splendid example of Indo-colonial and the art-deco style of the
thirties, Umaid Bhawan i
s
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).