Patiala: Discover Palaces, Gardens and Culture

Patiala brings together palace architecture, historic gardens, religious sites and a distinctive musical tradition. If you are looking for a hotel in Patiala, you can plan your trip around the subjects that interest you most, such as courtly history and art, gardens, spiritual traditions or local food.

Palace History and Art at Moti Bagh

Construction of Moti Bagh Palace began during the reign of Maharaja Narinder Singh and was completed under Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the early 20th century. Sheesh Mahal was built behind the main palace as a pleasure palace. Its mirror-decorated rooms feature paintings in the Kangra and Rajasthani Qalam styles, depicting poetic themes by Keshav, Surdas and Bihari.

Sheesh Mahal houses a museum, an art gallery, a medal gallery and the North Zone Cultural Centre. The Sheesh Mahal Museum is said to hold a collection of around 3,200 orders, medals and awards collected by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh from various parts of the world. The Old Moti Bagh Palace serves a different purpose today: it houses the National Institute for Sports.

The architecture of Moti Bagh Palace is also noteworthy: its façade features elements in the Rajasthan style, including jharokhas and chhatris. The palace is set in a garden with terraces and water channels, as well as a Sheesh Mahal. These architectural forms and the art in Sheesh Mahal offer distinct, tangible facets of the palace’s history.

Gardens, Buildings and Nature

Baradari Gardens surround Baradari Palace in the north of Patiala’s old city, just outside Sheranwala Gate. Their features include rare trees and shrubs, colonial buildings, a marble sculpture of Maharaja Rajindera Singh and the Fern House. This 19th-century building is a replica of the Fern House in Calcutta and, together with Rink Hall, forms a distinctive attraction.

Parts of the grounds at Bir Moti Bagh are home to a zoo and a wildlife park. In addition to its palaces and landscaped gardens, Patiala therefore offers nature and wildlife as a distinct area of interest.

Fort and Religious Traditions

Qila Bahadurgarh was originally known as Saifabad. Maharaja Amar Singh renamed the fort Bahadurgarh and strengthened and renovated it. The present-day fort dates back to Maharaja Karam Singh. These two historical details can be understood as distinct stages in its history during a visit.

The Kali Temple complex attracts Hindu and Sikh devotees from faraway places. At its centre is the much older temple of Raj Rajeshwari. At Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, the origins of the land are part of the site’s history: the building was erected on land donated by villagers from Lehal. According to tradition, Guru Tegh Bahadur is said to have visited the site. A local legend says that anyone who prays there will be freed from their suffering; this is recounted as a legend.

Music, Crafts and Local Cuisine

The Patiala Gharana is a distinctive style of North Indian classical Hindustani music. Its characteristic features include rhythmic complexity, pentatonic ragas and energetic taans. For music enthusiasts, it offers a specific cultural connection that goes beyond the architectural history of the palaces.

Patialvi handicrafts are also part of the destination’s cultural character. The embroidery techniques Gota, Kinari, Zari and Sitara are used for waist cords and parandas. Patiala’s local cuisine includes Aloo Tikki and Jalebi, sold by street vendors. Together, crafts and food add further aspects of everyday life and design to the historical and musical themes.

Planning Your Trip

Patiala railway station (PTA) is listed as the nearest railway station to Patiala. When looking for a hotel in Patiala, it may help to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: palace and garden architecture, religious sites, music, crafts or local cuisine. This lets you plan your stay around your interests and focus on the different sides of Patiala.

Discover more destinations: Patiala, Ranbirpura, Rajpura, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Barnala, Kapurthala.

See the broader travel overview: Punjab.