The ‘Houses’ of Delhi – Princely Embassies in an Imperial Capital
Sunday, May 29, 2022
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
SUBSCRIBE
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • RSS in News
  • Subscribe
Home Bharat

The ‘Houses’ of Delhi – Princely Embassies in an Imperial Capital

WEB DESK by WEB DESK
Oct 17, 2021, 10:36 am IST
in Bharat
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterTelegramEmail

This article is a compilation of tweets posted by Indian diplomat Amit Narang. In a series of tweets, he talks about the history of Delhi’s Baroda House, Patiala House, Bikaner House, Hyderabad House, etc.,  the royal buildings which are now converted to art centres, courts & government offices.

In his thread he writes:
Visitors to Delhi are familiar with the ubiquitous ‘Houses’ – Hyderabad House, Patiala House etc. But most are unfamiliar with their history. Who built them & why?

The more famous of the ‘Houses’ are those perched around the India Gate – Hyderabad, Baroda, Patiala, Jaipur and Bikaner. There are several others dotting the leafy roads of Lutyens Delhi – Dholpur and Mandi to name a few.

As the names would suggest to any reader of history, these Houses represented the ‘Provinces’ or more accurately the ‘Princely States’ that existed pre-independence. In reality, these were the ‘Embassies’ of princely states at the British imperial Capital at New Delhi.

In 1911, British decided to shift capital from Calcutta to New Delhi. In later years, plots were allotted to princely states around the Viceroy House, de facto Embassies to embellish the imperial Capital. Total 34 plots; location & size approx. to the status of resp States. Most Princely Houses were built between 1920 and 1940. Some were never built, some were built but never used. Close to and post-independence, most were re-appropriated by the Govt and now serve different purposes. 

Hyderabad House
The most stately of them all, the HH was designed by Lutyens for the Nizam and has been featured in movies such as Gandhi and Sangam. Graceful on Ashoka Road on India Gate, it is today owned by Ministery of External Affairs  and used for State functions of the Prime Minister. 

Baroda House
Also designed by Lutyens for Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda, this mansion is simpler in style but equally graceful. It stands on the India Gate circle on Kasturba Gandhi road and today houses the office of Northern Railways. 

Patiala House
Built by Maharajas Bhupinder (of the Patiala Necklace fame) & Yadvindra Singh, this building served for some time as the office of the World Health Organization, was the venue for the historic meeting that led to the 1st Asian Games, and today hosts the noisy Delhi District Court.

Jaipur House
Given to Jaipur state on gratis basis in exchange for land that was acquired to build Lutyens Delhi. Designed by Blomfield brothers, today it houses the National Gallery for Modern Art.

Bikaner House
Built for the Royal House of Bikaner by Charles Blomfield, this was the site for many meetings of Chamber of Princes pre-Independence. Today known more for Rajasthan Tourism office and buses leaving for that state.

Dholpur House
On Shahjahan Road, now famously the home of the UPSC. 

Bahawalpur House
On Bhagwan Das Road, home to the first US Embassy in Delhi. Now hosts the National School of Drama.

Cochin House
Initially the residence of Sardar Sobha Singh, it hosted the ILO when it first started operations in India. Presently under the Kerala Govt.

Darbhanga House
On Mansingh Road, it today houses the offices of MHA.

Faridkot House
On Copernicus Marg, it briefly hosted Canada High Commission. Today the seat of the NGT.

Mandi House
One of the more famous Delhi landmarks, this palace does not exist anymore & is today the site of Doordarshan, India’s national TV.

Jind House
This estate served as the first Chinese Embassy in India and is now part of Punjab Bhavan.

Kashmir House
The State of then Kashmir was among the ‘21-gun status’ states that did not get a place on India Gate. Today it hosts offices of MOD.

Travancore House
Also called Hathiwali Kothi, located on KG Marg and was the location of the first Embassy of USSR in Delhi.

Kanika House
Today the residence of the Polish Ambassador, this small site on Tilak Marg was briefly home to BR Ambedkar.

Princely Houses were an inalienable part of the ‘New’ Delhi landscape and were witness to the tumultuous period of the end of the British Empire and birth of the Indian nation. They stand as a bridge between past & present in the architectural landscape of modern Delhi. 

Over several years in Delhi, learning about the ‘Houses’ has been an abiding personal interest. This task has been made easier now with the publication of ‘Princely Palaces in New Delhi’ by Sumanta Bhowmick.  An excellent contribution to the history of this forgotten era.

Most Princely Houses were constructed by Sdr Sobha Singh, father of Khushwant Singh. Contrary to popular imagination, only two were designed by Edwin Lutyens, architect of Delhi.

ShareTweetSendShareSend
Previous News

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal pitches for PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan

Next News

11 NDRF, 2 Army, 2 DSC teams deploy in Kerala for rain, flood rescue

Related News

‘Better connectivity’ will have better results when done with right imagination, says Dr Jaishankar

‘Better connectivity’ will have better results when done with right imagination, says Dr Jaishankar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates world’s first Nano Urea Liquid plant in Gandhinagar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates world’s first Nano Urea Liquid plant in Gandhinagar

India delivers consignment of over 25 tons of medical supplies to Sri Lanka

India delivers consignment of over 25 tons of medical supplies to Sri Lanka

UDAN: New milestone achieved in strengthening aerial connectivity with North-Eastern states of the country

DGCA fines IndiGo Rs 5 lakh for denying boarding to child with special needs

Kerala: Two PFI leaders booked over minor boy’s provocative slogans

Father of minor boy who called for genocide of Hindus and Christians in PFI rally arrested

Karnataka Govt to establish ‘anchor bank’ to facilitate women’s SHG activities

Karnataka CM calls for abiding by High Court’s order after hijab issue resurfaces

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

‘Better connectivity’ will have better results when done with right imagination, says Dr Jaishankar

‘Better connectivity’ will have better results when done with right imagination, says Dr Jaishankar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates world’s first Nano Urea Liquid plant in Gandhinagar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates world’s first Nano Urea Liquid plant in Gandhinagar

India delivers consignment of over 25 tons of medical supplies to Sri Lanka

India delivers consignment of over 25 tons of medical supplies to Sri Lanka

UDAN: New milestone achieved in strengthening aerial connectivity with North-Eastern states of the country

DGCA fines IndiGo Rs 5 lakh for denying boarding to child with special needs

Kerala: Two PFI leaders booked over minor boy’s provocative slogans

Father of minor boy who called for genocide of Hindus and Christians in PFI rally arrested

Karnataka Govt to establish ‘anchor bank’ to facilitate women’s SHG activities

Karnataka CM calls for abiding by High Court’s order after hijab issue resurfaces

In 8 years we made India of Mahatma’s dreams, gave dignity to poor: PM Modi

‘Goal to ensure 100 pc coverage of benefits of schemes’: PM Modi on 8-year of NDA govt

No Hijab in Classrooms, Will Facilitate Admission of Adamant Students in Other Institutes, Says Mangaluru University

No Hijab in Classrooms, Will Facilitate Admission of Adamant Students in Other Institutes, Says Mangaluru University

Assam govt working to make state ‘industrial hub’: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam govt working to make state ‘industrial hub’: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Randeep Hooda Reveals First Look of Swantantra Veer Savarkar movie

Randeep Hooda Reveals First Look of Swantantra Veer Savarkar movie

  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Special Report
  • Sci & Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Books
  • Interviews
  • Travel
  • Health
  • Obituary
  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies