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B.L. Sharma's Traditional Art Gallery, about 150-200 m. from Sahelion-ki-Bari, Udaipur. 'Traditional' refers to the style of paintings that was prevalent in the region, depicting contemporary architecture, jewellery, hunting scenes, festivals, and court scenes. It did not include landscapes.
Baba (Bapa, Bappa, Bapu), (Hindi) father, an honorific applied to rulers in certain Rajput states.
Baba Diwan Shah Mosque, in the town of Kapasan about 40 km. northeast of Chittor. It has acquired special significance in Mewar: although it is a Muslim shrine, its keeper is a Hindu, traditionally symbolising the harmony between Hindus and Muslims. Hence, members of both communities visit it. The original name of the Sufi (Muslim holy man), Diwan Shah after whom the mosque is named, was Abdulkar. Born in the former state of Palanpur in Gujarat, he was renowned for his constructive work for the upgrade of both Hindus and Muslims. After he died (February 3, 1944) at Kapasan, this mosque was erected to his memory.
Babur, Emperor (b. Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad, February 15, 1482, principality of Farghana, Central Asia-d. December 26, 1530, Agra), founder of the Mughal Empire of North India (r. 1526-1530). In 1527, he defeated a Rajput confederacy led by Maharana SANGRAM SINGH I, who wanted to drive him out of India. See KHANWA, BATTLE OF.
Bada (Manak) Chowk, City Palace, Udaipur; a large landscaped courtyard of lawns, shrubs and fountains fronting the main entrance steps and doorway to the palace and museum. At the northern end, just inside the TRIPOLIA GATE is the HASTISHALA, the place where elephants were tethered for fighting. At the southern end is another gate, which leads to three more palaces, SHIV NIWAS and FATEH PRAKASH, now 5-star heritage hotels, and SHAMBHU NIWAS, the private residence of the present Maharana. Beyond Fateh Prakash are the SUNSET VIEW TERRACE, and the motor boat jetty for the LAKE PALACE. Today, the Maharana uses Badi Chowk as the venue for celebrating religious festivals, large formal dinners and other special events. By day it is a meeting place for the many tourists who visit the CITY PALACE.
Bada Island: see JAISAMAND LAKE.
Badal Mahal, Kumbhalgarh, a magnificent, lofty palace at the very top of the massive fort, 1,000 m. above sea level, built by Maharana FATEH SINGH (1884-1930). From here one has an overview of the rugged ARAVALLI HILLS and, to the west, the desert of MARWAR. Often referred to in guide books by the nickname of 'Cloud Palace' or 'Palace of the Clouds'.
Badal, 12-year-old cousin of Rani PADMINI and nephew of GORA; one of the legendary heroes of Chittor. See CHITTOR, 1ST SACK, also PADMINI.
Badan Singh. There were a couple of leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Jharol (Jhala), and Peeladhar (Sisodia).
badi, (Hindi) a garden or orchard.
Badi, a small village about 10 km. west of Udaipur.
Badi Chowk: see BADA CHOWK.
Badi Mahal (Garden Palace), City Palace, Udaipur; constructed by Maharana AMAR SINGH II (1698-1710), and is often called Amar Mahal or Amar Vilas. Although the palace appears to be on a top floor of the surrounding complex, it is actually built upon a hillock. Therefore the Badi Mahal is really at ground level, so to speak. It features a beautiful central garden with flowering shrubs, trees, ponds, fountains and arched pavilions, providing a quiet, shaded spot to rest during a tour of the City Palace. From the latticed windows there are magnificent views, of the city to the east, and Pichola Lake and a top perspective of the Lake Palace on the western side, providing a splendid eagle-eye aspect for avid photographers.
Badi Pol, the first gateway into the City Palace, Udaipur; at the southern (top) end of the bazaar known as JAGDISH CHOWK, a few hundred metres south of the JAGDISH TEMPLE. Maharana AMAR SINGH I (1597-1620) built it in 1619. Beyond this is a sloping area, on the right of which is a balcony where musicians used to beat drums eight times a day, or during the procession of the ruler. On the left is a series of ornate arches (toranas), where the Maharanas were weighed on their birthday, and portion of an equivalent weight of gold and silver was distributed to Brahmans for their services; the remainder was used to construct or maintain temples and reservoirs throughout the State. Beneath these toranas is the access to the Maharana Mewar Public School and the Maharana Mewar Special Library. Next is the City Palace's main gateway, the three-arched TRIPOLIA GATE, which leads to the large courtyard (BADA CHOWK) in front of the Palace. See also GATES (POLS) IN UDAIPUR.
Badi-ka-Talab (Badi Tank or Jiyan Sagar), a lake in the village of BADI built at a cost of Rs. 688,000 (Lakh 6,88,000) by Maharana RAJ SINGH I (1652-1680) to counteract the devastating effects of a famine. He named it Jiyan Sagar after his mother Jana Devi. The lake covers an area of 155 sq. km., and has an embankment 180 m. long and 18 m. wide, which is graced by three artistic chhatris (kiosks or pavilions). During the drought of 1973, the lake supplied water to the people of Udaipur. (At the time of writing, JAISAMAND LAKE supplies Udaipur's water.)
Badipal, a gateway and neighbouring barbecue area, on the shore of Pichola Lake immediately south of SHIV NIWAS PALACE. After extensive renovations, the area was renamed The Palace Promenade (February 11, 2000).
Badnore, a town near the border of Ajmer and Mewara, 60 km. northeast of Udaipur. The Thakurs of the Badnore estate are Mertia Rathores, descendants of Jodha who founded Jodhpur. Maharana LAKHA (1382-1421) established Badnore after he had re-annexed the area and destroyed the stronghold of Bairatgarh. Jodha's two sons, Duda and Bar Singh, were from the same mother and were given Merta as their jagir, hence the name, Mertias. One of Duda's sons, Ratan Singh, had a daughter, MIRA BAI, who married Crown Prince Bhojraj of Mewar, son of Maharana Sangram Singh I (Sanga). Duda's sons, Veeramdeo, Ratan Singh and Raimal all fought with Maharana Sanga of Mewar against Babur, who founded the Mughal Empire. Later, Rao Maldeo of Marwar took Merta from Jaimal, who migrated to Mewar and joined Maharana Udai Singh I. Udai gave him the jagir of Badnore and made him his leading noble. Jaimal laid down his life, fighting against Emperor Akbar in the third sack of Chittor. Jaimal's seventh descendant, Ramdas, was killed at the Battle of Haldighati. Around 1611, while Maharana AMAR SINGH I was regrouping his forces in the Aravalli Hills, Mughal Emperor Jahangir captured Badnore, along with other areas and Udaipur, in a desperate effort to crush Mewar resistance. In fierce retaliation, Amar Singh regained the area.
Genealogy: Jaimal; Mukand Das; Manmandas; Sanwal Das; Jaswant Singh; Jai Singh; Sultan Singh; Akshey Singh; Jait Singh; Pratap Singh; Kesri Singh; Govind Singh; Gopal Singh.
Badnore-ki-Haveli: see SETHJI-KI-HAVELI.
Badshah's Bhaksi, Chittorgarh; a high walled gaol-like enclosure on the left (eastern) side of the road that passes by Padmini's Palace near CHITRANG TANK. It is believed to have been where Maharana KUMBHA (1433-1468) kept MAHMUD SHAH, Sultan of Malwa prisoner for six months after defeating him in battle.
Badu House, Jodhpur, an HRH Group heritage hotel; a magnificent mansion built in the 1930s, now converted to a fifty-room hotel. For reservations see HRH GROUP RESERVATIONS.
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