Overview
The memorial site was built as a garden complex and expanded by the Bhatti rulers of Rajasthan. Its first monument was set up in memory of Raja Jaitsi II, who ruled the kingdom in the early 16th century. It is said that during his reign, he built a tank (called Jait Sar) and a dam (called Jait Bandh) at this spot six kilometers from the city to create a lush oasis in the otherwise barren land. The dam was about 1,200 feet in length, 300 feet in width and 100 feet in height. Irrigational channels were laid to take the water from the reservoir to the land around it.
The Raja’s actions bore fruit, and soon the land was thriving with cultivation. Mangoes, date palms and other fruits grew aplenty. The green landscape lent the name Bada Bagh to the area. After his death, the efforts were continued by his successors and additions included a mango orchard and several stone cenotaphs. From there began the tradition of erecting monuments of stone in memory of the Rajputs who ruled over Jaisalmer until the 20th century.
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Equidistant from Jaisalmer and Lodhruva, Bada Bagh, literally meaning big garden, features a series of royal cenotaphs or chhatris of Jaisalmer Maharajas, including that of Jai Singh II (Maharaja Sawai Jai Sing). The first cenotaph in the region was built for Jai Singh II by his son, Lunkaran, in the 16th century. Jai Singh II was known for his contribution to making the city green. And to honor him, his son set up a memorial in the form of cenotaph near the dam and created a big park around it. All the cenotaphs here have a beautifully carved ceiling and elegant equestrian statues of rulers. The location of the garden is such that it offers incredible sunset vistas to tourists.
