FACTS & FIGURES

Languages : Hindi and English
Best time to visit : October to March
STD Code : 0141 (Jaipur)

LOCATION
Samode is situated in the royal Indian state of Rajasthan around 42 km from Jaipur, the capital city. Located on way to Shekhawati, this small village is famous for its haveli and fort. Samode is connected to Jaipur through a good network of roads.

CLIMATE
Like most other places in north India, Samode too has an extreme climate. The summers can be very hot with the mercury shooting up to 45°C, whereas winters are chilly and the temperature can dip down to 5°C. The best time to go to Samode is the period between October and March.

PAST
Unlike the other havelis of Rajasthan, the Samode Palace does not belong to any royal family but a family of noblemen, the Rawals of Samode. It is about four hundred years old, and has some new additions and modifications. This family traces its descent to Prithvi Singh of Amber (1503-1528), the seventeenth prince of the house of Kachwaha Rajputs, who in turn trace their descent to Lord Rama. Gopal Singh, one of the 12 sons of Prithvi Singh, was given Samode, which owed loyalty to the rulers of Amber and Jaipur. These noblemen of Samode were bestowed the title of 'Maha Rawal', in place of just 'Rawal' by the royal family for their bravery and loyalty towards the royal family.

SITES TO VISIT
The Samode Palace, now a heritage hotel, is built in the characteristic pattern of an open courtyard with rooms leading off the arched corridor that runs along all the four sides of the building. The Sultan Mahal is on the first floor-an exquisite room with a marble pillared verandah. It has the famous Jaipur blue tile decorations. Every inch of the ceiling and the walls are covered with floral, paisley and geometric motifs painted in vegetable colors. It is called Sultan Mahal after the craftsman, who painstakingly created it. Old and heavy carved silver furniture brought from Nepal by the grandmother of the present Rawal gleam dully in sunlight even today. To the left of the main haveli is the Durbar Hall, which was built about a hundred years ago. Again it is painted with ornate floral motifs and colored delicately with vegetable pigments, which still have a special glow of their own.

A hall of mirrors, which is a must for any palace of consequence, is also to be found in Samode. Large and tiny fragments of polished mirror are set into the plasterwork and reflect a thousand images of the person entering the room. At night a single candle flame can create the effect of a thousand stars. The people of the desert love mirrors because the cool polished surface reminds them of water. Paintings reminiscent of the miniature style depict warriors, scenes of shikar (hunting), birds and beasts and fish-eyed maidens frolicking with Lord Krishna.

On a hill immediately above the palace is the Samode Fort, the family's former residence accessible in times of trouble by an underground passageway. The original stone zigzag path has been replaced by 300 steps, which have to be climbed to reach the fort. Though the fort itself is dilapidated, the view from its ramparts is excellent. The main fort gate is the starting point of some enticing walks into the Aravali mountain range. Around three km from Samode, en-route to the main Jaipur-Agra road is Samode Bagh, a large formal garden that is being restored and is often used by film crews for shooting.

SITES NEARBY
Shekhawati is about two and half hours away from Samode. This small village is quite famous for its havelis with murals and wall paintings. This place is also called the living art gallery of the world by many experts.

Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. There are palaces, forts, museums, and observatories throughout the city.

WHAT TO DO
During the day, a camel ride through the Samode village and the surrounding countryside is a good idea. Riding this gentle animal with its rocking gait is the best way to relax on a sunny morning.

A real visit to Samode cannot be considered complete without a musical evening of folk dances and songs. Rajasthani bards and musicians with their colourful dresses and unusual musical instruments provide one of the best evenings one can have in India. The instruments include one-stringed fiddles, country violins, bagpipes made out of goatskin, castanets, Jew's harps, and even a one stringed instrument made out of a dried gourd. The villagers sing with plaintive abandon under the faint light of the crystal stars. A musical evening can be arranged at a short notice at the Samode Palace.

WHERE TO STAY
Samode has good accommodation options available in the upper budget range including a heritage hotel. Luxurious tented accommodation is also available in Samode.

HOW TO REACH
By Air: The nearest airhead is Jaipur from where flights can be taken for the other important cities of India. Major cities that are connected with Jaipur by air are Delhi, Mumbai, and Udaipur.

By Rail: Jaipur is the nearest railhead that links Samode with the other parts of the country. There are several good trains that connect Jaipur with Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta.

By Road: The distance from Jaipur to Samode is 42 kilometers. From Jaipur one can drive out on the highway to Bikaner. Samode can be reached after taking a left turn from a village called Chomu. The Samode Palace is only about 10 km from this village. Samode is connected to the other places in Rajasthan through state transport corporation buses.