Vijay Vilas Palace
Encyclopedia
Vijay Vilas Palace is the famous one time summer palace of Rajas of Kutch
located on sea-beach of Mandvi
in Kutch, Gujarat, India.
Shri Vijayaraji
and is therefore, named after him as Vijay Vilas Palace. The construction of palace started in year in 1920 and was completed in year 1929. The palace is built with red sandstone
. It has all the elements of Rajput
architecture and draws largely on the plan of palaces of Orchha
and Datia
. The central high dome on the pillars, the Bengal
domes on the sides, the windows with colored glass, carved stone 'jalis', domed bastions at the corners, extended porch and other exquisitely stone-carved elements, make the palace worth visiting. The palace is set in the middle of well-laid gardens with water channels and marble fountains. The carved stone works of Jali
s,Jharokas
, Chhatri
s, Chhaja
s, mural
s and many other artistic stone carvings, colored glass work
on windows and door panels all have been done by the architect and craftsman from places like Jaipur
, Rajasthan
, Bengal
and Saurashtra, and local Kutchi
artisan community, the Mistris of Kutch. The mixture and mingling of architect and style of different regions of India, as such, can be distinctly seen in design & architect of the Vijay Vilas Palace.The balcony at the top affords a superb view of the surrounding area. The tiny intricate windows gives one feeling to be out in open, through which cool sea wind passes out.
The campus also houses a Chhatri
of Vijayaraji
, who died in 1948, to whom this palace was very dear.
film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
was done at this palace.
The royal family of Princely State of Cutch now reside permanently in the palace, who earlier used it only as a summer resort. It was after the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake
in which their other palace at Bhuj
- the Prag Mahal
got destroyed, they moved in to Vijay Vilas Palace. The Palace also houses a museum.
Jadeja
Jadeja belong to the Yaduvanshi rajputs or Chandravanshi rajputs. They are one of the 36 royal dynasties of old tracing their origins to Lord Krishna...
located on sea-beach of Mandvi
Mandvi
Mandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
in Kutch, Gujarat, India.
History
The palace was built during reign of Maharao Shri Khengarji III as summer resort for his son & successor, the YuvrajYuvraj
Yuvraj, Yuvaraja, or Yuvaraj is an Indian title for "Crown Prince", i.e., heir apparent to the throne of an Indian Princely State or former Hindu kingdom ruling the India before Indian independence...
Shri Vijayaraji
Vijayaraji
H.H. Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Sri Vijayaraji Khengarji Sawai Bahadur was the ruling Maharao of the princely state of Kutch from 1942 to his death in 1948....
and is therefore, named after him as Vijay Vilas Palace. The construction of palace started in year in 1920 and was completed in year 1929. The palace is built with red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It has all the elements of Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
architecture and draws largely on the plan of palaces of Orchha
Orchha
Orchha is a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh state, India. The town was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state of central India, in the Bundelkhand region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River , 80 km from Tikamgarh &...
and Datia
Datia
Datia is a small rural town and a municipality in Datia district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative center of Datia District. It was formerly the seat of the eponymous princely state in the British Raj. Datia is situated near Gwalior and on the border with Uttar...
. The central high dome on the pillars, the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
domes on the sides, the windows with colored glass, carved stone 'jalis', domed bastions at the corners, extended porch and other exquisitely stone-carved elements, make the palace worth visiting. The palace is set in the middle of well-laid gardens with water channels and marble fountains. The carved stone works of Jali
Jali
A jali is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy and geometry. Early work was performed by carving into stone, while the later more elegant used by the Mughals employed the technique of inlay, using marble...
s,Jharokas
Jharokha
A jharokha is a type of overhanging enclosed balcony used in Indian architecture, typically Mughal architecture and Rajasthani architecture. Jharokhas jutting forward from the wall plane could be used both for adding to the architectural beauty of the building itself or for a specific purpose...
, Chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
s, Chhaja
Chhajja
A chhajja is the projecting or overhanging eaves or cover of a roof, usually supported on large carved brackets. It was used extensively by Hindus for thousands of years, and then more recently borrowed by the invading Muslim empires into the common vocabulary of “Mughal Architecture."It forms...
s, mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s and many other artistic stone carvings, colored glass work
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
on windows and door panels all have been done by the architect and craftsman from places like Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Saurashtra, and local Kutchi
Kutchi people
The Kutchi people traditionally reside in the Kutch region of the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat and in the Sindh province of Pakistan...
artisan community, the Mistris of Kutch. The mixture and mingling of architect and style of different regions of India, as such, can be distinctly seen in design & architect of the Vijay Vilas Palace.The balcony at the top affords a superb view of the surrounding area. The tiny intricate windows gives one feeling to be out in open, through which cool sea wind passes out.
The campus also houses a Chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
of Vijayaraji
Vijayaraji
H.H. Maharajadhiraj Mirza Maharao Sri Vijayaraji Khengarji Sawai Bahadur was the ruling Maharao of the princely state of Kutch from 1942 to his death in 1948....
, who died in 1948, to whom this palace was very dear.
Present Status
The Vijay Vilas Palace has its own private beach which offers air-conditioned tented accommodation. Being private with conditional access it is a must visit for all beach lovers who want to enjoy their solitude and admire its Eco-friendly pristine beauty. The palace has been used as the set in many Hindi films and has now become a popular tourist destination. The shooting of many scenes and song of hit BollywoodBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
The music was composed by Ismail Darbar with lyrics by Mehboob. It received nine Filmfare Awards nominations in the music and singing categories and produced some winners as well.-Track listing:-2000 National Awards:* Best Music Direction - Ismail Darbar...
was done at this palace.
The royal family of Princely State of Cutch now reside permanently in the palace, who earlier used it only as a summer resort. It was after the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake
2001 Gujarat earthquake
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on January 26, 2001, India's 52nd Republic Day, at 08:46 AM local time and lasted for over two minutes. The epicentre was about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat, India...
in which their other palace at Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
- the Prag Mahal
Prag Mahal
The Prag Mahal is a 19th-century palace located next to the Aina Mahal in Bhuj, Gujarat, India. It was commissioned by Rao Pragmalji II, and construction began in 1865. It was designed by Colonel Henry Saint Wilkins in the Italian Gothic style, and many Italian artisans were involved in its...
got destroyed, they moved in to Vijay Vilas Palace. The Palace also houses a museum.