Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Rambagh Palace
Place Amidst The Royal Garden
The garden in which the Palace lies was earlier known as Kesar Badaran ka
Bagh or the Garden of Kesar Badaran. The garden lay just outside the city walls
and belonged to Kesar Badaran, the chief maid of Chandravatji and the governess
of her son Sawai Ram Singh. Ram Singh's father, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh III
died in 1835 under mysterious circumstances at the age of 16 when his son and
heir was only 15 months old. According to the Rajput court laws the prince
wasn't allowed to leave the zenana or the women's quarters. He would be
permitted to go out of female influence only when he came of age. This became a
problem for the East India Company who couldn't control the mind of the young
prince. Later, the Rajput elders decided that the zenana wasn't an appropriate
environment for the prince to be brought up. The British suggested that the
prince should have a palace built for him away from the dominance of the zenana.
Ram Singh was often made to visit the garden of Kesar Badaran and this was where
the first structures - an enclosure and a four-room pavilion - came up on the
grounds of the garden.
The Royal Construction Begins
When Kesar died without an heir the garden automatically became the property
of the state and Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II (1835-1880) became the owner. The
garden came to be known as Ram Bagh and became the favourite retreat of the
maharaja. It was used as a hunting lodge, a rest house and as an official
guesthouse. Ram Singh's son Madho Singh (1880-1922) added more rooms in 1887 to
accommodate his guests and turned the Ram Bagh into a lavish 26-room manor. The
mansion was further expanded to the plans of Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, the Chief
Engineer and Director of Public Works Department from 1867 to 1902. The
extension of the building included 10 additional bedroom suites, a dining room
and a reading room along with one reception in each of the palace's three wings
and verandahs. Ram Bagh was extravagantly decorated with hand carved marble
jalis (latticework in the windows), sandstone balustrades, cupolas and chattris
(cenotaphs). A squash court, a tennis court, indoor swimming pool complete with
trapeze and a polo field were also added to the palace.
The Royal Layout of The Palace
Sawai Man Singh died in 1922 and left the State of Jaipur to his 11 year old
adopted son Sawai Man Singh II. History again repeated itself and Sawai Man
Singh's guardian, Sir James Roberts decided that the prince must be given a
proper education away from the zenana. A month after the Maharaja's death Sir
James converted Ram Bagh Palace into a school for the growing prince.
and eventually just like Ram Singh, Man Singh developed a fondness for the
place. Even before he attained majority, Man Singh declared Ram Bagh as his
official residence and on 20 January 1925, the garden-cum-manor-cum-guest
house-cum school became a royal palace. Sumptuous amount of money were spent on
the palace to convert it into a befitting residence of the maharaja. The
interiors were furnished by Hammonds of London that included a magnificent red
and gold Chinese room, chandeliers, crystal, fountains, and illuminated dining
tables all of Lalique. The palace gardens were once feature in Peter Coat's the
Most Beautiful Gardens of the World. It is also the only residence in the world
that has a polo field attached to it.
Rambagh Palace Hotel in Jaipur Rajasthan Ram Bagh Palace converted into
Residence of Rajpramukh.
After Independence the state of Jaipur was merged with Jodhpur, Jaisalmer,
and Bikaner to become the Greater Rajasthan Union in 1949. As the ruler of the
largest, richest, and most powerful of Rajput states, Man Singh was honoured
with the title of Rajpramukh or Head of State of the Union for life, with Jaipur
as the capital. Ram Bagh Palace thus became the official government residence of
the Rajpramukh.
Palace Converted into Luxurious Hotel
However, in 1956 his office was suddenly terminated and in order to reduce
expenses due to the loss of wealth and privilege, Man Singh decided to convert
his beloved home into the state's first luxury hotel. and on 8 December 1957 the
Ram Bagh Palace Hotel was formally opened and the Maharaja of Jaipur became the
first active princely hotelier in India. The palace was later expanded from 26
rooms to 80 in 1968, and in 1972 the Taj Group of Hotels took over its
management. The most expensive rooms in the palace hotel are the Maharaja Suite,
the Maharani Suite and the Mountbatten Suite and are always in demand by the
foreign tourists. The hotel has also retained the original dining room, Suvarna
Mahal, built in the 18th century French style and has huge crystal chandeliers.
The Polo Bar still has on display some of the trophies and memorabilia of the
Jaipur polo team at its counter.
