changeadminThe title of the article is not clickbait, but a loose translation of the name given to one of the most beautiful gardens in India.
The name of the Garden to which we are referring here is in Hindi, Saheliyon Ki Bari – The word Saheli refers to friends or more specifically to girlfriends, while Bari is a Garden. Thus if we do an English translation, it will be called Garden for Girl Friends or Garden of Maidens.
We will stick to the Hindi name, Saheliyon Ki Bari.
The impressive Saheliyon Ki Bari garden is located in Udaipur, the City of Lakes, a majestic city in the Western state of Rajasthan.
Apart from the beautiful lakes, Udaipur is also known for its architectural marvels like the iconic City Palace, Fatehsagar Lake, Lake Pichola, and the majestic Jagmandir Palace.
To add to the city’s splendor, many gardens adorn the landscape, like Ekling Garden, Moti Mahal Garden, Jagdish Temple Garden, Jagmandir Garden, and Saheliyon Ki Bari.
What makes Saheliyon Ki Bari, a special garden in the city of Udaipur, is not its name, but its historical significance, cultural importance, and architectural brilliance.
This splendid garden was laid out between 1710 and 1734, very close to the Fatehsagar Lake by a former ruler of this region, Maharana Sangram Singh II. The purpose of the garden was for the entertainment of the Queen and her entourage of maids or friends, probably that is why Saheliyon Ki Bari’s name was given.
Spread over 6 acres, this rectangle-shaped garden is divided into different segments with green lawns, flower beds, lotus pools, and five fountains that attract anyone’s attention.
The five water fountains with their unique name are Swagat Fountain, Sawan Bhado, Kamal Talai, Raasleela, and Bin Badal Barsaat. Not just the names, each of the fountains has interesting features.
Swagat Fountain (Welcome Fountain) is the first fountain as ones enter the garden. At the same time, Sawan Bhado (Moonsoon months in the Indian calendar) creates a rainfall season by sprinkling water high into the air from the nozzles embedded in the ground.
Fountain Kamal Talai (Lotus Pond) is built on an oval-shaped pool with four white marble elephant statues on its periphery in all four directions. The Elephants spout water through a jet located near their mouth.
The main fountain of Kamal Talai is located at the center of the pool and is adorned with flowers and four lions facing the elephants. If there is a message there, it is not very clear. Another interesting aspect of this fountain is its ability to increase its water force to the sounds of claps.
Bin Badal Barsat (Rain without clouds), true to its name, also gives an experience of rainfall throughout the year with nozzles embedded in the ground jetting out water into a square pool. An umbrella-shaped canopy built in the middle of the pool with a statue of a girl and four smaller canopies on the pool corners gives this fountain a grand appearance.
If you are a Hindi movie buff, you would have seen this fountain featured in the first 2 minutes of the Hindi song ‘Tumsa Koi Pyara’ from the 1994 movie, Khuddar. If not, we have included this song in our article, Hindi Songs featuring Gardens.
Fountains at Sahelion Ki Badi demonstrate their deft engineering and exquisite craftsmanship in the early 18th century. At the time when there was no electricity, the engineers were able to create these brilliant fountain systems.
The steady stream of water from these fountains provides a much-needed refreshment to visitors in the hot weather and keeps the surrounding plants green and healthy.
Lush green trees, palm trees, bougainvillea bushes, and many other flowering plants are spread across the garden. There is also a small garden for medicinal plants.
In one of the sections, murals of the traditional Rajasthani folk dance, Ghoomar have been designed. It is an integral part of the folk culture of Rajasthan and is often performed by ladies during festivals and celebrations. The dance involves rapid spinning and twirling movements.
The murals give a glimpse of the bygone lifestyle where various folk dances were performed in the garden, with the green landscape and beautiful fountains as a backdrop.
Overall, Saheliyon Ki Bari is a unique and majestic garden to admire the majestic fountains amidst a natural landscape.
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