ON THE TRAIL
Umaid Bhawan Palace , Jodhpur
Umaid Bhawan is defined by a balanced composition of domes and columns and is considered the zenith of Indo-deco , a style that blends Buddhist-Hindu tendencies with Western technologies . Maharaja Umaid Singh commissioned British architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester to build the gargantuan structure in 1929 . It was constructed at an intentionally slow pace over the next 14 years to provide Jodhpur ’ s famine-stricken farmers with work . This was the last royal palace built in India before the country gained its independence , and stands among the largest private residences in the world ( one wing is still reserved for the former first family ). Amid the 26-acre museum garden , visitors can admire the Maharajas ’ collection of classic cars .
FORTS & PALACES OF RAJASTHAN
Often called the Land of Kings , the state of Rajasthan in northwest India is studded with opulent palaces and imposing fortresses , says Emily Lush
Rajasthan is the largest state in India by area and once comprised two dozen different princely states . Fabled warriors ruled this corner of the sub-continent for 500-odd years , filling their coffers with taxes collected from Silk Road traders , and it was under these Rajputs that many of its most enduring landmarks took shape . From a palm-fringed palace set in the verdant Aravalli Hills to a citadel cast from sandstone in the heart of the Thar Desert , here are five architectural marvels visitors shouldn ’ t miss .
Taj Lake Palace , Udaipur
Fashioned from gleaming white marble , the Taj Lake Palace appears to float on the glassy waters of Pichola , one of Udaipur ’ s seven lakes . It was completed in 1746 and was formerly known as Jag Niwas . It served as a summer resort for the Mewar Dynasty before it was retrofitted as a hotel in the 1960s . Everything , from the sumptuous interior to the fountained courtyards where the Maharana Jagat Singh once hosted his private moonlit picnics , has been restored , with Queen Elizabeth and Jacqueline Kennedy among the former guests . illustrations : Lis watkins
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