About the city
Pulsating within the depths of the Thar Desert, is the stronghold of
the Rathore clan - Jodhpur, once the capital of the former princely state of
Marwar, the second largest city of Rajasthan, after Jaipur .
The
town was once known as Marwar, which means 'Land of Death', probably,
referring to the harsh desert climate. It is an island of marble palaces,
cordoned off from the desert by an immense wall, with eight gates facing
different directions.
About the Palace
A splendid example of Indo-colonial and the art-deco style of the thirties,
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.
Maharaja Umaid Singh conceived the Palace as a centrepiece 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.
