Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Vadodara. The two Prime Ministers will meet on Monday at the magnificent Durbar Hall of the world-famous Lakshmi Vilas Palace. Prime Minister Modi and the Prime Minister of Spain will also have lunch here. Let us tell you that this meeting is considered historic as it was held for the first time in the Durbar Hall after independence.
This is the first time the two heads of state have met in the Durbar Hall since 1947. This palace in Vadodara is being discussed across the world today, so let us know what is so special about this palace…
Built in 1890, the palace is considered the largest private residence in the world. It is four times larger than Buckingham Palace in London. The palace was built in 1890 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the ruler of Vadodara state. It is believed that 60 lakh rupees were spent on building the palace at that time. It has a large grounds and a golf course. There are also Moti Bagh Cricket Ground, Vadodara Cricket Association office and tennis and badminton courts with special flooring.
This palace was built many years ago and has many facilities such as elevators, telephone exchange, electricity. The palace contains golden gemstones mined from the Songard mines that sparkle in the soft light. There are 170 large and small rooms in the palace, some of which are built with the theme of silver room or powder room.
How grand is the Durbar Hall?
The special attraction of this palace is this Durbar Hall. This Durbar Hall in Lakshmi Vilas Palace is quite grand and covers an area of 5000 square feet. What is special is that there is not a single pillar in this huge Durbar Hall. The workmanship in every corner of the hall is pleasing to the eye, and every accessory has its own story. The workmanship of this hall used gold, ivory and lacquer.
There are four stained glass panels in this hall, which are 14 feet long. These glasses have different pictures of Ram-Krishna, Lord Vishnu and Ram-Sita. These glasses depict Indian mythology. The hall also has Murano flooring, which took 12 craftsmen from Murano, Italy, six months to complete. It also has 5 special chandeliers, some to illuminate the ceiling and some to illuminate the floor. In addition, there is a sandalwood archway inside the hall, and the seating arrangement in the hall is also very special.
According to the Indian Express, the Durbar Hall, a fusion of Western and Indian culture, was designed by architect Major Charles Mount, but Robert Chisholm completed the project after Mount feared that his design was wrong. Great artists throughout history have performed in the hall. Many celebrities from India and abroad have visited this hall.
