Dungarpur is one of the important city of the Vagad region in Rajasthan. Dungarpur is built around the immense Gaibsagar Lake and surrounded by lolling hills on three sides. The word Dungar means hills in the common language and hence the Dungarpur means the city of hills. It has an interesting topography, ranging from the wild and rugged terrain in the north east to the fertile plains of the alluvial soil in the south west. This region was also the stronghold of the Bhils.

The tourist attractions in Dungarpur are the Udai Bilas Palace and Juna Palace. Udai Bilas Palace is a good example of the Rajput architecture with its intricately sculptured pillars and panels, impressive balconies, bracketed windows and marvelous panels. The Udai Bilas Place was built in the mid-19th century by Maharawal Udai Singh-II, by the bluish-grey sandstone. The Udai Bilas Palace has been now converted into a heritage hotel and still under the control of the royal family of Dungarpur and a royal residence. Juna Mahal is a seven storeyed structure, resembling a fortress with crenellated walls, turrets, narrow entrances and corridors. The interiors are embellished with beautiful frescoes, miniature paintings, glass and mirror work. Another interesting palace to visit is the famous shrine dedicated to the Shrinathji that lies on the banks of the Gaib Sagar lake. Various lakes and forests in Dungarpur attract a large variety of migratory birds during the winters.

Fair and Festival of Dungarpur

One of the major fair which is held in Dungarpur is the Baneshwar Fair. The Baneshwar fair is held in the month of February at Baneshwar, a small delta formed by the river Soma and Mahi, about 50 km from Dungarpur. This fair is one of the biggest and most important fair of the Bhils. 'Baneshwar' means the ‘master of the delta’ and is derived from the Shiva Linga kept in the Mahadev temple in Dungarpur. This is a religious fair with simple and traditional rituals. The tribal folks of Bhils gather here from the neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and offer prayers to Lord Shiva.