Commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1929, Umaid Bhawan Palace was the home of the Royal Rajput family. It finished construction in 1943.
Umaid Bhawan Museum Jodhpur is built atop 26 acres of land with 15 acres of gardens. It merges traditional Indian architectural styles with Indo-Saracenic, classical revival, & Art Deco.
Its final shape is oddly familiar to the Beaux Arts style. The symmetrical design is the cornerstone of Rajput architecture.
After its acquisition, it was divided into three parts — the luxury Taj Palace Hotel, the former royalty’s residence, and the Umaid Bhawan Museum. The Hotel wing is called ‘Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur.’
The building's layout includes expansive courtyards, manicured gardens, an intricate network of corridors and chambers, a library, a Billiards room, tennis courts, and four marble squash courts.
Designed by the Edwardian-era British architect, Henry Vaughan Lanchester the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum is divided into two areas with separate entrances — ‘zenana’ (feminine) and ‘mardana’ (masculine).
The ladies' wing had access to enclosed gardens with hidden access to swimming pools and public rooms. The upper floor is covered with the traditional ‘jaalis’ (window), which allows anonymous viewing.
The layout and style of the palace are said to have been inspired by Buddhist and Hindu monoliths such as the mountain temples of Burma and Cambodia, especially Angkor Wat.
The Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum uses locally sourced pink and yellow sandstone ‘chittar sandstone’. During the construction, it was called Chittar Palace. The marbles were transported from Makrana.
The museum’s collection includes an array of royal artefacts, such as vintage automobiles, royal costumes, clocks, photographs, trophies, sporting gear, and weaponry.