From one Bollywood venue to another! DeepVeer are very soon going to give way to the high-profile Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas marriage that has been finalised at the magnificent historical heritage palace Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur. A location that is as royal and enthralling as the couple themselves!
History of Umaid Bhawan
The architectural wonder, situated in the Blue City, is the home of the former Jodhpur royal family. It is now partly owned by the Taj group of hotels. Interestingly, it is the world’s sixth-largest residence.
The palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh between 1928 and 1943 and was a take on the design of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate. British architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester was commissioned for it.
Also See:
The final project took 14 years to be completed. The reason behind the palace coming up also has a humanitarian angle attached to it. It was built to create job opportunities for farmers and workers during a one-year famine that had hit the area.
The Maharaja lived here only for four years between 1944 to 1947 before he passed it on to his son, Hanwant Singh. It now belongs to his successor, Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur.
Here are some interesting facts about the palace.
Last Royal Palace built before Independence
Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace is the last royal palace built before the Independence of India. Its foundations were laid in 1928 and completed in 1943. Four years after the palace’s completion, the country became a free sovereign.
One of the largest private residences in the World
Maharaja Umaid Singh had a vision to create the largest private residence in the world. British engineer, H.V. Lancaster, planned the grand complex.
The famous local Chittar Sandstone has been used for the outer structure. The inner architecture is a combination of lndo-Saracenic, Classical Revival and Western Art Deco styles in Makrana marble and Burmese teak wood.
It is spread over 26 acres. The royal residence has 347 rooms, an exquisite throne chamber, an exclusive private meeting hall, a Durbar Hall to meet the public, a vaulted banquet hall, private dining halls, a ball room, a library, an indoor swimming pool, a billiards room, four tennis courts and two squash courts.
Part Palace, part hotel and part museum
One wing is the present home of the royalty. The other half is owned by the Taj Hotel Group.
It has 25 rooms and 39 suites. The rooms/ suites are categorized as Maharani Suite, Maharaja Suite, Royal Suite, Regal Suite and Deluxe Rooms. The history of the palace is evident as large paintings, photographs and trophies adorn the walls. The hotel is a luxurious experience of the era gone by.
The grand property houses a museum that is open to all to see. It has memorabilia from the past, an enormous symbolic flag gifted to Maharaja Jaswant Singh by Queen Victoria, an impressive collection of clocks and photographs of the royal lineage.
The beautiful Jodhpur palace will now play host to the famous Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas wedding in December 2018.