Jagat, a village 58 km. from Udaipur on the road to Jaisamand Lake. Location of the famous AMBIKA MATA TEMPLE.

Jagat (Ambika Mata) Temple: see AMBIKA MATA TEMPLE.

Jagat Singh. Apart from Maharanas Jagat Singh I and II, there were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Daulat-gadh (Choondawat); Kanor (Choondawat); Karjali (Ranawat); Shahpura (Sisodia), and Singoli (Poorawat).

Jagat Singh I, Maharana, fifty-seventh ruler of Mewar (r. 1628-1652); succeeded Maharana KARAN SINGH II; ruled for twenty-four years from Udaipur. During the early years of Jagat's reign, Mewar continued to defend themselves against Mughal invasions, Mughal emperor AURANGZEB even entering Udaipur (see JAGDISH TEMPLE), which was actually his second 'visit' to the city (see KARAN SINGH II, MAHARANA). When Aurangzeb finally pursued conquests elsewhere in India, the Mughals ceased their attacks upon Mewar. Tranquillity and prosperity continued for the remaining period of Jagat's reign. He, too, was a builder and a great architect. He completed JAG MANDIR, begun by his father, Karan Singh, making several additions to it and giving it his name. He began restorations at Chittorgarh; made further additions to the already sprawling City Palace; and, in 1651, built the imposing Jagdish Temple about 300 m. north of the City Palace's main entrance, the TRIPOLIA GATE. The MOHAN MANDIR was also one of his achievements.

To his everlasting credit, Jagat Singh was a dedicated patron of the Arts and preserver of the dynasty's heritage. Maharana KUMBHA (1433-1468) also possessed such qualities, plus a service of community enrichment that would be pursued by later Maharanas of Mewar, most notably SAJJAN SINGH (1874-1884), BHAGWAT SINGH (1955-1984) and his son and successor, ARVIND SINGH. One notable instance: Jagat encouraged the now famous Rajput school of painting in the form of intricate miniatures. Artists used a single hair from the throat or tail of a squirrel to execute the detailed work of these exquisite paintings. An intelligent, generous and dignified man, Jagat Singh was highly respected by his subjects. The BRITISH also greatly admired him as a reliable and accessible leader. They had been trading with India since the turn of the century as the East India Company, and were now beginning to take more than a subtle interest in the subcontinent's political affairs. Jagat's sons were Crown Prince Raj Singh and Kunwar Ari Singh, the latter having an estate (jagir) at TIROLI. In 1652, with Mewar enjoying its repast of peaceful renaissance, Jagat Singh died. His son, Crown Prince RAJ SINGH, succeeded him.

Jagat Singh II, Maharana (b. September 17, 1709─d. June 5, 1751), sixtieth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1734-1751); son and successor, at age 25, of Maharana SANGRAM SINGH II, he ruled for seventeen years from Udaipur during the Maratha occupation of Mewar. Doing his utmost to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, Jagat Singh appeared almost unaware of the Maratha oppression. He pursued a lavish lifestyle befitting a royal head of state (but in more affluent times). He patronised the Arts, especially Mewari miniature painting, encouraging artists to gain recognition by adding their monogram to their works. He made considerable additions to the City Palace, built small villas throughout the valley, and spent a small fortune embellishing the island palace of JAG MANDIR, which had been started by his ancestor Maharana KARAN SINGH II (1620-1628) and finished by Karan's son, Maharana JAGAT SINGH I (1628-1652). However, Jagat Singh II surpassed this architectural triumph: his most notable achievement was the construction of JAG NIWAS ('niwas' or 'nivas' meaning 'abode'). It is now known as the LAKE PALACE (HOTEL), a vision in white marble covering the entire 1.5 hectares of another island in the middle of Lake Pichola. The foundation was laid on April 17, 1743, and it was completed January 20, 1746. Traditionally, he built Jag Niwas before he came to the throne. It is alleged that when he wanted to visit the island retreat with a group of friends, his father, Maharana Sangram Singh II declined him permission and told him to build his own pleasure palace. So, in a fit of pique, the Crown Prince built Jag Niwas on that very island. However, this is no more than a story, as it was built during his reign.

Baji Rao I, the Maratha Peshwa (self-styled king) captured Udaipur in 1736 (see also MARATHAS). Ongoing payments of tribute soon helped to destroy Mewar's economic base. The other contributing factor was the free spending of the Maharana himself. In 1739, the remnants of the Mughal Empire asked the Rajputs to help them in their struggle against the Maratha predators, and against another new marauder, Nadir Shah of Persia who had invaded Delhi. With the cruelty and perverse iconoclasm of Emperor AURANGZEB still in their minds, Jagat Singh and his Rajput allies firmly declined. Jagat Singh had a problem with his own heir, Pratap Singh who was a rather headstrong and obstinate prince. When Pratap, without his father's permission, gave the jagir of Lakhola to Deep Singh, younger son of Umaid Singh of Bundi, Jagat had Pratap arrested and thrown into the Palace prison, with the help of Jagat's brother, Maharaj NATH SINGH of BAGORE. Pratap Singh survived his disgrace and his father's displeasure: when Jagat Singh died in 1751 at the age of 42, Pratap succeeded his father. Maharana Jagat Singh has gone down in history as an ineffective ruler, a victim of circumstances far beyond his control.

Jagdish Chowk, City Palace Road, Udaipur; a picturesque and bustling short street that appears to have many local names: Jagdish Bazaar, City Palace Bazaar, and the colloquial name, Tourist Bazaar. It runs from the JAGDISH TEMPLE up to the BADI POL, the first entrance gateway to the CITY PALACE. Apart from a couple of small temples and the old municipal library, the narrow road is overburdened with dozens of small and colourful shops, enthusiastic sellers and their touts, noisy traffic congestion, the inevitable cows, and the occasional elephant. Products on sale range from Indian clothing, antiques, and tourist artefacts, to jewellery, local crafts, and paintings by local artists. They are relatively inexpensive; however, this bazaar being a favourite haunt of tourists, the wares do tend to cost more here than at similar bazaars throughout the city. (Signs warn visitors to be wary of persistent touts for the local shops and art studios; ever-hopeful motor rickshaw drivers and shoeshine boys should also be included.)

Jagdish Temple (Jadish Mandir, Jaggannath Temple), Udaipur; at the lower end of JAGDISH CHOWK about 300 m. north of Badi Pol, the first entrance to the City Palace. This imposing temple was built in 1651 during the reign of Maharana JAGAT SINGH I for the city's Vaishnav community (worshippers of VISHNU). It is dedicated to, and enshrines, in the central sanctum, a black stone image of Vishnu as Jaggannath, Lord of the World. A fine example of Indo-Aryan style, the temple was constructed according to directions given in the Shilpa-Shastra (a Science of Architecture detailing the construction of temples, palaces, and other buildings.) A flight of thirty-two steps in panchayatan style of architecture, and flanked by two colourfully caparisoned white marble elephants, rises to a height of 24 m. above the busy roadway. Carvings depicting people playing musical instruments, singing and dancing ornament a large porch just inside the main portal. The temple's exterior is made of veneered and dressed local stone. The walls are ornamented with delicate carvings that reflect the lifestyle of the 1500s, and which have been compared to those of Khajuraho.

Inscriptions. The sanctum itself has two inscriptions (the Jaggannath Prashasti) describing the history and genealogy of Mewar's rulers, from BAPPA RAWAL (734-753) to those of later times, and a scenario of the Battle of HALDIGHATI. It is dated 1652 (at the end of Maharana Jagat Singh I's reign) and is affixed in the temple on both sides of the passages near the sabhamandap. This prashasti is inscribed on black stone and contains 213 shlokas and a portion in prose. In the first part, it describes the achievements of the rulers of Mewar (Bappa Rawal to Sangram Singh I) and, in the section about later rulers, mentions that Maharana Jagat Singh ascended the throne in "1685, Baisakh (Vaisakh) Shukla 5" (however, the officially accepted date is 1628), and eulogises the gifts made by Jagat Singh, which include villages, gold and other precious materials. He built the temple of Jagannath (now known as Jagdish Temple), and also built the Mohan Mandir in Pichola Lake. The prashasti was composed by Krishna Bhatt Laxminath, and mentions the names of Banna and his son, Mukund, the two famous architects who built the temple.

Four smaller temples stand around the boundary of the main shrine and are dedicated to Ganesh, the elephant-headed god, Surya the Sun god, Amba (Ambika) the Mother Goddess, and Lord Shiva. A smaller temple dedicated to Krishna and his consort Radha is nearby. There is also a temple of Garuda facing the main entrance; it houses a bronze figure of the mythological half-man, half-eagle creature that transported Lord Vishnu. This huge brass icon is said to be the largest and heaviest in India. In the 17^th century, Jagdish Temple was the scene of a courageous attempt made by the poet Naroo Barath to defend the temple from the destructive hands of Aurangzeb. After the battle of Debari on January 4, 1680 between the Mughal army and the combined forces of Mewar and Marwar, all of central Mewar, including the capital Udaipur, was laid waste. Maharana RAJ SINGH I (1653-1680), hurrying back to defend his capital, camped with his army in the surrounding hills and began to harass the Mughal invaders by a series of ferocious attacks. Meanwhile, those citizens remaining within the city put up what resistance they could. The poet organised a small force to defend the temple. His courage and determination in the face of the enemy have gained him a place in Mewar's history. A monument to him, a small chhatri marking the place where he died, can be seen near the temple.

As Jagdish Temple is a Vishnu shrine, fixed times apply for darshan (worship), and during this time many devotees can be found singing and chanting hymns to the glory of the god. This 23.3-m. high edifice can be seen rising above its neighbouring roofs and is clearly visible from the Lake Palace. Today, however, this once-magnificent house of worship is all but hidden behind a conglomeration of tiny shops and dwellings, crude advertising billboards and an amazing patchwork of electricity wires of the narrow tourist bazaar that leads up to the palace.