Deeg Palace, Summer palace in Deeg, India

Deeg Palace is an 18th-century palace complex in Deeg, Rajasthan, built by Maharaja Badan Singh and expanded by his son Suraj Mal. Its central block has two storeys with rows of arched openings, a flat roof and a small domed pavilion; a rounded domed pavilion with a finial stands at the left end, and a lower arcaded wing adjoins another domed structure on the right. The reddish-brown stone and plaster walls rise directly from the water, and the complex includes the Gopal Bhavan, Suraj Bhavan and Keshav Bhavan pavilions, charbagh gardens and over 500 fountains fed by terracotta pipes from Gopal Sagar.

Raja Suraj Mal built the compound in 1772 as a fortified summer retreat after his kingdom gained power against the Mughals. The walls and moat served to protect the grounds from attack while offering a retreat during hot months.

During Holi, small cloth pouches of organic colour were placed into holes in the reservoir wall; water carried the dye through the pipelines so the fountains spouted coloured jets. Hundreds of metal balls set on a channel around the roof roll under water pressure, producing a thunder-like rumble. The Maharaja's bedroom holds a large black granite bed, once used as a platform for washing the dead in Parsi rites.

The grounds are open daily except Fridays, usually from morning until late afternoon. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the paths between pavilions and gardens can be long.

The Keshav Bhawan pavilion hides water channels inside its walls that could feed fountains on demand without visible pipes. This technique from the 18th century used gravity and clever construction to create cooling water displays during monsoon season.