Almost in the center of Pratapgarh, there is an ancient palace and nearby it is the old mansion of the Trawadi family. Nazarbang in front of the royal palace is another beautiful place, where once upon a time there was a huge vapika, a huge garden and a temple. There was a small pond near Nazar Bang. There was a battlefield between the palace and the pond, which still exists today. About 200 years ago, who could have predicted that one day this garden would be destroyed. But Talaiya will become a very grand and beautiful temple. On the occasion of consecration of Ramanji’s temple in Mandsaur, Gulabchandra came to Pratapgarh from Mandsaur to make the royal family his guest and make a humble request. In those days, the Maharaja of Pratapgarh usually lived in Devalia, or in the royal palace in the city. In those days, Maharawal Samant Singh used to reside in the city.
When Gulabchandraji came to the royal court with the invitation, Maharaj welcomed him with a smile and said in Mewari mixed Malvi dialect, its meaning is as follows… Maharaj – What temple do you build in Dasore? Made it here, Gulabchandra ji said – I can make it here also if the giver wishes this, I have the ingredients ready. The Maharaja was very happy, he called the ministers and ordered to give them the land immediately and where did they see the Trawadis, a temple was built between your house and my house and your house, after this conversation, Maharawal gave the land where the temple is built to the Trawadis. Gave it to. After giving a promise to Maharawat Samant Singh to build a temple at the place of pond in front of Nazar Bagh, Gulabchandra became engrossed in his work. Gulabchand ji came to Pratapgarh these days, many of his grain stores in Mandsaur were full, opium trade was at its full speed and the Tarwadi family was under the shadow of all four hands of Chaturbhuj. The times were such that there were neither good roads nor vehicle facilities; there were days of looting. They were returning to Mandsaur when they met two sadhus on the way. It can be said that they met God in the guise of a sadhu. The sadhu asked where the child was going.
Maharaj, the price of grains has increased, so I am going to another place and will send it. The sage again asked, “If the price of grains gets quadrupled, Maharaj, then what is there to ask, and if it increases 20 times, then where is such luck, Maharaj, and if it increases 100 times, then may the divine praises of yours flourish, whatever comes from above, all that.” I will donate it to charity. Gulabchand ji pledged to come to Mandsaur so that Munni Kumar and the brokers narrate the dialogues of the market. The prices of others are continuously increasing and there is a possibility of famine. Then a few days later news came that the government had declared famine. The price of grains has increased 50 times, there is an outcry among the public, so he has work and I am making arrangements for food, the price of paddy has increased 100 times. Gulabchand ji opened his stores and people started cheering. Hundreds of laborers and artisans started building the temple of Keshav Rai ji. Thousands of famine victims started getting help from others. Freed from the distress of others, craftsmen, painters, sculptors, artists started carving beautiful lines of deity images on stones and day by day the dream of a huge temple or Gulabchandra started taking shape. The statue of Shri Keshavrai ji was brought to Pratapgarh from Khilchipura in Mandsaur.
At that time, the temple which was used to welcome the statue of Maharawal Samant Singh was named the temple of Shri Keshav Rai. The temple was built, it has two meanings, one is Keshav meaning Lord Krishna and the other is Keshav i.e. Keshav ji, the great grandfather of Gulab Chand ji, the work of Vishal temple was done under the supervision of Shilpi Ram. No one knows his name today but he left his position at the door of the temple forever. For the temple of Shri Keshav Rai, Samant Singh ji of Pratistha provided 5 bighas of land outside the city gate called Bagri Darwaja for the service of God, where there is a field, garden and a well. The construction work of this temple started during the time of Shri Gulab Chand ji. But the generations after the officers of Gulab Chand ji built the temple assembly hall and the circumambulation of the temple. Later in the third generation, Govind Lal ji and Mukut Lal ji built the walls and iron lattices were built by Ramlal ji who was a man of ancient craftsmanship. Rai’s Statues Shyam Shyam’s big statue of Krishna ji is very divine and miraculous and is worshiped not only by lakhs of the surrounding cities and villages.
