Dungarpur, popularly known as the city of hills is situated about 110 kilometers south of Udaipur. It was established in the 13th century. Dungarpur is famous for its palaces painted with beautiful frescoes. It houses such marvels of Rajasthani architecture like the Deo Somnath temple, and the well maintained Rajmata Devendra Kanwar Museum. Dungarpur also has a splendid lake by the name of Gaib Sagar Lake. The most brilliant piece of architecture that gives Dungarpur its fame is the famous Juna Mahal.

The Juna Mahal is a seven storied palace built of pristine white marble and is popularly known as the 'Old Palace'. Inspite of being a palace it resembles a fort more than a palace. When few members of the Mewar dynasty split from their family, they decided to shift their bases.. The new kingdom of Dungarpur was thus founded in the 13th century AD. The palace that was built as the residence of the royal family came to be known as the Juna Mahal. The walls of the exterior are well equipped with armaments, reminding us of the grand days of Rajput glory. The exterior also has turrets and narrow passages which are wide enough for a single person to pass through. All these structures indicate towards the frequent battles that the royal families engaged in those days. These were protective measures to combat the invading enemies. The narrow passages, crenelated walls and turrets were meant to slow down the progress of the enemies.

The interior of the Juna Mahal Palace has splendid frescoes painted on them. The Juna Mahal is also a storehouse of mirror work and glass inlays. Several miniature paintings also adorn the walls of the Juna mahal. It was said that the Maharaja of Dungarpur had about 50 scenes from the Kamasutra painted on the walls of a closet in his private suite. The rest of the walls are painted with frescoes dealing with the history of Dungarpur and the portraits of the erstwhile princes.

As the Juna mahal is being protected by the Aravalli hills, the frescoes did not suffer much in the hands of the invaders. But unfortunately guests staying at the Udai Vilas are only allowed within the Juna Mahal.

How to reach Juna Mahal: By Air : Nearest airport is Udaipur (110 km). By Road: Dungarpur is approachable by road from Udaipur (110 km). By Train : Nearest railway station is in Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) (80 kms) connected with all the major cities of the country. Cheapflightstorajasthan.com wishes you a happy and safe journey to Dungarpur.