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In view of the wishes expressed by
Maharaja Ganga Singhji during his
reign, the Regency Council in
 the
last year of its regime in 1897
AD took in hand
construction of a new palace.
Sir Swinton designed the Laxmi
Niwas Palace which was constructed in a period
of four years and completed in 1902
A.D. It's marble courtyards,
magnificent halls,
anterooms, colonnaded corridors,
canopied balconies adorned
with intricate filigree and
lattice work in stone and
wood with aesthetically
designed interior decoration of frescos and mural paintings in gold
and exquisite lacquers
were all executed by the
hereditary
craftsmen of Bikaner under
the watchful eye of
the young Maharaja who
took keen interest
in
the finalisation of motifs and designs as well as execution
of work at all stages of
construction. Even
today, decades
after the end of the "Raj", it evokes a
feeling of awe and
reverence, and provides
guests with a unique
opportunity to relive the
enchanted days of
the Raj era.
Set amidst vast
lush green lawns,
lily ponds and fountains the Laxmi
Niwas Palace is a dream carved
out of
red sandstone. The first view of the
Palace from the Clock Tower Gate
confirms that this is no ordinary palace,
Laxmi Niwas Palace is the
culmination of a tradition
of excellence, which
stretches back to
antiquity.
The touch of royalty is instantly
apparent as you step in the red sandstone
portico. It was designed to welcome Emperors, Kings and Viceroys.
No expense was spared to make the
first step into Laxmi Niwas
Palace a
truly memorable experience.
A short flight of marble stairs takes
you to the reception. This beautifully
carved red sandstone and marble room
extends to you a warm welcome and
prepares you for the wonders that are
in store for you.
You are then taken for a welcome
drink to the lobby. This huge exquisitely
carved hall with sandstone arches
was once the state drawing room.
Luxuriously appointed Victorian
rooms cater to every comfort. The
Royal guests were welcomed in this
very manner in the days of yore.
The Trophy Bar serves a wide range
of
drinks and a variety of cocktails.
Decorated with trophies from the
hunting expedition of the kings and this bar
is an ideal retreat for enjoying
your
drinks.
The Audience Room was the private
room of Maharaja Ganga Singhji. The
green and gold theme wall painting
with a carved and gilded wooden ceiling
was designed to provide an ambience
conducive to serious thinking.
Today it is the conference hall of
Laxmi Niwas Palace. Equipped
with all
major facilities it provides the perfect
backdrop for an unforgettable conferences.
A luxurious multi cuisine
restaurant, the Swarna Mahal is located in the private
dining hall of the Royal family Decorated with pure
gold wall paintings, the
Swarna Mahal is literally a
"golden room" with an
ambience that transports
you to fairy tale world of
beautiful princess and
chivalrous princes.
Hari Mahal is located in the
study
room of Maharaja Ganga Singhji. This
24-hour coffee shop serves delicacies
from around the globe.
Most of the rooms are decorated lavishly
using pure gold wall paintings
and have painted or carved wood ceilings.
These rooms have now been refurnished
keeping in mind their original
decor. All modern facilities,
including air
conditioning, have been
installed.
The rooms of Laxmi Niwas
Palace have witnessed history
being made. During the days of
the Raj they hosted the high
and mighty. Even today they
retain their unique flavour and
provide guests with an unforgettable
experience. The rooms are
provided with all the basic
amenities required by the modern
traveller. All modern amenities,
including air conditioning,
running hot and cold
water, refrigerators, televisions, telephones etc. were
provided without disturbing the
original look of
the rooms.
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