Travel News Desk,Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur is a name that is closely associated with royalty and world-class luxury. A magnificent palace in the world of royals, this place is a spectacle of Beaux Arts design (also known as Indo-Deco style). The peacock strolling casually in the gardens has an experience of its own. As far as history is concerned, the palace has been named after Maharaja Umaid Singh. He was the grandfather of the current owner Gaj Singh. The foundation stone of the building was laid by Umed Singh on November 18, 1929, but the construction work was completed only in 1943. However, the King could enjoy his creation only for four years as he died in 1947. His successor Hanwant Singh also died tragically at a young age in a plane crash in 1952. Later, Gaj Singh II succeeded his father and converted a part of the palace into a hotel in 1971. Makrana marble and Burmese teak wood are used for the interior woodwork, which adds to its unique beauty. Make sure you don't get lost in the many courtyards here! The huge banquet hall can seat 300 people at a time.
If you choose to stay at the palace a red carpet-type welcome awaits you! You will be welcomed with warm smiles, drum beats and tilak. There is also a museum on site, where one can see an exhibit of stuffed leopards, a large flag given to Maharaja Jaswant Singh by Queen Victoria in 1877, among other things. Not only this, the palace houses the Maharajas' classic car collection. There is also a dedicated space. Here beautiful vehicles are displayed in the middle of the garden right in front of the museum. Emulating the grandeur of the royal era, these cars belong to the House of Mewar.
For vintage car enthusiasts, this place is a paradise with 22 magnificent vehicles on display. Highlights are the 1938 Cadillac and the stunning 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom, among others. You can imagine the historical and royal significance of the palace by counting the celebs who decided to get married here. Many celebrities, from Hollywood stars to Bollywood heartthrobs, have been married in the royal gardens of the palace. In March 2007, Hollywood actress Elizabeth Hurley married Indian business tycoon Arun Nair in a fit-for-wedding at Jodhpur's Umaid Bhawan Palace. They got married in a royal wedding.
In December 2018, the palace once again attracted international attention when Bollywood diva Priyanka Chopra announced her wedding to American pop star Nick Jonas in Jodhpur. While most Bollywood celebs choose exotic locations for their big day, the desi girl planned a grand desi wedding at a desi location. Pictures from the wedding held at Umaid Bhawan flooded the internet. Recently, veteran actor, Kulbhushan Kharbanda's daughter, Shruti Kharbanda married her boyfriend Rohit Navale at the same Umaid Bhawan. Of course, the couple looked every bit royal with the palace backdrop.
