Danta town is situated at the foothills of Aravalli hill
range. The landscape of forest and hills, with huge boulders,
make a perfect setting for this town. The entire region
is populated by the Bhil tribe and has forests with diverse
flora and fauna.
The royal house of Danta was ruled by the Parnar Rajputs.
They arrived in Gujarat in the 12th century AD, from Nagarthatta
in Sindh and established their first capital at Chandravati,
which was later shifted to Tarsang in the Arasur hills.
Tarsang finds mention in Mughal history as the rebel Jahangir
was given shelter at Tarsang. About 350 year ago, the capital
was finally moved to Danta.
Prime Attractions
Palaces:
The two palaces are located at the lower end of the hill,
but higher than the town. The entire old royal palace campus
was fortified in the past housing several buildings within
it. The huge impressive gate leads one into the royal campus.
The old palace is clustered around a series of courtyards,
interconnected by a series of gates. The first court is
surrounded by a low height structure, originally acting
as an administrative block.
In the same court, the other interesting structure is the
family shrine of Goddess Ambaji built in the Rajput style
of architecture, inspired by the royal architecture of Rajasthan.
This four-storeyed structure has the shrine in one corner,
but instead of a temple-like structure, it resembles the
small Darbangadhs of Rajasthan.
The opaque and plain structure at the lower level becomes
more decorative at the top by the sensitive use of several
architectural elements like horizontal friezes, carved brackets,
delicately carved stone 'jalis', 'jharokhas', decorated
parapets and domes.
Bhavani Villa:
Another palace, Bhavani Villa, the present residence of
the royal family is located on a higher elevation than the
old palace. The palace is built at several levels on a hill
edge with a skyline of domes, offering a fantastic view
of the Aravalli hills. A part of the palace is being converted
into a heritage hotel and will be operational soon.The ex-ruler
of Danta is a great wildlife enthusiast and also runs a
stud farm of Marwadi horses.
How to Get There
Air:
Nearest airport is Ahmedabad (184 km)
Rail:
Nearest station is Palanpur (38 km) on Ahmedabad - Delhi
line
Road:
Ahmedabad (184 km)
