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Ghanerao
GHANERAO ROYAL CASTLE, UDAIPUR
Footprints has marked the existence of life on earth, Castles are impression of royalty left behind. Ghanerao Royal Castle, Udaipur supercedes the beauty, charm and magnetism of other man made creations. The structure earns the benefit of being viewed live due to its huge historical inheritance.
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Ghanerao was founded in 1606 by Gopal Das Rathore, a brave Rajput warrior from the Mertia clan. It was formerly known as Ganora. It stands strategically at the threshold of one of the few passes in the Aravallis that connects Jodhpur and Udaipur. Thus, this small village acquires huge historical importance.
Folklore says that the clans Mewars and Marwars determined the boundaries of their two kingdoms with a saying "Aonla aonla Mewar, Baoliya baoliya Marwar" in the mid 15th century. Aonla is a shrub with bright yellow flowers that flourished in Mewar but was not spotted in Marwar. The baoliya, a robust thorny tree, on the other hand was common in Marwar but not found in Mewar. The Godwar region, of which Ghanerao forms a part, has plains covered with aonla.
In the 18th century, Marwar annexed Godwar. The Sisodias of Mewar petitioned the British overlords to evacuate the Marwar Rathores but instead the political instrument decided to redefine the frontiers. They left Godwar with the Rathores of Marwar. Mewar continued to demand Ghanerao back and kept Ghanerao's seat in the Mewar courts, albeit unoccupied. As a result, the Ghanerao rulers were the only Rajput royalty that had a hereditary seat among the premier nobles of both Houses of Mewar and Marwar.
THE ROYAL CUSTODIANS
Today, Thakur Sajjan Singh, a descendant of the feudal lords of Ghanerao, talks proudly of this honor, explaining that being Rathores, they owe allegiance to the Maharaja of Marwar but cannot forget their ties with Mewar and how they fulfilled their duty by protecting the fort of Kumbhalgarh. Ghanerao is nested in the midst of breathtaking natural habitat. The town, has a number of red sandstone havelis (houses with courtyards), with some old temples, baolis (step wells) and marble chhatris (cenotaphs) scattered about.
The town of Ghanerao is marked with the presence of the domineering Ghanerao Rawla (castle). It is a red sandstone castle built in 1627 that served as the home of the rulers. The avenue to the castle runs through the beautiful landscape of the village. The building emits the aura of typical Rajput architectural style flaunting intricately carved lattice friezes and marble jharokas. The place engulfs you in the nostalgia of resplendence.
The capturing feature of the castle is the marble pavilion in the central court, where the musicians used to perform. There are faded miniature paintings on the walls and obsolete elephant stables within the grounds. Some of the boundary walls are marked with cannon balls and acts as evidence to past wars and glory. Thakur Sajjan Singh has opened the campestral castle to paying guests. It harbors 16 rooms, which is known for its own special design and interiors. Attached with all are balconies, verandhas and terraces.
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