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One
of the most impressive
palaces constructed during
the last half of the nineteenth
century, the Lallgarh
Place defies the bleak
and rugged reality of
the harsh Thar Desert
around Bikaner.
The renowned architect,
Sir Swinton Jacob, was
commissioned for the proposed
residence of the young
ruler, Maharaja Ganga
Singh. Initially, the
palace was proposed to
be finished within a lakh
of rupees and further
reductions in cost were
suggested to be made by
substituting stucco for
carved stone.
But the moment Maharaja
Ganga Singh got personally
involved in the building
exercise, all cost cutting
was banished. The Palace
began in 1896 and by the
time the first quadrant,
Lakshmi Niwas was completed
in 1902, cost had already
zoomed to ten lakh rupees.
The idea of using cheap
stucco was replaced with
the finest and most intricate
stone carving of all the
modern palaces in India.
The princely abode welcomed
Lord Curzon as its first
important guest. Maharaja
Ganga Singh named his
new residence in honour
of his father, Maharaja
Lall Singh. Lallgarh Palace
was the most completely
integrated example of
Indo-Saracenic architecture,
and as some hold, the
most perfectly realised
of Sir Samuel Jacob's
creations. The sheer poetry
in sandstone was further
extended for the Maharaja's
son, Sadul Singh, and
grandson, Karni Singh. |
