Samode's Royal family's history traces its descent to Prithvi Singh of Amber (1503-1528), the seventeenth prince of the house of Kachwaha Rajputs, who in turn trace their descent to Lord Rama. Gopal Singh, one of the 12 sons of Prithvi Singh, was given Samode, which owed loyalty to the rulers of Amber and Jaipur. These noblemen of Samode were bestowed the title of 'Maha Rawal', in place of just 'Rawal' by the royal family for their bravery and loyalty towards the royal family.

Samode is an hour’s drive from Jaipur The 400 years old palace has a wealth of frescoes, many of them depicting religious subjects. This palace is converted into a hotel, is a beautiful building built on three levels each with its own courtyard. The highlight of the building is absolutely brilliant Diwan-I-Khas, which is covered with original painting and mirror work, and is probably the finest example of its kind in the country.

Tourist Attractions in Samode

The Samode Palace, now a heritage hotel, is built in the characteristic pattern of an open courtyard with rooms leading off the arched corridor that runs along all the four sides of the building. The Sultan Mahal is on the first floor-an exquisite room with a marble pillared verandah. It has the famous Jaipur blue tile decorations. Every inch of the ceiling and the walls are covered with floral, paisley and geometric motifs painted in vegetable colors. It is called Sultan Mahal after the craftsman, who painstakingly created it. Old and heavy carved silver furniture brought from Nepal by the grandmother of the present Rawal gleam dully in sunlight even today. To the left of the main haveli is the Durbar Hall, which was built about a hundred years ago. Again it is painted with ornate floral motifs and colored delicately with vegetable pigments, which still have a special glow of their own.

A hall of mirrors, which is a must for any palace of consequence, is also to be found in Samode. Large and tiny fragments of polished mirror are set into the plasterwork and reflect a thousand images of the person entering the room. At night a single candle flame can create the effect of a thousand stars. The people of the desert love mirrors because the cool polished surface reminds them of water. Paintings reminiscent of the miniature style depict warriors, scenes of shikar (hunting), birds and beasts and fish-eyed maidens frolicking with Lord Krishna.

On a hill immediately above the palace is the Samode Fort, the family's former residence accessible in times of trouble by an underground passageway. The original stone zigzag path has been replaced by 300 steps, which have to be climbed to reach the fort. Though the fort itself is dilapidated, the view from its ramparts is excellent. The main fort gate is the starting point of some enticing walks into the Aravali mountain range. Around three km from Samode, en-route to the main Jaipur-Agra road is Samode Bagh, a large formal garden that is being restored and is often used by film crews for shooting.

Around the Clity of Samode

Shekhawati : is about two and half hours away from Samode. This small village is quite famous for its havelis with murals and wall paintings. This place is also called the living art gallery of the world by many experts.

Jaipur : Capital of Rajasthan and one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. There are palaces, forts, museums, and observatories throughout the city.