Welcome to the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum of Jodhpur

Jodhpur says ‘Padharo Mahre Des’ to you! Your treat for the day is none other than the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum with all its lustrous grandeur and regal delightfulness. Umaid Bhawan Palace has been turned into a museum and there is exactly where you would find what Rajasthan is best for... royal charm.

History of the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum

This palace turned museum has been named after its ruler and creator Maharaja Umaid Singh. He ruled Jodhpur from 1929 to 1942. He was very fond of the western architectural styles and thus he wanted to get the palace constructed that Indo-colonial way. The Maharaja appointed an European architect by the name Henry Vaughan Lanchester. This palace is also locally popular as the Chittar Palace because it is constructed with Chittar sandstone. The uniqueness of the construction lies on the fact that there is no concrete binding of the sandstone blocks and instead they have been interlocked with each other horizontally and vertically.

How a Palace Turned into a Heritage Hotel and a Museum

Many palaces and forts of Rajasthan have been kept intact and have been modified exactly the way they are into heritage hotels and museums. This palace has been divided into three portions. One portion has been modified into a heritage hotel by the name Taj Palace Hotel (by the Taj Group of Hotels) in 1972 and the other portion has been turned into a museum and a tourist attraction. The third portion is still a residence of the royal family of Jodhpur. On July 19th, 1991 the museum opened for visitors and it houses some antique furniture, royal crockery and western clocks, trophies awarded by the British to the king for hunting, and model aeroplanes.

When you plan a visit to the Umaid Bhawan Palace then do not miss out the Government Bangur Museum which is at a close proximity. An idol of Mata Sukali brought by the king from Auwa is one of the most priceless possessions of the museum.

Entry Fees and Timings for Visitors

For a visitor who is an Indian national the entry fee is Rs. 15. For foreigners the entry fee is Rs. 50. The Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum remains open for visitors from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Get your bags checked so that you can find out about carrying a still or video camera. Entry into the premises is free for journalists or media people if they can produce a valid identification card of the press.

How to Reach Jodhpur

By Air

Major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Udaipur and Jaipur are all connected with Jodhpur by Indian Airlines.

By Railway

There are two lines that connect Jodhpur with other cities. Via the Marwar route Udaipur is connected to Jodhpur and via the Ahmadabad Barmer route Bikaner, Delhi, Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Mumbai are connected with Jodhpur.

By Roadway

There is daily bus service that connects Jodhpur with major cities of Rajasthan like Bikaner, Ajmer, Nathwada, Udaipur, Jaisalmer and state capital Jaipur. Jodhpur stands at a distance of 240 kilometres from Bikaner, 190 kilometres from Ajmer, 290 kilometres from Jaisalmer and 175 kilometres from Ranakpur.

The Inside Story of the Museum

There is an assortment of stuffed leopards that the Maharajas had hunted and they speak silently of the valour of the erstwhile rulers. Beside those are displayed the hunting trophies that were awarded to the rulers by the British.

Currently the palace is owned jointly by the Rajasthan state government as well as the present Maharaja of Jodhpur Gaj Singh. There is a third part that is run by the Taj Group of Hotels who had modified a portion of the palace as a heritage hotel in the year 1972. There is a special outer gallery in the museum part of the palace where you will see the western automobiles that were used by the royal family of Jodhpur. Everything still looks so royal that for a while you may forget that you are standing there as a tourist. The walls will echo into your ears the moments they have been sole witnesses of and the people they have seen living and dying there. They have been the witnesses of many festivals and tragedies. All will tend to come alive once you take a walk into the museum and there will a different smell in everything you see from a close distance.

Accommodation in the Taj Palace Hotel Adjacent to the Museum

If you want to spend a night with the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, then book an accommodation in the Taj palace Hotel. There are different types of rooms that are available at different types of rates. Live like a king for a night is the concept and it is no less that a royal grandeur you experience. The exotic ethnicity engulfs you and makes you feel that time has pulled you back to a different world.