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Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur Overview
Umaid Bhavan is one of the most fascinating monuments in Jodhpur that represents a perfect amalgamation of past royal lifestyle and modern lifestyle. The construction of the palace began in 1929 and it was completed in the year 1943. The construction time was extended so as to provide employment to the drought and grief-stricken workers and farmers.
At present, the palace constitutes a museum, heritage hotel, and the private residence of the royal family of Raja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur. The heritage hotel is equipped with all types of luxurious amenities and it’s known for awesome royal hospitality. The award-winning hotel will fascinate you with its soothing ambience and unparalleled dining experiences. The palace is also frequently visited by eminent personalities. Recently, the popular couple, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas were spotted spending quality time at the palace.
Umaid Bhawan Palace has 347 magnificent rooms and these have been divided into three parts. One part is the residence of the royal family and no visitors are allowed inside. The second section is a museum that exhibits various royal artifacts, armors, photographs, clocks, puppets, and various other belongings of the royal family.
The third part of the palace has been transformed into a luxurious five-star heritage hotel that provides awesome facilities to its customers. It is one of the most popular hotels in India known for its regal ambience and is nestled on the top of the Chittar Hill. Therefore, this hotel is also popularly known as Chittar Palace. The palace also has a well-maintained lush green garden with a variety of shrubs and flowers blooming throughout the year.
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Umaid Bhavan Palace History
Jodhpur used to be a prosperous region under the reign of Rathore rulers. However, misery befell on the city right after the sage cursed the city and consequently, Jodhpur experienced a severe drought for three continuous years. The masses were in acute misery and hence, Maharaja Umaid Singh, began the construction of the palace so as to provide employment to the farmers.
The sole motive behind the construction was to provide welfare and relief measures to the poor. The construction began in the year 1929 and was completed in 1943 thus; it generated consistent employment and helped the suffering farmers. It helped around 3000 people and incurred a cost of 11 million rupees at that time.
Architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester was the mastermind behind conceptualizing the blueprint design of the palace. He envisaged a monument with a perfect blend of classical Indian architectural style and western style.
Architecture of Umaid Bhavan Palace
The palace represents the epitome of Beaux-Arts style and its interiors are made of highly polished and intricately designed Makrana marble, golden yellow sandstone, and Burmese teak wood. There are 347 rooms in the palace with sprawling courtyards and a dining hall that can accommodate around 300 guests. The palace also has a private meeting room, general meeting room known as Durbar Hall, a chamber that houses the throne of the king, swimming pool and spa, two squash courts with marble flooring, private dining rooms, a ballroom, billiards room, a library, and four tennis courts.
In the year 1971, Gaj Singh II converted a part of the palace into a luxurious suite. The hotel constitutes 70 rooms with the options of Maharaja and Maharani Suites. Maharani suite has a wooden floor and offers a great view of the garden, while the Maharaja Suite has a black marble flooring and a curved mirror dome. The banquet hall has been converted into a fabulous restaurant that offers a wide spectrum of delicious cuisine.
The Royal Residence
A major part of the palace has been retained as a private residence of the Gaj Singh’s royal family. The mansion is one of the largest private residence in the world that has an excellent architecture and interior designing. The major attraction of the residence is the inner sapphire dome that is mounted inside the central dome. The inner dome is positioned at a height of 31 meters while the outer dome is situated at a height of 13 meters.
The entrance of the palace opens into a splendid polished black granite floored hall. The lounge area is beautifully constructed with pink sandstone and marble flooring. The interior of the palace represents art deco design which was designed by J.S. There is also a fresco – decorated throne room in the east wing. However, this section of the palace is not open to the public.
Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum
The Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum exhibits unique artifacts and belongings of the royal family. The museum houses glass and chinaware, stuffed leopards, several memoirs such as a flag which was gifted to King Jaswant Singh by Queen Victoria herself.
The museum also showcases a huge collection of antique clocks and photographs that will put you in an awe-inspiring moment. You will also witness the vintage cars of the Maharaja kept for display in the front garden. There are kaleidoscopic paintings and murals, armors and other royal household items on display in the Durbar House in the museum.
Umaid Bhawan Palace Hotel
If you want to experience the taste of royal hospitality then Umaid Bhawan Palace hotel is a perfect place for you to visit. The rooms here offer the most luxurious and regal amenities available in the hospitality world. You will be mesmerized by the picturesque view of the lush green gardens from the rooms.
The hotel has an amazing in-house restaurant that offers delicious continental and Indian fusion dishes. There is also a spa in the resort, Jiva Grande Spa that offers a wide variety of relaxing experiences such as Ayurvedic therapies, spa indulgences, Yoga and meditation, beauty treatments, body scrubs, and wraps.
There are also several indoor and outdoor fun activities in the hotel. There is a gym, billiards and pool room, squash courts, polo, horse riding, golf, tennis court, and round the clock doctor and nurse facilities for the needy or injured. The rooms here cost around INR 22,000 per night.
Best Time to Visit Umaid Bhawan Palace
The ideal time to visit Umaid Bhawan Palace is during the winter months, i.e., between October to March.
Things to Do
There are a number of refreshing activities that you can undertake while at the Umaid Bhawan. You can visit the Jaswant Thada which is a cenotaph that is intricately carved out of marble stone. This memorial is dedicated to the brave ruler Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. You will be fascinated by its architecture that comprises portraits, domes and a gravestone dedicated to a peacock which is believed to have flown into the Maharaja’s cremation fire.
Here, you can also opt for a “Heritage walk”, which will take you straight into Jodhpur’s remarkable past. You can take a guided walk around the premise and hear enthralling stories relating to the Kings of Jodhpur.
How to Reach Umaid Bhawan Palace
The city of Jodhpur has efficient public and private bus services. The central bus stand is 3 km away from the Umaid Bhawan Palace. Taxis, auto-rickshaws, and tongas are the most accessible way of traveling locally.