,000 gold coins was demanded for his release. The booty was collected largely from Patan. This held out promise of bigger pickings. So, the Marathas attacked Patan itself. With better arms and military training imparted by French general Le Boigne, they easily routed the Rajputs. Then they ransacked the town and its palace. The Tomars were forced to build another mahal for themselves, which they did at a lower altitude. Over 200 years later, the present scion of the dynasty, Digvijay Singh, has renovated and converted the mahal into a heritage hotel. Patan lies at the end of a stressful — both for the man and the machine — 177 km drive from Delhi. For 150 km one travels on the national highway, supposedly part of tourism’s ‘Golden Triangle’. However, the state of the road is pathetic. It is crowded and large sections are being repaired or widened or fly-overs being under construction. So, the going is slow. At Kotputli one turns right. The road then becomes worse. Most of the stretch is pot-holed and broken. And someone, who must surely have a twisted sense of humour, has had speed breakers built on it! The saving grace is the green fields of mustard, gram and wheat that run along the road. But once one reaches Patan Mahal, it does not take long to get over the agony of the journey. This is another world altogether. The hustle and bustle of the capital is far behind us. The erstwhile palace is an elegant and serene 18-room hotel where the service comes with old-world courtesy and charm. The architecture is typically Rajasthani. Arched windows, latticed jharokhas and alcoves with stained glass panes; brass and stone artefacts; rare photographs and miniature paintings and chequered marble floors, all put together tastefully, make up the décor. Each room is different, has its own character and a private veranda. The hotel terrace has chhatris on its edges on which pigeons perch, and take to flight en masse at the slightest intrusion. Outside there are spacious lawns, an octagonal swimming pool and bougainvillea looping over the walls. Patan Mahal has its own organic vegetable garden, too. The cuisine is varied and food can be cooked to suit individual tastes. From the hotel one gets a panoramic view of Badal Mahal and the fort above. The climb is steep, but an English family of six and some other visitors decide to give it a go. The hotel keeps walking sticks for senior citizens. The ascent up to the old palace is no too bad. The structure itself is in ruins, but some of the underground halls are still well preserved. It even has a catchment well where rain water from the surrounding hillsides is collected. Beyond Badal Mahal the going gets tougher. The path is broken and steep for most part. There is one stretch that is nothing but a narrow ledge on a rock face. Another is a sheer climb over rocks and boulders. By the time you reach the fort, there is enough of perching on the ledges like a mountain-goat. But the view from the top is stunning. Patan village and its lake are all clearly visible, as also a glimpse of a larger water body on the right. It provides some good fishing. Patan village has a small cottage industry of bangle making. About a dozen families do it and their wares sell at four times the price in Delhi’s emporia. The material used is lac and it is fascinating to see how colours are interwoven.
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