History has it that in the late 1500 AD important Mughals camped in this “char bagh” with a stunning chhattis-dari (36-pillared pavilion) at its heart. This shielded the women in its underground chamber during the summer. Later, as the conquering Maratha army marched towards Delhi, the Jadhavs took possession of this natural water catchment area. Sardar Deorao Bhausaheb Jadhav and his son Sardar Krishnarao Deorao Jadhav used this 'bagh' as a summer house with the ladies’ section in Deo Bagh and the mens’ section in Jai Vihar, the family's current home.

The garden complex houses the most exquisite family temples, a ‘hathi khana’ for elephants, stables and cenotaphs. Important Gwalior State meetings, especially against the British – when the valiant Rani of Jhansi fought from the fort rampart close by, were held here during that time.

After India’s independence, this has been the home of Sardar Deorao Krishnarao Jadhav, his son Sardar Dhananjayrao Deorao Jadhav and his wife the Ranisaheba, since 1954 when they left their ancestral Lakshmi Vilas Rajwada.