Built atop a hillock is the majestic seven-storied fort that commands a view of the village below. On the banks of Vinodsagar, one of the lakes, is Jalmahal (used for residential purpose now), which affords a superb view of crystal waters, mirroring the myriad culture in its unfathomable depth.
Below the Jalmahal, is Grishma Niwas or the Summer House, overlooking a huge garden. In its midst is a step-well (baoli)-a rare ubiquity in this region, as step-wells are mostly found in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Constructed by Thakur Govind Singh in 1897, the square enclosure has steps leading right down on three sides and an eight-pillared balcony extends on the fourth side.
The entrance to the fort, called the Bada Darwaza, has two archaic temples on both sides. Inside, the stables were on either side and there was an ancient temple, which was constructed in 1584. Further ahead, were the prisons, with separate cells for incarceration of men and women.
The road that leads up to the fort or Garh is motorable. Looming large, the Garh seems a perfect blend of strength and beauty, bearing the indisputable mantle of pride. This mammoth bastion that could house an entire battalion still has over 130 rooms, which can be used.
The rugged, yet the delicately proportioned stories, belie the architectural skill of a genre where imagination remained the only source of esthetics. The quaint balconies and the countless domed jharokhas that previously offered ventilation now offer a peep into the Arcadian lives of a bygone era and the sublime past seems encapsulated in the ambience, even today.
Badnore has several temples-of which few require special mention-that could easily be a antiquarian's delight. Towards the west is an old temple (the date of its construction is unknown), dedicated to Vairat (Chamunda) Devi. In the heart of the village, near the fort, is an age-old Jain temple that has statues of 12 tirthankaras. From the inscriptions, it is evident that it was constructed in AD 1135. Just a kilometer away, is Kushala Mata's temple, which is believed to have been constructed by Maharana Kumbha of Mewar.
PLACES AROUND BADNORE
A mile away from Badnore, towards the west is Araam Bhawan (also called the Shooting Lodge), easily accessible by a metallic road. Situated among dense foliage, it was built for espying wild animals, without so much as disturbing them and also taking an easy aim from one of the many shooting boxes. The walls and the ceiling inside are embellished with patterns made from colored glass. A particular jharokha is adorned meticulously with miniscule pieces of glass of varied colors, giving it the appearance of meenakari work. The human figures on the sides are painted with natural colors.
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