Location
Samode is situated in the royal Indian state of Rajasthan around 42 km from
Jaipur, the capital city. Located on way to Shekhawati, this small village
is famous for its haveli and fort. Samode is connected to Jaipur through a
good network of roads.
A desert getaway!
Samode is an ideal desert getaway. During the day, a camel ride through the
Samode village and the surrounding countryside is a good idea. Riding this
gentle animal with its rocking gait is the best way to relax on a sunny
morning.
A real visit to Samode cannot be considered complete without a musical
evening of folk dances and songs. Rajasthani bards and musicians with their
colorful dresses and unusual musical instruments provide one of the best
evenings one can have in India.
Places of interest
There
are several places of tourist interest in Samode village. The Samode Palace,
now a heritage hotel, is built in the characteristic pattern of an open
courtyard with rooms leading off the arched corridor that runs along all the
four sides of the building. The Sultan Mahal is on the first floor-an
exquisite room with a marble pillared verandah. It has the famous Jaipur
blue tile decorations. Every inch of the ceiling and the walls are covered
with floral, paisley and geometric motifs painted in vegetable colors. It is
called Sultan Mahal after the craftsman, who painstakingly created it. Old
and heavy carved silver furniture brought from Nepal by the grandmother of
the present Rawal gleam dully in sunlight even today. To the left of the
main haveli is the Durbar Hall, which was built about a hundred years ago.
Again it is painted with ornate floral motifs and colored delicately with
vegetable pigments, which still have a special glow of their own.
Samode offers some excellent spots for day long excursions. Shekhawati is
about two and half hours away from Samode. This small village is quite
famous for its havelis with murals and wall paintings. Many experts also
call this place the living art gallery of the world.
» The spectacular Samode Haveli: On a hill
immediately above the palace is the Samode Fort, the family's former
residence accessible in times of trouble by an underground passageway. The
original stone zigzag path has been replaced by 300 steps, which have to be
climbed to reach the fort. Though the fort itself is dilapidated, the view
from its ramparts is excellent. The main fort gate is the starting point of
some enticing walks into the Aravali mountain range. Around three km from
Samode, en-route to the main Jaipur-Agra road is Samode Bagh, a large formal
garden that is being restored and is often used by film crews for shooting.
How to get there !
» By Air : The nearest airhead is Jaipur from where
flights can be taken for the other important cities of India. Major cities
that are connected with Jaipur by air are Delhi, Mumbai, and Udaipur.
» By Rail : Jaipur is the nearest railhead that
links Samode with the other parts of the country. There are several good
trains that connect Jaipur with Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta.
» By Road : The distance from Jaipur to Samode is 42
kilometers. From Jaipur one can drive out on the highway to Bikaner. Samode
can be reached after taking a left turn from a village called Chomu. The
Samode Palace is only about 10 km from this village. Samode is connected to
the other places in Rajasthan through state transport corporation buses.
