Ranjit Vilas Palace (Wankaner) Explained

Ranjit Vilas Palace is the principal palace and, until 2012, the residence of the royal family of the princely state of Wankaner in what is now the Indian state of Gujarat.[1] [2]

Location

The palace is located atop a hill in the Gadhio Hills and overlooks both the town of Wankaner and the Machchhu River.[3] The palace estate covers an area of and has on its grounds the erstwhile British Residency, several bungalows, a garage housing a collection of vintage cars and buggies and a stable for Kathiawari horses.[4] [5]

History

Construction of the palace began in 1907 and its foundation stone was laid by the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, Ranjitsinhji, after whom the palace is named.[6] Ranjitsinhji was a close friend of the Maharana of Wankaner, Amarsinhji Banesinhji, who is thought to have designed the building.[7] [8] [9] [10] It served as the residence of the royal family of Wankaner until 2012. The building suffered much damage in the Gujarat earthquake of 2001.[11]

Architecture

The palace was designed by the Maharana of Wankaner and is a mix of several styles of architecture including the Venetian-Gothic, Italianate, Mughal and Rajput styles. The three-storeyed building features a Venetian-Gothic façade, carved jharokha balconies which are a feature of Rajput palaces, gothic arches and Doric columns and Franco-Italian windowpanes. There is an Italianate marble fountain in the front garden.[12] [13] The sandstone of which the palace is built was sourced from quarries in Wankaner State.[14] The palace also has a clock tower topped with an onion dome which suffered extensive damage in the 2001 earthquake.

Much of the decor and furnishings of the palace was imported from Europe.[15] Its interiors are richly decorated and feature Italian marble flooring, Burma teak furniture and chandeliers from Murano and Belgium.[16] The walls of the palace are adorned with what is claimed to be the largest collection of hunting trophies in India.[17] [18] An area of the palace was turned into a museum and the palace garage houses a collection of vintage cars.[19] [20] [21] [22]

Recent history

The 2013 Hindi film Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola and Grand Masti was shot at the Ranjit Vilas Palace as was the 2023 film Gaslight.[23] [24] [25] [26] In 2018, thieves broke into the palace and made away with loot worth Rs 3.4 million including silver chairs, a marble gold-plated Victorian clock and a silver replica of the Wankaner House in Mumbai.[27] [28]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ranjit Villas Palace, India . lonelyplanet.com . Lonely Planet . 8 September 2022 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170447/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/wankaner/attractions/ranjit-villas-palace/a/poi-sig/1557648/1341712 . live .
  2. Book: Rupani . Bob . Driving Holidays in India . 2005 . Rupani Media . 187 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163757/https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Driving_Holidays_in_India/ngRuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&dq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&printsec=frontcover . live .
  3. News: Mahurkar . Uday . Maharana Pratapsinh Jhala: The grand old man of Indian royality [sic] celebrates his 100th birthday ]. 8 September 2022 . India Today . 30 April 2007 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170452/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/heritage/story/20070430-maharana-pratapsinh-at-his-100-748814-2007-04-30 . live .
  4. Web site: Royal Oasis Wankaner . gujrattourism . 8 September 2022 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908171056/https://www.gujarattourism.com/saurashtra/morbi/royal-oasis-wankaner.html . live .
  5. News: Ahmed . Saad . The Palatial Wonderland: On the bend of the Machhu river in Wankaner, two palaces take you to a rich royal past . 8 September 2022 . The Indian Express . 27 August 2017 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170446/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/on-the-bend-of-the-machhu-river-in-wankaner-gujarat-two-palaces-take-you-to-a-rich-royal-past-4815227/ . live .
  6. Book: Ranjitsinh . M. K. . A Life with Wildlife: From Princely India to the Present . 10 May 2017 . HarperCollins . 978-93-5264-423-0 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163833/https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/A_Life_with_Wildlife/IGYlDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&pg=PT9&printsec=frontcover . live .
  7. Book: Raulet . Sylvie . Garde . Anne . Maharajas' Palaces: European Style in Imperial India . 1997 . P. Wilson . 978-0-85667-482-2 . 214 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163732/https://books.google.com/books?id=X7cyAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Giving+instructions+to+the+Chief+Engineer%22 . live .
  8. Book: Gallagher . John . India: A Photographic Journey . 2006 . Barnes & Noble . 978-0-7607-7335-2 . 139 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163743/https://books.google.com/books?id=M0qR9918LEMC&q=ranjit+vilas+wankaner . live .
  9. Book: Lopez . Annabel . Collaco . Bevinda . The Guide to the Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent . 2004 . Architecture Autonomous . 978-4-88706-141-5 . 295 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163801/https://books.google.com/books?id=ChVQAAAAMAAJ&q=ranjit+vilas+wankaner . live .
  10. News: Mahurkar . Uday . An old maharaja reminisces about Gandhiji and gentleman cricketers . 8 September 2022 . India Today . 9 October 2000 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170447/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/offtrack/story/20001009-an-old-maharaja-reminisces-about-gandhiji-and-gentleman-cricketers-778202-2000-10-09 . live .
  11. News: Ahmed . Saad . The Palatial Wonderland: On the bend of the Machhu river in Wankaner, two palaces take you to a rich royal past . 8 September 2022 . The Indian Express . 27 August 2017 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170446/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/on-the-bend-of-the-machhu-river-in-wankaner-gujarat-two-palaces-take-you-to-a-rich-royal-past-4815227/ . live .
  12. News: Mulchandani . Anil . Royal retreats . 8 September 2022 . India Today . 22 May 2008 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170446/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080602-royal-retreats-736373-2008-05-22 . live .
  13. Book: Blasi . Abigail . Noble . Isabella . Benanav . Michael . Brown . Lindsay . Elliott . Mark . Harding . Paul . Kaminski . Anna . Mahapatra . Anirban . Mayhew . Bradley . Noble . John . Raub . Kevin . Singh . Sarina . Stewart . Iain . Lonely Planet India . 1 October 2017 . Lonely Planet . 978-1-78701-199-1 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163751/https://books.google.com/books?id=yLU7DwAAQBAJ&dq=wankaner+palace+lonely+planet&pg=PT1719 . live .
  14. News: રાજમહેલ:એક સદીથી અમર મિત્રતાનું પ્રતીક એવા વાંકાનેરના 'રણજીત વિલાસ પેલેસ'ને હરિયાળો લિબાસ . 8 September 2022 . Divya Bhaskar . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163756/https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/local/gujarat/morbi/wankaner/news/wankaners-ranjit-vilas-palace-a-symbol-of-immortal-friendship-for-a-century-is-dressed-in-green-127685876.html . live .
  15. Book: McGowan . A. . Crafting the Nation in Colonial India . 20 July 2009 . Springer . 978-0-230-62323-1 . 125 . 8 September 2022 . en.
  16. News: Mulchandani . Anil . Royal retreats . 8 September 2022 . India Today . 22 May 2008 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170446/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080602-royal-retreats-736373-2008-05-22 . live .
  17. News: Ahmed . Saad . The Palatial Wonderland: On the bend of the Machhu river in Wankaner, two palaces take you to a rich royal past . 8 September 2022 . The Indian Express . 27 August 2017 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170446/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/on-the-bend-of-the-machhu-river-in-wankaner-gujarat-two-palaces-take-you-to-a-rich-royal-past-4815227/ . live .
  18. Book: Guides . Rough . The Rough Guide to India (Travel Guide eBook) . 3 October 2016 . Rough Guides UK . 978-0-241-29539-7 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163758/https://books.google.com/books?id=aL_kDAAAQBAJ&dq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&pg=PT839 . live .
  19. Book: Kinch . Laura . Sawday . Alistair . India . 2006 . Alastair Sawday Publications . 121 . 8 September 2022 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163800/https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/India/_usvAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&dq=ranjit+vilas+palace+wankaner&printsec=frontcover . live .
  20. News: Chaturvedi . Devika . Best getaway options around Gujarat . 8 September 2022 . India Today . 13 March 2012 . en . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170450/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20120326-getaway-travel-options-tips-travel-gujrat-saputara-757719-2012-03-13 . live .
  21. News: રાજમહેલ:એક સદીથી અમર મિત્રતાનું પ્રતીક એવા વાંકાનેરના 'રણજીત વિલાસ પેલેસ'ને હરિયાળો લિબાસ . 8 September 2022 . Divya Bhaskar . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170500/https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/local/gujarat/morbi/wankaner/news/wankaners-ranjit-vilas-palace-a-symbol-of-immortal-friendship-for-a-century-is-dressed-in-green-127685876.html . live .
  22. Web site: Incredible India: Wankaner . incredibleindia.org . 8 September 2022 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908170447/https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/rajkot/wankaner.html . live .
  23. News: 'Gaslight' Was Shot In 36 Days In Gujarat, Reveals Director . 14 June 2023 . Outlook India . 15 March 2023.
  24. News: Vishal Bharadwaj in Wankaner to shoot his new film . 8 September 2022 . The Times of India . 1 March 2012 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908184058/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/vishal-bharadwaj-in-wankaner-to-shoot-his-new-film/articleshow/12101340.cms . live .
  25. Web site: Filming Location Matching "Ranjit Vilas Palace, Wankaner, Rajkot, Gujarat, India" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending) . IMDb . 8 September 2022 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908184103/https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=Ranjit%20Vilas%20Palace,%20Wankaner,%20Rajkot,%20Gujarat,%20India&ref_=tt_dt_loc . live .
  26. News: Greenlighting Gujarat . 8 September 2022 . Verve Magazine . 26 February 2014 . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908184101/https://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/greenlighting-gujarat . live .
  27. News: Thieves break into Ranjit Vilas Palace in Gujarat's Morbi, swipe silverware worth Rs 8 lakh . 8 September 2022 . The Indian Express . 20 July 2018 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163808/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/thieves-break-into-ranjit-vilas-palace-in-gujarats-morbi-swipe-silverware-worth-rs-8-lakh/ . live .
  28. News: પેલેસમાંથી એન્ટિક વસ્તુઓની ચોરી, વાંકાનેરના યુવરાજે જાહેર કર્યું 5 લાખનું ઇનામ . 8 September 2022 . Zee News Gujarati . 22 July 2018 . en . 10 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010163809/https://zeenews.india.com/gujarati/gujarat/antique-thing-stolen-from-wankaner-palace-5-lakh-prize-announces-by-wankaner-yuvraj-13690 . live .

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