Raja Rani Mahal, Chanderi - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 2 km from Chanderi Bus Station, Raja Rani Mahal is an ancient palace located in the Inner Town or Andar Sheher of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent heritage places to visit as part of Chanderi holiday packages.

The sprawling Raja-Rani Mahal features two distinct buildings that are connected by colonnaded passages. The two palaces were built in different styles and are perhaps built on different periods, probably in the 15th century. Chanderi once had around 260 palaces, of which only 43 have managed to exist to date. The imposing Raja Mahal is a seven-storeyed structure and is one of the few remaining palaces that still grace the landscape of Chanderi. It is a beautiful structure constructed from grey and white sandstones and has elaborate carvings to display. The palace is truly a magnificent structure that has large courtyards, elegant stairways, beautifully carved pillars, and open pavilions on the terrace. The palace has an underground passage connecting it to another palace standing nearby.

The smaller palace is known as the Rani Mahal, which is quite different in architecture and style from the Raja Mahal. These two palaces together are known as the Rajmahal. Both the buildings would have been constructed in different periods. Rani Mahal appears to be earlier than Raja Mahal where the latter was probably constructed during the Khilji period in the 15th century CE. The upper portions of both the Raja and Rani Mahal, which are in the Bundela style, indicate that these structures were repaired and built upon in the 17th century when the Bundelas came to control the region. Now painstakingly restored by Intach, the palace houses the looms the NGO Chanderiyaan has set up for training the town's youngsters in weaving, block printing as well as tailoring.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free