Maharaja Umaid Singh’s grandson Gaj Singh is the current owner of the palace, which was named after him. In an effort to preserve the luster and importance of Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan, Gaj Singh chose to turn a portion of his home into a hotel and the other into a museum, while many of India’s grand palaces that were constructed before independence have become desolate and empty monuments or have faded into oblivion. Part of the palace became a five-star hotel in 1971 when Taj Hotels assumed administration. The royal family still utilizes a portion of the palace as their main home, but now it also serves as a museum that gives tourists a look into the great Rajputana heritage.
History
The well-being of the populace was the driving force for the palace’s construction. Jodhpur was cursed by a saint to experience a drought for three years in a row after the Rathore era, which had been prosperous. Extreme starvation forced the farmers to appeal to the then-ruler Umaid Singh for relief. The building of the Umaid Palace was commissioned by Umaid Singh in order to provide work opportunities for his people and benefit them. Entrusted with the task of conceptualizing the design, architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester fashioned the palace in the style of New Delhi’s government complex. Western technology and traditional Indian architectural elements were both included in the palace’s design.
The sluggish construction of the palace was deliberate since its primary purpose was to provide work to the beleaguered farmers. Although work did start in 1929, it wasn’t until 1943 that it was finally finished. Its construction, which cost 11 million rupees at the time, consistently employed around 3,000 people.
Architecture
Edwin Lutyens, who designed the government complex buildings in New Delhi, was a contemporary of Henry Vaughan Lanchester, the architect hired by the monarch. He took inspiration from the columns and domes seen in Lutyens’s New Delhi structures for Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan. There are a number of shared features in the architecture of the buildings.
Indo-deco architecture, which draws from Rajput, Hindu, Buddhist, and European styles, is most exemplified by the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. Inside, you’ll find Burmese teak wood and Makrana marble, while the outside is constructed of dun-colored (golden-yellow) sandstone.
Inside palace
One striking aspect of the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, which combines Indian architectural style with contemporary Western technology, is the study in the grandeur that is its lengthy, exquisitely adorned corridors.
Another striking element that evokes a distinctly European design is the main building’s dome, which reaches an interior height of 103 feet and is topped by an outside dome that is 43 feet tall. Upon entering the Umaid Bhawan, one can’t help but note the varied flooring options. Some areas include polished black granite, while the lounge has a mix of pink sandstone and marble.
In the hotel wing of Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace, some 70 of the original rooms have been transformed into high-end guestrooms.
Peacocks are common sights as they strut over the manicured lawns, and if that weren’t impressive enough, a side trip to the zodiac pool is guaranteed to blow your mind. Immerse yourself in a different era in the zodiac pool, which shimmers in the same hue of blue as the city.
Museum
A veritable treasure trove of priceless relics and exotic delights awaits you at the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum. Among the artifacts on display in the museum are stuffed leopards, pieces of glass and porcelain, and a significant flag that Queen Victoria personally presented to King Jaswant Singh.
A large number of pictures and clocks showcasing the Palace’s interior in its finest shape are also on display in the museum. Classic automobiles owned by the Maharajas are also on exhibit in the museum’s front yard. Included at the museum’s Darbar home are kaleidoscopic murals and paintings, 1930s armor, and family knickknacks.
The palace and museum are most beautiful during the winter months of October to March.
How to reach
You may reach any location in Jodhpur by using one of the many public, private, or luxury buses. The most convenient means of local transportation are taxis, autorickshaws, and tongas. Three km separate the Umaid Bhawan Palace and the major bus terminal.
Entry Fee for Indians:
Children: ₹ 10 per person
Adults: ₹ 30 per person
Entry Fee for Foreign Tourists:
For All: ₹ 100 per person
Museum Timings
Open every day (Monday to Sunday) from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
