Built to be a pleasure palace for the royal family in 1799, Jal Mahal Palace (translated as Water Palace) of Jaipur is an extremely romantic place with its red sandstone intricate architecture casting beautiful reflections in the calm waters of the Man Sagar Lake, full of hyacinths. Surrounded by Nahargarh Hills, Jal Mahal is known for its majestic architecture and sophisticated design.It was once used for the royal duck shooting parties. It has also been home to one of the prime ministers of Jaipur estate. Though abandoned, it is very well-preserved and provides a picturesque view from Nahargarh Fort. Set opposite the cenotaphs of the royal family, the first four floors of Jal Mahal is under water and only the top floor is above the water level. The lake eco system is a favorite home of a number of migratory and resident birds. The Mansagar Dam is situated on the eastern side of the lake and provides a good vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley.
One such place is Jal Mahal, located where Amber ends and Jaipur starts. It has been lying disused for many years, the water around it in the Man Sagar lake stinking terribly - a major reason why visitors and locals stayed away from this otherwise splendid monument.

But lately the fortunes of Jal Mahal have been changing. A privately owned company, Jal Mahal Resorts, has taken the whole area of the lake (310 acres) and around it (totalling 432 acres) on a 99-year lease from the government of Rajasthan.

The deal is to create a fully integrated tourism destination with the Jal Mahal and the Man Sagar lake being the nodal points. The 310 acres of the lake and the Jal Mahal cannot be used for any commercial purposes but a 100-acre stretch, on the outer side of this complex, will be used to generate revenue for the company.

The idea is to "create a tourism hub, a destination in itself, using Jal Mahal as a bait", says Rajeev Lunkad, project director at Jal Mahal Resorts.

The complete project will cost over Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion), says N R Kothari, chairman of KGK Enterprises, which is the parent company of Jal Mahal Resorts. "It should take at least 5-6 years for a project of this scale to break even," adds Kothari.

The project, which has been operational for the past few years, has started to show some results now. Jal Mahal Resorts has a team of experienced professionals from across the globe to work on various aspects of the project.