How Maharaja Umaid Singh Built Rs 22,400 Crore Umaid Bhawan Palace—And Why It Still Serves As Royal Home of Maharaja Gaj Singh II

Atop the sun-soaked Chittar Hill, rising above the indigo lanes and sandstone homes of Jodhpur, stands Umaid Bhawan Palace, a structure that feels less like a building and more like a statement carved into the desert skyline. Bathed in golden light for most of the day, the palace dominates the horizon with quiet confidence, its massive dome visible from almost every corner of the city. Nearly a century after its first stone was laid, Umaid Bhawan is still alive, still inhabited, and still evolving. Completed in 1943, the palace is often spoken of in superlatives. One of the world’s largest private residences. One of India’s finest examples of Indo Art Deco architecture. One of the last great palaces built before Independence. But behind its scale

and splendour lies a deeply human story, rooted not in excess but in empathy. Umaid Bhawan was born out of crisis, built during one of the harshest famines Marwar had ever known, and conceived not as a royal indulgence but as a lifeline for a struggling kingdom. Today, it remains the royal home of Jodhpur’s erstwhile rulers, while simultaneously operating as a museum and a globally celebrated luxury hotel. Few buildings in India carry their past so visibly into the present.

A Palace Born Out Of Drought And Desperation

Local folklore speaks of a saint’s curse that foretold long years of drought once the good rule of Marwar ended. Legend or not, the late 1920s were devastating for the region. Three consecutive years of famine collapsed livelihoods, crippled agriculture, and food scarcity pushed many to the brink. Marwar, a desert kingdom by geography, found itself fighting for survival. At the time, Jodhpur was ruled by Maharaja Umaid Singh, a monarch remembered as much for his compassion as his ambition. Faced with widespread distress, he considered distributing alms. The people, however, asked for something else entirely. They wanted work, not charity. They wanted dignity, not handouts.

According to Shova Kanwar, historian of the Jodhpur royal family, in an interview from 2001, it was this collective insistence that shaped the palace’s destiny. The Maharaja’s response was extraordinary. In 1929, he commissioned a palace on Chittar Hill, not merely as a residence, but as a massive public works project. For over a decade, between 2,000 and 3,000 men found steady employment on its construction site. During a time when forced migration and starvation looked like the only option, Umaid Bhawan became an unlikely source of sustenance.

Building On Chittar Hill Against All Odds

Construction officially began on November 18, 1929. The location itself posed enormous challenges. Chittar Hill was a rocky plateau with no nearby water source, no proper road access, and no readily available building material. Everything had to be created from scratch. To transport the palace’s signature golden sandstone from distant quarries, a small railway line was laid specifically for the project. Water was hauled up the hill daily. Skilled craftsmen used to work with labourers and they carved stone blocks by hand under the relentless Rajasthani sun.

The design was entrusted to British architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester, who envisioned a seamless blend of Indian and Western styles. What came out was a unique architectural language, Rajput elements fused with classical revival symmetry and bold Art Deco geometry. That's not all; the exterior was made using Chittar sandstone, and for the interiors, Makrana marble was used along with Burmese teak and chrome detailing typical of 1930s modern luxury. The palace houses 347 rooms, marble staircases, banquet halls, multiple courtyards, and corridors lined with murals by Polish artist JS Norblin. The central dome rises 103 feet high, making it one of the tallest structures in Jodhpur even today. When completed in 1943, at a cost of approximately Rs 1.1 crore, Umaid Bhawan stood as a symbol of resilience more than opulence.

One Of The World’s Largest Private Residences

Spread across 26 acres of landscaped gardens, Umaid Bhawan remains among the largest inhabited residences anywhere in the world. Unlike many royal palaces that have turned into museums alone, this one continues to function as a home. Today, the palace is divided into three distinct sections. A part remains the private residence of the Jodhpur royal family. Another section houses a museum that chronicles the region’s history through artefacts, clocks, photographs, and vintage cars. The rest of the wing is managed by Taj Hotels, with 70 rooms open to guests.

Art Deco interiors remain largely intact, with chrome railings, curved furniture, geometric flooring, and pastel hues that feel remarkably contemporary even today. Walking through its halls is like entering into a carefully preserved moment from the 1940s.

The Jodhpur Royals And A Changing India

In 1947, Maharaja Umaid Singh passed away, shortly after the palace was completed. In 1952, his son, Hanwant Singh, died tragically in a plane crash, leaving the throne to a young heir, Maharaja Gaj Singh II. Educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, Gaj Singh returned to India at a time of dramatic change. In 1971, the 26th Amendment abolished royal titles and privy purses, stripping former rulers of their official privileges. Across India, many palaces fell into neglect as maintenance became financially untenable. Gaj Singh chose a different path. Determined to preserve his family’s legacy, he looked for ways to make Umaid Bhawan economically sustainable without compromising its character. Preservation, for him, was not about freezing the palace in time but allowing it to adapt.

From Royal Home To Global Luxury Address

In the late 1970s, a decisive step was taken. Part of Umaid Bhawan was opened to the public as a luxury hotel, while the royal family continued to reside in a private wing. The idea was simple yet radical for its time. Heritage would fund itself. Under Taj Hotels’ management, the palace hotel retained its original Art Deco soul. Suites, dining halls, and lounges were preserved rather than modernised beyond recognition. Guests today walk the same marble corridors, dine beneath the same chandeliers, and wake up to views once reserved exclusively for royalty. This careful balance between privacy and public access transformed Umaid Bhawan into a benchmark for heritage hospitality in India.

Scale, Cost And The Palace’s Present Value

The palace took 14 years to build, from 1929 to 1943. Its original cost of Rs 1.1 crore would today translate into thousands of crores. According to The Financial Express and NDTV, Umaid Bhawan Palace is currently valued at around Rs 22,400 crore, making it one of the most valuable residential properties in the world. Its worth, however, goes beyond numbers. Historians continue to view the palace as one of India’s earliest large-scale famine relief projects, one that combined economic support with architectural ambition.

A Favourite Of Global Celebrities

Over the years, Umaid Bhawan has become one of the world’s most coveted wedding destinations. It ranks among the most expensive venues globally. High-profile weddings have only added to its allure. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas chose the palace for their wedding, as did Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar.