Jaigarh Fort

Jaigarh continues to undergo extensive conservation, with Vijaygarhi as the latest focus.

Once used as an armoury, Vijaygarhi has long been an important part of the fort and now houses The Sculpture Park, where visitors can engage with works by contemporary artists. As part of the restoration, the front panel has been lime plastered, with old layers removed and replaced to bring it closer to its original form. New signboards are also being added to help visitors navigate the space.

This work is part of a broader conservation initiative at Jaigarh, ensuring the fort’s historic structures are safeguarded for the future.

Laxmi Vilas at Jaigarh takes its name from Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity, reflecting the splendour of the Maharaja’s palace.

Set around a large courtyard measuring 56 by 37 metres, it opens into a columned hall with twin fluted marble columns. Opposite the hall is an enclosed pavilion, once used for cultural performances, while the courtyard hosted ceremonial gatherings. The hall also functioned as a royal drawing room, and to the north lies a Turkish bath complex with marble-lined chambers.

A space layered with detail, there is much here for a visitor to notice.

Kal Bhairav is an important deity at Jaigarh, long regarded as the guardian of the fort. Within this temple, the Ala-gila, a traditional Indian wall painting technique, adds a distinct depth to the space.

The Mandir uses this technique where natural pigments are applied onto freshly laid lime plaster and worked into the surface by local craftsmen. The walls are then polished to a marble-like sheen, sometimes with touches of gold leaf, so the colour becomes part of the wall itself rather than sitting on top of it. Behind the idol, a motif-based painting continues this tradition, with floral and geometric patterns bringing rhythm to the inner shrine.

It is this attention to craft and detail that makes Jaigarh’s sacred spaces just as significant as the rest of its architecture.