Prince of Jodhpur - Umaid Singh

From Padharo Mhare Desh to Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye, the land of Rajasthan holds thousands of turbans and tiaras. This is the story of Maharaja Umaid Singh, whose birth bought happiness into the city of Jodhpur that had went into the state of depression after the death of his elder brother.

Blue streaks and sun rays enhancing the beauty of Jodhpur; Image Source: eGov Magazine-Elets Technomedia

It was yet another day in Jodhpur. The indigo metropolis was sparkling with soft pink hues of the sky was drenching with peace and majesty. With alleyways confusing the tourists, and rickshaw drivers blowing their horns, Jodhpur was bustling with life. Chai ki tapri was bubbling with discussions, houses were decorated with flowers and scented candles, children were sitting around the old banyan tree listening to dadi maa ki kahaniyaan and priests were chanting mantras in the temple while apply indigo and sandal paste on the walls. Hustles and bustles filled the blue streets, as the ‘Sun City’ was celebrating the birthday of Maharaja Umaid Singh.

117 years ago on this day, the Singh clan rejoiced at the birth of their second son, Umaid Singh. The people of Jodhpur were happy to find a backup plan for the throne. With the elder son of Sardar Singh sitting on the throne, Umaid had little to no chance of wearing that royal turban and Armani suit. But as it is said, a throne always finds its king.

It was the dreadful year of 1918 when a news shook the palace walls. With the death of Maharaja Sumair Singh, the elder brother of Umaid, Jodhpur went into a state of depression. With nobody to sit on the majestic throne, people started fearing the advancements of the Britishers. With chaos and cries cutting through the atmosphere of the city, Umaid came up to take the responsibility.

With power vested in his hands, Umaid took the charge of his people and their safety. In 1922, Umaid served as the aide-de-camp to the Prince of Wales. Till 1923, his granduncle guided him with all the kingly duties that he was expected to fulfil. Formally completing his training under his uncle, he went on to receive the title of Maharaja from Lord Reading.

Though Umaid sat on the throne at the tender age of 15, the developments that took place during his reign were quite awe-inspiring. Starting from the reformation and reorganisation of the Jodhpur State Forces and judicial department to introducing a new system of primary education, from revising the land revenues and providing pensions to provident funds for employees, his ideas for development were a perfect amalgamation of modern and traditional.

One of his most majestic contributions dates back to 1929 when the foundational brick of the world’s best hotel called Umaid Bhawan was laid. This palace was no less than a marvel with an interesting anecdote surrounding its royal walls.

Long long ago, a saint cursed that as soon as the Rathore dynasty’s rule would come to an end, a severe drought would destroy the lands of Jodhpur. True to his words, after the 50-year reign of Pratap Singh, a severe drought and famine hit Jodhpur in the 1920s for three consecutive years.

It was during this time when the subjects ran to their king for help. Deciding to help his people with their depreciating financial conditions, Singh decided to build a lavish palace. Not only did this palace become one the most luxurious palaces in the world, but at the same time, it also saved the farmers by giving them a source of employment. Assigning the task of designing the entire palace to Henry Vaughan Lanchester, Umaid took up the challenge of creating a marvelous structure that needed around 11 million rupees and 3,000 workers for its construction.

An epitome of the perfect blend of western technology and Indian architectural styles, this palace is now considered one of the largest royal residences in the world. With 26-acres of sprawling beauty, the palace was earlier known by the name of Chittar Palace due to the use of stones brought from Chittar Hill.

Screaming of class, elegance, and royalty, this hotel is famous for some of the best Bollywood celebrations. This hotel came into the limelight when Nita Ambani decided to celebrate her 50th birthday at this venue.

Yet again, the famous Christian-Indian wedding of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas brought the palace to life. Paying a whopping amount for their wedding and planning their every ritual on the grounds of Umaid Bhawan, they gave goals for the perfect destination wedding in India.

Leaving behind his legacy of a beautiful palace and even prettier Jodhpur, Umaid left his royal throne forever on 9 June 1947. A reign of 29 years and an age of 43, Umaid’s life was much more than these graceful days of yore.

Even today, the lively pathways and serene yards miss those days when the royal chariot of Umaid Singh passed through the roads with people surrounding the nearby areas to have a glimpse of their Maharaja.