Ramnagar Palace and Museum

About Ramnagar Palace

The road through the Kati Ghati gate leads up to Ramnagar Palace, maintained as a museum by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Archives, Madhya Pradesh. Although it is called a palace, the structure is in fact a hunting lodge and retreat, built by Maharaja Durjan Singh Bundela in AD 1698. The stone blocks in its walls are not consistent in size, shape or carving, which shows clearly that they were taken from older monuments and ruined structures nearby.

It stands with greenery on one side and the Mehjatiya Pool on the other, which makes it a popular picnic spot. The lake is artificial: Governor Bahjat Khan ordered its creation and it was first named Bahjat Khan Pond, the name later being distorted to Mehjatiya. It also has its own place in the town's history, as this is where Babur camped the night before he attacked the Chanderi fort on 28 January 1528.

In the museum and around it

The temple fragments and idols

On display are fragments from Hindu temples and idols of deities, with the temple remains ranging from the 9th to the 12th century. They were collected from villages that went under water after the Rani Lakshmibai Sagar was built, so the museum is effectively a rescue collection.

The sati stones

Some well preserved sati stones are among the strongest things in the collection. These belong mainly to the 16th to 18th centuries, a much later group than the temple remains beside them.

The Mehjatiya Pool

The artificial lake below the lodge was ordered by Governor Bahjat Khan and originally carried his name. Babur camped here on the night of 27 January 1528 before mounting his attack on the fort the next day.

Planning your visit

The approach is by the road through the Kati Ghati gate, which means the gateway and the palace are naturally seen together. Museum hours are set by the state department, so check before you travel.

• Confirm museum opening hours and entry fee locally.
• Come up through Kati Ghati and see the gate on the way.
• Allow extra time for the pool side, which is the picnic spot.
• Look closely at the walls for reused blocks from older buildings.

Best time to visit

October to March suits both the museum and the lakeside, and the greenery around the lodge is at its best after the rains have passed. Late afternoon is pleasant by the Mehjatiya Pool once the museum rooms have been seen.