Deeg
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Deeg is a historical town and a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in
Bharatpur district Bharatpur District is a district in Rajasthan States and territories of India, state in western India. The town of Bharatpur, India, Bharatpur is the District Headquarters, Division Headquarters and Headquarters of Bharatpur, India, Bharatpur ...
in the state of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
, India. It is situated north of Bharatpur and northwest of
Agra Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is ...
. In Hindu mythology, Deeg was situated along the ''
parikrama Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indic religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only to the path along ...
'' path of
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, which started at
Goverdhan Govardhan also called Giriraj, is a key pilgrimage centre in India and a municipal town; a nagar panchayat; seat of a MLA Member of Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh; a Tehsil, in Mathura district in the India in state of Uttar Pradesh. ...
, from Deeg. Some people identify it as the ancient town of "Dirgha" or "Dirghapur" mentioned in the epic ''
Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest ''Puranas#Mahapuranas, Mukyapurana'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Kaumaram, Kaumara literature, titled after Kartikeya ...
''. Deeg was the first capital of the Sinsinwar Hindu
Jat The Jat people ((), ()) are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and su ...
state of Bharatpur, when Maharaja
Badan Singh Badan Singh (Reign: 1722–21 May 1755) was the formal founder of the princely state of Bharatpur. He was nephew of Rao Churaman Singh. After the Churaman suicide (due to lose battel by Jai Singh II) on 22 September 1721 there were family ...
was proclaimed its ruler in 1722. In 1730,
Maharaja Suraj Mal Suraj Mal (13 February 1707 – 25 December 1763) was a Jat ruler of Bharatpur in present-day state of Rajasthan. Under him, the Jat rule covered the present-day districts of Agra, Aligarh, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Etawa, Hathras, Mainpuri, ...
built the strong fortress of Deeg. After
Suraj Mal Suraj Mal (13 February 1707 – 25 December 1763) was a Jat ruler of Bharatpur in present-day state of Rajasthan. Under him, the Jat rule covered the present-day districts of Agra, Aligarh, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Etawa, Hathras, Mainpuri, M ...
moved the capital to Bharatpur, Deeg became the second capital of the rulers of Bharatpur
princely state A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Raj, British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, ...
. It is known for its number of forts, palaces, gardens and fountains.


Deeg in films

Scenes of periodic love story Noorjehan(1967) were shoot in Deeg Palace Indian classical love story "
Mughal-e-Azam ''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
" has some shooting in Deeg Palace. Some scenes of ''Siddhartha'' (1972) Indo-American
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...
based on the 1922 novel of the same name by
Hermann Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', ''Steppenwolf (novel), Steppenwolf'', ''Siddhartha (novel), Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', ...
, shoot in deeg palace and
Keoladeo National Park Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park (formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) is a famous avifauna sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, that hosts thousands of birds, especially during the winter season. Over 350 ...
of Bharatpur


Geography

Deeg is located at . It has an average elevation of .


History

After acquiring the throne, Maharaja Badan Singh chose Deeg as the place for his stronghold and capital. Hence, he initiated the construction of the Deeg Palace here. Being the capital of the Jat rulers and located at a distance of just about 32 km from Bharatpur, his palace served as a summer mansion for the royal family. He became the founder of Jat House in Bharatpur and under his reign, the place gained immense prosperity and urbanisation. In fact, Surajmal, son of Badan Singh is often hailed as the hero of the Jat dynasty. Owing to its great location, architectural beauty and grandeur, the palace caught the attention of many dynasties and almost constantly under the threat from Mughals. Hence, in order to protect the stunning Deeg Palace against the attack from invader, Maharaja Suraj Mal ordered the construction of a mighty fortress around the palace. During 1804, both the
Battle of Deeg The Battle of Deeg, fought on 13 November 1804, took place outside Deeg, now in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, India. A force of the British East India Company led by Major General Fraser defeated a Maratha force under Yashwantrao Holkar a ...
and the
Siege of Deeg The siege of Deeg (11–24 December 1804) was a siege of the main fort at Deeg, now in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, India, then within the Bharatpur Kingdom. Forces of the British East India Company, led by General Lake, captured the fo ...
brought the British
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
into conflict with Bharatpur's Jat rulers and their Maratha allies for control of the area.


Architecture

The palace complex together with its water gardens was a summer retreat for the maharajas of Bharatpur. The layout comprises several palaces called bhawans, interwoven within series of charbaghs and water gardens. The major Bhawans are Gopal Bhawan, Divan I Khas or the Kishan Bhawan, Wrestling palace or Nand Bhawan, Keshav Bhawan, Hardev Bhawan, Suraj Bhawan and symmetrically arranged twin pavilions of Sawan & Bhadon. "Deeg and Delhi were at that time the center of equal beauty and trade, Deeg was the first class among the protected places of fortifications of India."


Demographics

India
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Deeg had a population of 44,999. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Deeg has an average literacy rate of 75.61%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 85.73% and, female literacy is 64.23%. In Deeg, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age. Sex ratio of Deeg is 886


Attractions & Festivals

*
Deeg Palace Deeg Palace is a palace 32 km from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India built in 1772 as a luxurious summer resort for the rulers of Bharatpur State. The palace was in active use till the early 1970s. Deeg palace is the only palace of Hindu styl ...
with its 900 fountains, which operate twice a year during Braj Holi festival in February/ March and the '' Avamasaya'' festival in September. There is a Jawahar exhibition fair is held every year around September. The Deeg Palace museum is closed on Fridays. *
Deeg fort Deeg is a historical town and a municipality in Bharatpur district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated north of Bharatpur, Rajasthan, Bharatpur and northwest of Agra. In Hindu mythology, Deeg was situated along the ''parikrama'' ...
is known for its security and force. The Deeg fort is designed as a square and stands on a slightly elevated ground. Its walls are made of rubble and mud and are strengthened with twelve imposing towers, which are the most impressive features of the Deeg fort. The largest tower is known as Lakha-Burj that is located in the North West corner. These towers were fixed with cannons to hunt down any advancing enemy. The entire Deeg fort is surrounded by a shallow wide moat to which access is possible through a bridge on the northern side linked with the only gate. The gateway to the fort is confined with anti elephant strikes. A partially ruined palace or haveli is the principal building of Deeg fort. Some parts of the palace have been re-constructed in the 20th century almost like the original. The palace has a court covered by compartments. The use of red sandstones and pointed arch of the palace is remarkable. The other significant structures of the fort include certain underground chambers, the tomb of Muhammad Shafi, a Mughal Mir-bakshi.


References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Bharatpur district History of Bharatpur, Rajasthan