Umaid Bhawan is a gem of Jodhpur City, built by Maharaja Umaid Singh between 1929 and 1943. It is an architectural masterpiece designed by Henry Lanchester, a renowned British architect. Maharaja Gaj Singh II and his family currently reside in a part of the palace. However, the other two sections of the palace have been turned into a museum and a luxurious hotel, managed by The Taj Hotels. Additionally, it serves as a magnificent wedding venue where Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas tied the knot in 2018.
Spread over an impressive area of 26 acres, Umaid Bhawan is built on Chittar Hill, overlooking the entire ‘Blue City’. There are 350 rooms, a meeting hall, banquet hall, ballroom, library, spa room and an internal swimming pool. For entertainment, the palace has four tennis courts, a billiards room and two squash courts. The entire palace is beautifully adorned with artefacts, antiques, relics, stuffed animal heads and huge paintings depicting a historical scene.
Umaid Bhawan Palace is the last palace that was built in India before Independence. It is believed that Maharaja Umaid Singh ordered the construction of this palace to employ thousands of farmers to survive a crisis. Today, the Umaid Bhawan Palace stands as a heritage building and a symbol of hope for the working class.
