A Surprise Guest at Moosi Maharani Ki Chhatri

Last weekend, me and my wife Aditi, were at Alwar. On Saturday afternoon, we dropped in at the City Palace (now the home of Collectorate, Court and other Govt offices) to meet the District Magistrate of Alwar, Ashutosh Pedankar. Ashutosh wasn’t in, so we decided to visit the Moosi Maharani Ki Chhatri, the imposing and exquisitely carved monument adjoining the erstwhile palace.

Located in the foothills of Aravali Range, the Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri is one of the most famous cenotaphs in Alwar. Vinay Singh built the structure in honour of the Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh and his queen Rani Moosi in 1815. The chhatri has unusual Bengali roof and arches. To gain the access to the cenotaph, we took the steps on the far left when facing the palace.

The cenotaph is built on a pillared red stone. It is a double-storeyed structure. The upper storey boasts a magnificent architecture of marble. The interiors of the structure are equally attractive as they boast intricate carvings. There is also a huge water tank, called Sagar, located opposite to the chhatri.

This artificial tank lined by a beautifully symmetrical chain of ghats with four pavilions on each side and two at each end, was built in 1815 A.D. by Maharaja Vinay Singh with few temples along its banks.

It was 6.00 pm and the light was fast fading. After seeing the Chhatri, we decided to go around the square tank before leaving the place. As we stepped down to the level of side alcoves, we saw at the left a huge barasinga deer sitting on an alcove. Clearly it was a stray deer that came from the hills at the back. It appeared fearless and composed, giving the required natural touch to the nearly 200-year-old monuments around. It seemed oblivious of the stray tourists, government babus leaving for home at the distance, children playing Cricket at the nearby ground, and honking of motorbikes and buses. Much like this old city that remained steeped in traditions and customs, despite the onslaught of the modern era.

Stay at a Palace at Rs 100 a Day

That is if you have a government job. Otherwise it would be Rs 300. But considering that you would bstaying at a palace built in 1875, with all the period furniture around and the tennis court size rooms with 30 feet high vaulted ceilings, even this amount appears measly.

The city is Alwar. A beautiful getaway, steeped in Mughal and Rajput history, just 150 km away from Delhi. And it’s not a hotel we are talking about, but the Circuit House. The Maharaja of Alwar’s State Guest House till 1947, the Circuit House is about 4 km away from the Alwar Railway Station, situated near Hotel Meenal of RTDC. The huge, well-maintained two-storied palace has 12 rooms (or suites) for guests, in the midst of a forest-garden spread over 15 acres.

Every room has AC, TV, huge queen beds, boudoir, and period furniture thrown in. There are more than 100-year old teakwood furniture even in the dining room, with a 16-sitter ‘legless’ dining table in the middle. The wide balcony at the first floor level will not just give you a green view of the well-manicured lawn in front, but also a beautiful sunrise with chirping of birds, and a look at the secret passages and alleys and anterooms at the corners.

While you seep in the ambiance and start feeling rejuvenated, the old cook Hiralal will whip up a fluffy Omelette, fine Darjeeling tea, and toast and milk-cornflakes breakfast. Then have a walk in the forest around, where deer and Nilgais will cross your ways, and scores of peacocks will stare at you from the tree-tops and the alleys.If I go to Alwar again, I will stay nowhere else but the Circuit House, I have already threatened Chouhan, the Chief Caretaker of the Circuit House, Alwar.