Rambagh Palace

The Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur and now a luxury Taj Palace Hotel, located 5 miles outside of the walls of the city of Jaipur on Bhawani Singh Road.

History

The first building on the site was a garden house built in 1835 for the wet nurse of prince Ram Singh II. [Crump, Page 144.] In 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh, it was converted into a modest royal hunting lodge, as the house was located in the midst of a thick forest at that time. In the early 20th century, it was expanded into a palace to the designs of Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob. In 1925, [Michell, page 42] Maharajah Sawai Man Singh II made Rambagh his principal residence and added a number of royal suites in 1931 [Crites, page 41] . After India became independent and the princely states united, the Palace became the Government House. By the 1950s, the royal family felt that the upkeep of the palace and its 47 acres of gardens was becoming very costly. They, therefore, decided in 1957 [Crites, page 41] to convert it into a luxury hotel. [Crites, page 41]

Lilypool

Previously a part of the grounds of Rambagh Palace, and now, an adjacent but separate property, is a private palace called Lilypool. This European style building with some Rajput features was created in the 1930s. In 1969, it was refurbished with the intention that it become the private home of the royal family. After the death of her husband Sawai Man Singh II, Maharani Gayatri Devi has lived here since 1978. [Michell, page 48.]

Notes

References

*cite book|author=Crump, Vivien; Toh, Irene| title= Rajasthan| location=London| publisher=Everyman Guides|origdate=1996| format = hardback| id = ISBN 1-85715-887-3| pages = 400 pages
*cite book|author= Crites, Mitchell Shelby; Nanji, Ameeta|title= India Sublime – Princely Palace Hotels of Rajasthan| location=New York| publisher=Rizzoli| origdate=2007|format = hardback| id = ISBN-13 978-0-8478-2979-9| pages = 272 pages
*cite book|author=Badhwar, Inderjit; Leong, Susan|title=India Chic| orig date =2006| location=Singapore| publisher=Bolding Books|id = ISBN 981-4155-57-8| pages = 240
*cite book|author=Michell, George, Martinelli, Antonio| title=The Palaces of Rajasthan| origdate = 2005| publisher=Frances Lincoln| location=London| id = ISBN 978-0711225053| pages = 271 pages
*cite book|author=William Warren, Jill Gocher| title=Asia's Legendary Hotels: The Romance of Travel| location=Singapore| publisher=Periplus Editions| origdate=2007| format = hardback| id = ISBN 978-0-7946-0174-4

External links

* [http://www.tajhotels.com/Palace/RAMBAGH%20PALACE,JAIPUR/default.htm Rambagh Palace] Homepage
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=OAJumJZjTl4 Walk-through of Rambagh Palace on YouTube]