ornate palaces

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The other place of interest in Jodphur is the Umaid bhawan Palace. On top of a hill stands a palacial edifice of dreamlike proportions. It has a central cupola of over 105 foot high, 347 rooms, a private throne room, a public throne room, a banquet hall, an auditorium, 4 tennis courts, 2 marble squash courts, a croquet law, a simming pool, a ballroom, a library, a nusery and a garage for 20 vehicles. It is set in 26 acres of garden and took half a million donkey loads of earth to build. But unlike many of the monoliths in the area it was constructed neither as a fortress nor as a testimony to the power of ego, but as a famine relief project in 1929. And it worked. It kept over 3000 labourers gainfully employed for 16 years.

These days it also keeps people gainfully employed by keeping the riff raff out. It has been transformed into an exclusive hotel. So exclusive in fact that they charge 2000 rupees (26 pounds) entrance fee just to catch a glimpse of the exquisite art deco interior. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt I wasn’t allowed even past the main gate just to make a phone call..

I’m now waiting for a plane to take me back to Mumbai before heading home on Friday. I’ve had lots of beach time with my friend Katy in kerala and lots of interesting ayurvedic treatment, most of which involve being completely oiled up, hit over the head a little bit, given a paper towel to wear and washed down at the end. I quite enjoyed that last bit and am almost looking forward to being an incapacitated old lady so that someone else will bathe me. Cleopatra had the right idea.

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Comments

[raju121]

ornate palaces
6 months it seems you have done good reserch job here bravo and thank for sharing raju :)