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Umaid Bhawan is
one of the largest and grandest private residences in the world.
The palace was built between 1929 and 1943 and over 3000 artisans worked
over 14 years to create this magnificent edifice.
If there is one palace that combines architectural extravaganza with
aesthetic triumph, it is the Umaid Bhawan Palace. If there is something
that is best experienced than described, it is absolutely a stay at the
Umaid Bhawan Palace.
From the time of
the origin of Jodhpur to the present day, the Rathore capital suffered
severe scarcity of water and drought followed with unfailing regularity
every third or fourth year. A tradition developed among the Maharajas to
alleviate the suffering of people by creating work. The work usually
took the form of building canals, roads, temples, stepwells and palaces.
Rosita Forbes,
travelling in the 1930s through Jodhpur, experienced firsthand the
severe rainless times in Jodhpur, and described the goings-on:
'The scarcity of
water in the city has been remedied by the erection of a reservoir with
eight pumping stations. Roads are spreading. Fine buildings are
springing up on the outskirts of the lovely town…'
Maharaja Umaid
Singh conceived the Palace as the centerpiece of his massive
famine-relief scheme. The acclaimed designs of Henry Lanchester
for Cardiff City Hall and Law Courts/Central Hall, Westminster,
impressed Maharaja Umaid Singh, and Lutyen's protégé was entrusted
with the job.
It took 14 years
and 3000 men to give shape to this stupendous expression. The Palace was
designed as a smooth combination of European classical elements
interlaced with oriental ones. Massive sandstone boulders were cut from
a quarry at Surasagar near Jodhpur and transported by a special
narrow-gauge train to the construction sites. Master masons chiselled
these rough stones into blocks of five and seven tons. The blocks were
then fitted in an interlocking fashion with no mortar or cement being
used in the construction.
Furnished with
fashionable Art Deco interiors by the Polish artist and decorator, S.
Norblin, the palace consumed one million square feet of the finest
marble. The world of Umaid Bhawan Palace contained everything that the
royalty required – a private cinema hall, a luxurious swimming pool
inlaid with tiles depicting the zodiac, gigantic royal suites, a soaring
rotunda, fancy ball rooms, a majestic durbar hall, billiards room,
ballrooms, banquet halls, libraries, staff quarters, servant
quarters….
In 1977, Umaid
Bhawan opened as one of India's grandest luxury hotels.
Indoor pool with
a sun terrace, sauna, private museum, village safaris / camel rides.
LOCATION : 3 kms. from Airport, 5 kms. from Railway
Station, 3 kms. from Bus Stand.
ACCOMMODATION : Number of Rooms: Total
A/C Rooms 96, Number of Floors: 3
FACILITIES
: Double A/C 63,
Double Total 63, Suites A/C 33, Suites Total 33, Total Rooms 96,
Centrally Airconditioned, 4, 250, 40, 3, 1, Indian, Continental,
Chinese, Rajasthan, Business Centre, Room Service, H/C running water,
Telephone, CCTV, Mini Refrigerator, Banquet Facilities, Conference
Facilities, Beauty Parlour, Shopping Arcade, Health Club, Swimming Pool,
Tennis, Golf, In House Theatre, Museum, Palmist Squash. Doctor on call,
Laundry, Money Changer, Safe Deposit, Baby Sitting, Valet, Travel Desk
Service
ADDRESS
: Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur -
342 006 (Rajasthan)
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