Lalgarh Palace
About Lalgarh Palace
Far From City: 3 kms from city center
Cost:
About Lalgarh Palace
Weather:
Time Required:1-2 days
Open Time:10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Closed on Sunday)
Cost:Visitor Entry Fee: INR 20
Stay at the Heritage Hotel- Lalgarh Heritage Hotel: INR 7000 to INR 16000Lakshmi Niwas Heritage Hotel: INR 8000 to INR 35000
History of Lalgarh Palace
The Lalgarh Palace was built in between 1902 and 1926 for Maharaja Ganga Singh who ascended the throne when he was seven years old in 1887. Maharaja Ganga Singh ruled Bikaner and brought about numerous changes that put Bikaner on the list of progressive states in India. The transformation was massive, and it was considered that Junagarh Fort was too medieval for a youthful and modern prince like him. Hence, the decision to build Lalgarh was taken for this new contemporary King of Bikaner.
In 1972, Maharaja Karni Singh upon being deeply concerned about the preservation of the historic estate started the Maharaja Gangaji Trust to be able to preserve the monument. As a result of this, two wings of the palace were transferred into the trust and were later on opened as Heritage and Luxury Hotels for tourists in 1974. The Hotel is now owned and run by his daughter Princess Rajyashree Singh. It is among the best architectural marvels of Bikaner. The place was first planned to be built for INR 1,00,000, but the price winged to 1 million due to the use of the most exquisite materials and finely carved stonework.
Architecture of Lalgarh Palace
The Lalgarh Palace was designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob who was a British Architect. The construction of the palace commenced in 1896, after a ritual ceremony and it was built in stages with the luxury wings being constructed between 1902 and 1926. The initial budget for the palace was INR 100,000, and it was planned that the structure would be built with inexpensive material to bring about cost cutting; however, it was later decided that only the best material will be used for the construction. The cost then increased to a whopping one million rupees.
The palace is adorned with red sandstone quarried from the Thar Desert and stands three storeys tall in the extensive property. It consists of Drawing Rooms, Grand Hallways, Luxurious Halls and Royal Lounges. For the guests who choose to stay at the palace, they can choose to fine dine in one of the numerous dining rooms and stay in one of the lavish guest suites. The place has majestic sandstone pillars with intriguing features and intricate carvings. The library in the Palace is considered the fourth largest libraries in the entire world. Most of the rooms have sophisticated fireplaces and tall ceilings with warm lights.
The colonnades, intricate latticework, and filigree are inspired by traditional Italian architecture which makes the palace a perfect example of Hindu-Gothic or Indo-Saracenic architecture. The third wing, known as the Karni Niwas houses an indoor swimming pool and the Darbar Hall that was used by the Maharaja for official and unofficial meetings and addressing ceremonies. The Museum maintained at the palace displays artefacts from the bygone time and gives a sneak peek into the Maharaja's imperial lifestyle.
Lalgarh Palace Heritage Hotel
Under the Maharaja Gangaji Trust created by Maharaja Karni Singh, two wings of the palace were opened as Heritage Hotels. These hotels are The Lalgarh Palace Heritage Hotel and the Lakshmi Niwas Heritage Hotel.
The Lalgarh Palace Heritage Hotel
The Lalgarh Heritage Hotel comprises of 59 luxurious rooms. These rooms are decorated with vintage furnishings and also provide new age amenities and facilities like free Wi-Fi, Air conditioning, and travel desk, Doctor on call, room service, conference rooms, Business Centre, Mini Bar, Billiards room etc. for tourists coming from all over the world. The outdoors of the Palace consists of well maintained lush green gardens with bougainvillaea and rose shrubs which are often visited by peacocks. The hotel staff can arrange for sightseeing and Camel Safaris. Other than that the hotel also has an in-house swimming pool and a massage parlour for the tired tourists. Arrangements for bonfire can be made by the open air dining area, or dinner can be arranged on the dunes too.
Check-in Time - 12:00 PMCheck-out Time - 12:00 PM
The Lakshmi Niwas Heritage Hotel
The Lakshmi Niwas Heritage Hotel functions in the main wing of the splendid Lalgarh Palace. The rooms of the hotel bear the glories of the by-gone era of the Maharaja's and it is said that the management took references from old photographs to re-create the regal ambience for their guests. Modern amenities and facilities are also provided to the guests to make their stay worthwhile.Guests can indulge in activities like reading, swimming, table tennis, badminton or billiards before they head to the bar for a drink. The staff also arranged frequent traditional performances that include the traditional Rajasthani dance, acrobatics, Music etc. The Swarna Mahal and Hari Mahal Restaurants are sure to satisfy your quest for Rajasthani Cuisine. The Hotel also makes arrangements for Weddings, Receptions, Conferences and Shootings for movies and tele-series.
Check-in Time - 12:00 PMCheck-out Time - 12:00 PM
Best time to visit Lalgarh Palace
The best time to visit Lalgarh Palace is between October and February as its winter in Rajasthan and the weather is quite pleasant.
How to Reach Lalgarh Palace
One can avail public transport from any location in Bikaner or from the bustling Bikaner Junction.The Lalgarh Junction is barely 3 kilometres away from the Palace. One can avail public transport from there as well.
Top Tourist Places in Bikaner
Karni Mata Temple
Kote Gate
Rampuriya Haveli
Lalgarh Palace
Station Road
National Reserch Centre On Camel
All Tourist Places in Bikaner
Tips
1. Ensure you do not litter the estate.2. Photography is not allowed in certain areas of the estate.3. Drink enough water and carry a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated as you explore the site.4. Wear sunscreen and cap if required while exploring the outdoors.
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