A 35km bus-ride north of Bharatpur, sleepy Deeg is dominated by the elegant palace of Suraj Mal (Deeg Bhawans; ₹300; closed Fri), the 18th-century ruler of Bharatpur, who overran the garrison at Agra and even marched on Delhi in the 1760s.
Bookended by the vast Gopal Sagar and Rup Sagar tanks, this beautifully proportioned palace is surrounded by formal gardens, fountains and trees full of roosting fruit bats. Behind, Deeg Fort (show your passport to enter) offers great views from its canon-topped bastions.
Overlooking Gopal Sagar, the 18th-century Gopal Bhavan was built in a mixture of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles, and contains the royal family's lounge – full of faded furniture, wildlife trophies, and mechanically operated punkahs (fans). Upstairs is a remarkable oval marble dining table, set just 20cm off the ground.
The marble arch in front of the Gopal Bhavan once held the royal swing of Nur Jahan, wife of Jehangir, seized during Suraj Mal's raid on Delhi. To the south are the elegant, black-and-white-marble Suraj Bhavan, and the triple-winged Hardev Bhavan building, once reserved for the royal zenana (harem).
Moving anti-clockwise around the gardens, you'll reach the Kishan Bhavan, with more faded heirlooms, and the curious Keshav Bhavan (Monsoon Pavilion), with an ingenious mechanism that used jets of water and rolling stone balls to imitate the rain and thunder of the monsoon. On the north side of the compound, the Nand Bhavan features some impressive murals on its supporting columns.
Pick up a map and brochure at the entrance; photography is not permitted in some of the bhavans (buildings).
Deeg is an easy day trip from Bharatpur or Alwar by car. All the roads to Deeg are rough and the buses crowded. Frequent buses run to and from Alwar (2½ hours) and Bharatpur (one hour).
