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Sukh Mahal

palace in Bundi, Rajasthan, India

Architectural plans, a scale model, maps and brass measuring instruments
Places and architectureInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionJul 30, 2026
Entity authorityQ126415667
Source-derived summary

Sukh Mahal, also known as Sukh Niwas Mahal, is a historic palace located in Bundi, a district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The palace is often associated with Rudyard Kipling, who is believed to have drawn inspiration from its beauty for his famous work, "Kim (novel)".

History

Sukh Mahal, translating to "Palace of Pleasure", was built during the reign of Rao Raja Vishnu Singh in the early 18th century, under the supervision of his Diwan and architect Sukhram in 1776 A.D. The palace served as a summer retreat for the rulers of Bundi. Over the years, it has also been a place of residence for visiting dignitaries and guests of the royal family.

Architecture

The architecture of Sukh Mahal is a blend of Mughal and Rajput styles. The palace is built with white marble and features carved pillars, chhatris, and ornate ceilings.

Sukh Mahal is located on the banks of Jait Sagar Lake. The lake plays a crucial role in its cooling system. The palace is designed to allow the cool breeze from the lake to circulate through its corridors, making it an ideal summer residence.

The Rudyard Kipling connection

Sukh Mahal holds a special place in literary history due to its association with the British author Rudyard Kipling.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Sukh Mahal” as palace in Bundi, Rajasthan, India. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Sukh, Mahal and palace.

Editorial reviewA valuable geographic starting point for tracing changing names, boundaries, uses and administrative responsibility. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1776—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Sukh, Mahal and palace providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Sukh Mahal”, the useful work is to connect “palace in Bundi, Rajasthan, India” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q126415667. Authority coordinates are 25.453, 75.642. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1776.

Critical limits

Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.

Best used for
  • Historic place names
  • Jurisdictional context
  • Routes into maps and plans
Verify next

Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Sukh Mahal”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Sukh Mahal primary sources, Sukh Mahal archive and Sukh research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Sukh Mahal”?
  2. Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
  3. Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Subject index

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Sukh Mahal” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.