Umaid Bhawan Palace In Jodhpur

Umaid Bhawan Palace

  

Umaid Bhawan Palace is located southern part of jodhpur city.This palace the largest private residence in the world, the finest extant example of art-deco, the only palace to have painting from the Ramayana painted by a Polish artist, the first to use air-conditioning, electricity and elevators, and the most impressive for its size and dimensions..

Architecture

Designed by renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester, the palace is a blend of eastern and western architectural influences. Its majestic 105-foot high cupola is influenced by the Renaissance, while the towers draw inspiration from Rajput tradition. The lavish interiors with gilt furniture and elegant artwork follow the Art Deco style, complemented by the exotic murals of the self-exiled Polish artist Stefan Norblin.

Timings

closed on Mondays

Atractions

Inside Palace

Guests and residents of the Palace experience aspects of royal living, with period furniture, priceless antiques and artefacts adorning the public areas as well as the rooms in which the hotel section is situated Classified as a 5 Star Deluxe property by the Government of India, the Umaid Bhawan Palace has every modern convenience to cater to today's traveller and several unique features. 

The Central Dome soars 110 feet overhead, and provides spectacular centerpiece - a focal point for all the visitors to the property .The Trophy Bar, the Risala Restaurant ,the Marwar Hall, the Pillars restaurant and the Kebab Konner from the backbone of the hotels Food & Beverage activities, providing residents and guests a choice of dining options and cuisines.. 

Pillars

The view from the Pillars, especially at sunset, are spectacular. Landscaped gardens adorn the exteriors of the building and the spacious lawns at the rear of the Palace create an ambience which is at once serene, restful and yet spectacularly royal. Deep inn the heart of the building, the Zodiac Swimming Pool is a cool blue retreat. Located indoors, it is in fact under the main plinth of the building, tucked away in the basement, which makes it private an accessible only to residents of the hotel. 

The private museum attached to the Palace contains a small but exquisite set of display section, exhibiting arms, furniture, antique clocks and priceless China vases that formed a part the private collection of Maharajas of Jodhpur. The Umaid Bhawan Palace is equipped to cater to all segments of travelers, be they visitors on business or leisure to the city of Jodhpur.

Model of Umaid Bhawan

The attractions of the palace include the Throne Room (housing fascinating Ramayana murals), a wood-paneled library, a private museum; an indoor swimming pool, a Billiards room, tennis courts and marble squash courts. The Palace has now been converted into five star deluxe palace hotel. The Umaid Bhavan Palace of Rajasthan also houses a museum. On display, in the museum, are an array of weapons, stuffed leopards, clocks and a huge banner presented by Queen Victoria. 

How To Get There

By Air

Jodhpur airport is connected to Jaipur, Delhi, Udaipur and Mumbai by daily regular flights. The Airport is nearly 5 km away from the city center. Taxi charges about Rs 150 and three wheeled rickshaw cost about Rs 50 from airport to city. Delhi is the nearest international airport, which is well connected to all major cities in India and abroad. Delhi is nearly 600 km away from Jodhpur.

 By Train

The nearest arilhead is Jodhpur .It is an important junction in the North Western railway zone in India. Jodhpur is well connected to all major cities in India including Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Jailsalmer and Mumbai

 By Bus

Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation provides bus services to all cities in Rajasthan from Jodhpur. Private deluxe buses are available from Jaipur (345 km), Delhi (600 km), Jaisalmer (290 km), Bikaner (240 km) and Agra (580 km). The deluxe bus charges varies between Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kilomete

Photo Gallery 

Marwar Hall

Palace at Night

Travel To Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Aurangabad

Ajanta Caves

Located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, the famous Ajanta and Ellora are cave shrines cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Ajanta CavesIndian architectural heritage. The 34 caves at Ellora and the 30 caves at Ajanta, were remained shrouded in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in 1819. Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage Site, to be preserved as an artistic legacy that will come to inspire and enrich the lives of generations to come.

Ajanta Caves 

Ajanta Caves

The famous Ajanta caves are situated about 99-kms away from Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra. These caves are regarded as a world heritage site and were carved out from the 2nd century BC to 6th century AD. They are placed in a horseshoe shape about 3.5 m away from the village. The river Wagura, a mountain stream flows along the bottom of the ravine. This river falls from a height of 200 ft, thus making a series of waterfalls. The sound of the waterfalls can be heard in the caves also

The intriguing Ajanta Caves are carved out of large rocks and are 30 in number. These caves are dedicated to Lord Buddha. The followers and students of Buddhism resided here to study this religion. They have decorated these caves with the help of their excellent architectural skills and artistic paintings.

The carvings and the paintings in the caves depict the life stories of Lord Buddha. Along with this, several types of human and animal figures are also carved out of the rocks.

The Caves 

The incredible caves of Ajanta are dedicated exclusively to Buddhism. There are around 30 caves here and are divided into 'Chaitya-Grihas' (stupa halls) and 'Viharas' (dwelling halls). Around five of these caves (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are 'Chaitya-Grihas'. . The Chaityas are large, rectangular chambers separated by rows of pillars. The rest of the caves are 'Sangharamas' or Viharas (monasteries). The caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are important from the art point of view. The Viharas are rectangular shaped halls. They have series of small cells which are attached on both sides. Opposite to the entrance is an image of Buddha.

The murals on the walls of these caves are still in a good condition, maintaining the freshness of the color and spreading vibrancy in the atmosphere. Visitors will definitely enjoy watching these great historical pieces of art.

Timings

9AM to 5:30PM Tues-Sun (closed on national holidays) 

Ellora Caves

Ellora Jain Cave

The Ellora caves, 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30 kms from Aurangabad. The finest specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. 

The sculpture in the Buddhist caves accurately convey the nobility, grace and serenity inherent in the Buddha. Caves 6 and 10 house images from the Buddhist and Hindu faith, under the same roof, the latter dedicated to Vishwakarma, the patron saint of Indian craftsmen. The Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the stupa.

The Kailash Temple of the Ellora caves is the most attractive and masterpiece of the creator. The Kailash temple in the Ellora caves is one of the world’s largest and massive sculpture. The shrines are a mix or both Hindu and Jain faiths. Cave number 32 is famous for a glorious Yakshi statue and beautiful ceiling paintings.

Festival

Ellora Festival of Classical Dance and Music in 3rd week of March.

Best time to visit 

The season extends all round the year. Although the best season to visit Ajanta and Ellora is from October to March

Accomodation

Hotels are available to suit all budgets at Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Nasik, Shirdi, etc. The Maharashtra Tourism Corporation Holiday resort near Aurangabad railway station, the Ajanta travellers lodge at the caves and the M.T.D.C. Holiday resort at Fardpur (4 Km from Ajanta) provide clean and comfortable accommodation.

How To Get There

By Air

The nearest airport from Ajanta caves is the Aurangabad domestic airport (99 kms). Aurangabad is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.

By Train 

Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune by rail. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta. Two trains Tapovan Express and Devgiri Express depart daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad.

By Bus 

Ajanta Caves are connected to a network of excellent roadways with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad. One can easily get a bus ply for Ajanta from Aurangabad.

Photo Gallery 

Kailash Temple at Ellora Caves

paintings at Ajanta Caves

Hawa Mahal In Jaipur

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal is a major landmark and a famous tourist attraction of Jaipur. The Palace offers a beautiful sight to behold. The splendid Rajputana architecture of Hawa Mahal, still speaks the glory of the royal family. However, one can also find a glimpse of Mughal architecture, which is blended perfectly to make it different from others. The literal meaning of Hawa Mahal is Palace of Winds. Hawa Mahal was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799.