Firmly ensconced on Chittar Hill, 70 m above Jodhpur city, Umaid Bhawan Palace is the last of the magnificent palaces of India and at one time, one of the largest residences in the world – with more inhabitants than Versailles or Buckingham. It has been set amidst 10.5 ha of soothing gardens. The Umaid Bhawan Palace is located three km from Jodhpur domestic airport and just five km from Jodhpur railway station.

At 0815 hrs on the auspicious date of 18th November 1928, the foundation stone was laid by Maharaja Umaid Singh in the presence of shloka-chanting priests and pundits. WW II enforced a delay and all activity stopped. Subsequently, major construction was partly completed in May 1944 and finally finished two hours before sunset in March 1948 by 3090 indigent workers who were provided with work and drought relief. The U-shaped three wing palace is as luxurious as a modern palace under a single roof, with all recreational facilities expected of a fabulously wealthy ruler. One reaches the porch walking across a beautiful Out garden and enters the palace through an inlaid bronze arched gateway that was ordered and made specially in England. If one were to value time, it took over three thousand dedicated artisans 14 years to create this magnificent edifice of a palace, which used up over one million square feet of the finest marble to project its grandeur.
Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present Maharaja of Jodhpur,

Maharaj Gaj Singh, this golden-yellow sandstone monument was conceived in grandiloquence, in the in-fashion style of that time, namely Art Deco. The 347-room palace had been designed to serve as the primary residence of the immensely wealthy Jodhpur royal family, little knowing that a socialist India, under Indira Gandhi as PM, would take away its riches and offer them a paltry privy purse in lieu. Half the building has now been converted to a 5-star hotel, simply because it could not be maintained in its planned style on a shoestring budget. The same fate awaited the rulers of Jaipur, Mysore, Gwalior, Orchha and many other kingdoms. In Umaid Bhavan, one wing houses a museum and the other wing is occupied by Maharaj Gaj Singh, the present titular Maharaja. The construction of Umaid Bhawan Palace is also unique. The building does not use mortar or cement that normally bind stones together. Instead, it uses ancient Egyptian technique, where all pieces are carved stones joined seamlessly by a system of carved, interlocking positive and negative pieces. Camel drawn carts proved too slow and laborious a mode of transporting these huge and heavy stones. As a result, a specially constructed train line was laid to transport them. Umaid Bhavan is specially designed in an old Indian technique so that it always maintains the temperature at a comfortable 23° Celsius, give or take a degree. Room charges in the hotel are around $1,700 a night. Needless to add, this Taj-group hotel is for well-heeled sybarites.

Designed by renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester and Indian architect Budhmal Rai , the resident engineer for this project was one Hiranand U. Bhatia. The palace is a blend of their imaginative concepts and clearly show both eastern and western architectural influences. Its imposing 32 m high cupola is Renaissance; the towers are Rajput. The fulsome interior, resplendent with gilt furniture and elegant artwork, is complemented by the exotic but thought provoking murals of the self-exiled Polish artist and interior designer Stefan Norblin. Norblin came in as a replacement after the original interior, made in England, and its designer, from Maples Inc. London, were lost at sea, sunk by the Germans during WW II.

The Maharaja’s dwelling is incredibly awe-inspiring. Exquisite local craftsmanship is on display as you climb the stairway. He has not permitted installation of an elevator, many of which move freely up and down just across the hallway. Some staterooms hold expensive paintings from Europe. Call it split personality, but then most Maharajas were educated in England. The elegant rooms are cool and well ventilated. Furnishings are of the best quality. The guest room has a ceiling mounted purdah (fan), with an attendant swaying it in poetic motion. It’s a nice feeling to be treated like royalty.

(c) Abiyoyo SL