Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

Place : Jodhpur in the north Indian state of Rajasthan.

Popular As : Largest and grandest private residences in the world.

Location : 3 kms. from Airport, 5 kms. from Railway Station, 3 kms. from Bus Stand.

The Umaid Bhawan Palace -
Umaid Bhawan Palace, also popularly known as the Chittar Palace is one of the largest and grandest private residences in the world. The palace was built between 1929 & 1943 and over 3000 artisans worked over 14 years to create this magnificent structure.

The Architecture -
Umaid Bhawan Palace is one palace that combines architectural extravaganza with aesthetic triumph. To believe it you have to experience it. Maharaja Umaid Singh conceived the Palace as the centerpiece of his massive famine-relief scheme. The distinguished designs of Henry Lanchester for Cardiff City Hall and Law Courts/Central Hall, Westminster, impressed Maharaja Umaid Singh, and Lutyen's protege was commissioned for the job.

The Palace was designed as a tasteful blend of European classical elements sophisticated with the 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. It took about 14 years and around 3000 men to give shape to this majestic edifice.

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 Umaid Bhawan Palace featured 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.

Present Palace -
In 1977, Umaid Bhawan Palace was converted into one of India's grandest luxury hotel. Now a heritage hotel/ museum and residence of the royal family it boasts of 300 rooms, theatre, eight dining rooms, banquet hall, ballroom and an indoor swimming pool.

Reaching Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur -
Air : Jodhpur has its own airport that links it with major tourist destinations of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur and Jaipur.
Rail : The railway network connects Jodhpur with Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
Road : Jodhpur can be easily reached by road as well. There are well-maintained roads linking it to tourism destinations like Delhi (597 km), Udaipur (260 km) and Jaipur (336 km).