|
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).
|
·