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Armour And Chandeliers Museum

The vibrant city of Patiala is the showcase of the cultural extravaganza of Punjab. The art and architecture of the past generations that ruled the land is visible in the forts and palaces dotted across the city. Out of all the beautiful forts, the Qila Mubarak is one of the main landmarks of the city. The complex is a fort cum palace that served as residence to the royalty of Patiala. The Qila Mubarak was built in 1764 and has been elaborately planned and designed. The main fort was built on the orders of Maharaja Ala Singh. The Qila Mubarak finds location in the heart of the city of Patiala.

Located inside the Qila Mubarak Complex the Armour and Chandeliers Museum features a unique and exclusive collection. The Durbar Hall or the Diwan Khana in the complex is the site of the museum. The Durbar Hall was built by Maharaja Karam Singh. The entire complex of the Qila Mubarak is an excellent example of the experienced engineering and architecture of the bygone generation.

The design of the Durbar Hall resembles the Arabic style of architecture. The Armour and Chandeliers Museum is located in one part of the Durbar Hall. It attracts several visitors every year because of its prestigious and unique collection. The building was built for public use and hosting special meetings, occasions and functions. The entry to the museum is based on tickets and it remains open from Tuesday to Sunday. The Armour and Chandeliers Museum in Patiala is a must visit attraction for anyone planning a visit to the city.

History of Armour and Chandeliers Museum

Maharaja Karam Singh who built the Durbar Hall in the Qila Mubarak was the ruler of the Sikh Kingdom of Patiala from 1813 to 1845. He was the 4th Maharaja of Patiala and was the descendent of Raja Sahib Singh. He is known to have built several Gurudwaras at historical sites including the one in the Qila Mubarak Complex.

He was an appreciator of art and architecture and was the man behind the construction of the Durbar Hall in the Qila Mubarak Complex. The beautiful design and architecture inside the Durbar hall is noteworthy. Especially the wooden framework on the ceiling that supports the beautiful tiles is worth seeing. The ceiling holds tiles made of Plaster of Paris and the tiles showcase beautiful Arabic style designs and motifs. The façade of the building is designed in a way that it gives the impression of a double-storeyed building.

Back in the time, the Durbar Hall was decked with crystal furniture and decorations. Most of the furniture in the Durbar Hall dated to the times of Maharaja Narinder Singh, the son of Maharaja Karam Singh. The furniture was bought from a store in Kolkata that was owned by a European named Lazarus. The Maharaja was modestly dressed along with an aide and kept asking the shop owner about the worth of every item in the shop. The show owner unaware of the identity of the Maharaja spoke to him rudely which irked the royal who in the spur of the moment ordered his aide to buy all the content in the shop and pay the owner in cash. There are also several pieces of art bought during various visits to Europe. Many of the pieces remained unopened even till the 1940’s. Visitors to the Durbar Hall can till date see the lavishness of that era in the exhibits that are on display.

Attractions of Armour and Chandeliers Museum

The Armour and Chandeliers Museum features a huge collection of rare and historic weapons and armours. The collection is famous for having the daggers used by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the sword used by Nadir Shah. The sword is also popular as the ‘Shikhar Gah’. There is also a display of antique cannons, maces, shields and swords inside the museum.

The museum is said to hold one of the finest collections of chandeliers in the world. The chandelier gallery in the museum has all types of chandeliers from Europe and different parts of the world. The collection is worth seeing. There are several tree-like chandeliers displayed in the gallery. These chandeliers have been crafted from Bohemian cut-glass and emanate beautiful prism-like light. The gallery also features painted portraits of the British royals and also the royalty of Patiala.

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