Umed Bhavan Palace, Jodhpur.

 Umed Bhavan Palace, Jodhpur.

The year 2002.

Priti and I, just the two of us, were going from Delhi to Nagpur via Rajasthan, in our Maruti Car.  We visited Ume Bahavan Palace on 24 Jan 2002.

On our way to Umed Bhavan Palace, we did not see much traffic. In the final stretch, when we started climbing, our car was the only vehicle on the road. 

We reached the central courtyard of Umed Bhavan Palace. We were directed to the parking lot by a very imposing personality with an impressive moustache and a finely attired Rajput gentleman. After parking the car, we entered the central Hall. We were very politely asked whether we had reservations. When we told them that we had come to visit the Umed Bhavan Palace Museum, we were informed that we were in the Taj-Umed Bhavan Palace Hotel. The Taj staff then directed us to the Museum part of Umed Bhavan Palace.

The present generation of the Royal family still occupies part of the Umed Bhavan. Part was given to establish the museum, the remaining portion was taken over by the Tata group, who operated the Taj- Umed Bhavn 

The museum itself was not crowded. We went around the museum, looking at the artefacts on display. It was all very peaceful and quiet. We could take our time to view all the items on display.

 After seeing the museum, we again entered the Taj, reclaimed our car, and left with unforgettable memories of the grandest and the biggest private residence of an individual in the world, the  Umed Bhavan Palace. 

We had a colour camera with a colour roll with only 36 exposures. Took only two photos at that time. They are given here before the digital photos taken during the 2025 trip.

Fast forward to 2025.

Plenty of traffic all over Jodhpur. Halfway up the final stretch to Umed Bhavan, our taxi took the left bifurcation in the road and reached the tourist parking area, which was already full. Our driver offloaded us and went in search of a parking place. Purchased an entry ticket and after making payment took a guide ti guide us through the museum. The museum was full of tourists. Noise level was high, and our guide had to really raise his voice to make himself heard. Could not spend much time in front of the exhibits, as another guide with his group was urging us to make room for his group. In a way, we were pushed along the museum due to the pressure of the crowd and completed the round of the museum. 

What a difference between our visit of 2002 and 2025.

Umed Bhavan was the same Museum was the same but the joy and pleasure of seeing such a magnificent sight and the priceless artefacts were not at all the same. 

Greatly disappointed.

Umed Bhavan Palace 2002.

Umed Bhavan Palace 2002.

The painting "Rajputs In Battle With Mughals". 

It shows Rajput forces, led by Durgadas Rathore on a white horse, fighting against the Mughals, with the Mehrangarh Fort visible in the background. 

Painted by  Polish artist Stefan Norblin in the 1940s. 

Umed Bhavan main Visitors hall.

The painting.  The Triumphant Return of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman to Ayodhya from Lanka,

Painted by  Polish artist Stefan Norblin in the 1944 and 1946.  

It is located in the Royal Throne Room of the Umaid Bhawan Palace.

Text of this photo is given below.

Welcome To

Umaid Bhawan Palace

Home to HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur - Marwar

Umaid Bhawan Palace, last of India's great palaces and one of the largest in the world, was commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh (1918 1947) on Chittar Hill, southeast of the city hetween 1929 and 1944. Named after him, the palace is today the home of his grandson, Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur-Marwar and in part a luxury Hotel of immense grandeur

Built as a drought relief measure amongst many other Public buildings Dams, roads and schools, the Palace construction generated employment for over three thousand people for fifteen years at a total cost of Rupees 94,51,565.

Designed by Henry Vaughan Lanchester, a renowned Edwardian architect, the Palace integrates many Indian architectural styles still imbuing Rajput traditions.

This magnificent edifice with Three Hundred and Forty Seven rooms is one of world's largest private residences. Converted to a hotel in 1978, the Palace was thrown open to the public at large as a residential hotel. The private museum attached to the Palace contains a special exhibition on Maharaja Umaid Singh and making of Umaid Bhawan Palace

'The Life Style Gallery' recalls life in the Palace in the 40's and 50's with displays of Art Deco furniture, dining and writing sets and a special Sporting Section.

The Legacy Continues Gallery is dedicated to the present Royal Family and their interests and preoccupations.

A superb collection of antique clocks rounds off a memorable experience

In praise of the Monarch, a Plaque in the museum,

 The text of this photo, unfortunately, some parts are not legible, is given below.

Maharaja Umed Singh 

'The Monarch'

There is about Maharaja Umaid Singh something uniquely exciting, an extravagance of vision, power not only to dream but even to realise, in many ways, albeit on a smaller scale. not unlike that of the Mughals. He enjoyed polo. So he took his ..... team to England with an army of ponies and syces and Jodhpur emerged a world polo power. He loved flying so the Jodhpur Aerodrome became an international airport  (connecting) Delhi, with three trans-continental airlines stopping here

This family which which suaves many a modern day develoment project, gave rise to one of the largest and mest magnificent royal residences in the world and a dam that remained, half a century later, Jodhpur's main source of water.

Yet there was in him an astonishing simplicity, a grace he was born with and carried always, whether playing polo at Hurlingham or big-game hunting in Africa, salmon-fishing in Scotland or foxing at his sumptuous estate "Arranmore" in Otcumond (South India ). Feted in the most fashionable of salons the world over, he was as Chief Scout of the Marwar State Scouts Association, equally at home at a boy scout's camp on the dusty grounds of his palace! It was this simplicity and humility, together with his stature and style, that earned for the thirty-sixth Rathore ruler of Marwar the nickname "The Monarch" And it was always used with affection and respect

Scale model of Umed Bhavan Palace on display in the Place Museum.

View of Jodhpur from Umed Bhavan Palace.

View of Jodhpur from Umed Bhavan Palace.

View of Jodhpur from Umed Bhavan Palace.

View of Jodhpur from Umed Bhavan Palace.