Article : Of Bundelas and Mughals, Palace of Datia
A visit to Datia was originally not in my original itinerary. While chit-chatting with a small group of travellers at Man Mandir, they described this beautiful palace in Datia that they had just returned from.
So on my way to Orchha, about 75 kms away from Gwalior on the border of UP (Jhansi being only 25 kms away), I had my taxi stop at Datia and was glad I did that.
The main attraction of Datia town is the captivating Datia Palace, locally called Govind Mahal (or Govind Mandir) and popularly called the Jehangir Mahal (Palace). It is overlooking the Karna Sagar Lake.
Akbar captured Orchha in 1604 and deposed Raja Ram Chand, Bir Singh’s eldest
brother. It is said that Bir Singh, an errant chieftain himself, beheaded Abul Fazl
(Akbar’s vizier, confidant and general) and sent his head to Salim (a
young Jehangir). It is also alleged that this was done at the prompting of
Jehangir, who in his memoirs declared that it was Abul Fazl who had abused
Akbar’s mind so that he turned away his love for his son. I
could not verify through historical accounts how much of this is a fact. Anyway,
tormented at Fazl’s death and to challenge Bir Singh’s audacity, Akbar tried
to have Bir Singh captured. Bir Singh teamed up with Jehangir, who by then was
rebelling against his own father. Bir Singh and Jehangir apparently shared some
anxious moments before either of them ascended the throne.
Courtesy : Ghumakkar.com
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