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Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Court

Find out more about courtly life in India at the V&A museum. The exhibition will run from the 10th October 2009 to the 17th January 2010.

V&A exhibition

Procession of Raja Ram Singh II of Kota and his sons at Kota c.1850 *V&A images.

This major exhibition will explore the culture of princely India and the world of the Maharajas. It starts in the 18th century in the great age of the maharajas and closes at the end of the Raj in 1947.

On display will be around 250 spectacular and beautiful objects, many on loan from Indian royal collections for the first time, and never before seen in the UK. There are three thrones, a display of an Indian royal procession, complete with model elephant, silver elephant decorations and silver howdah, gem-encrusted weapons, Indian turban jewels, a silver carriage, a Rolls Royce, spectacular paintings, photos by Cecil Beaton and Man Ray, a Louis Vuitton travelling case, and fabulous jewellery commissioned from Cartier and Van & Cleef Arpels in the 1920s.

The exhibition will show the changing role of the Maharaja and how they were great patrons of the arts, commissioning luxury goods in both India and Europe to enhance their status.

Stay in an Indian Palace

City Palace Udaipur Rajasthan has an abundance of lavish palaces that were once home to Maharaja. These residencies are now open to the public in the form of palace hotels.

Each ancestoral home is different, and their unique history is reflected in the style and décor of the buildings. They all make an excellent addition to any itinerary to India.

Here are some of the Audley favourites

Udai Bilas

Since the 13th century, successive Maharajas added new wings to the Udai Bilas Palace to leave an eclectic collection of rooms surrounding a pleasure pavilion decorated with Belgian glass...

Usha Kiran Palace

This former residence of the Maharaja is a 120- year-old heritage retreat built in an Indo-Western style. The Palace is set in serene grounds dotted by water features and whimsical...

Rambagh Palace

Set in 47 acres of Moghul gardens, the palace dates back to 1835, and was originally a small four-room pavilion built for the chief lady in waiting to the Maharani. It has a large...

Samode Haveli

With an enviable location inside the city walls, Samode Haveli was built as the urban townhouse for the Samode Royal family and today has excellent access to the city’s main sights. ...

Ananda

Overlooking the forested foothills of the Himalaya, the Ananda is set in the 100-acre estate belonging to the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal. Just outside Rishikesh, this former palace has been...

Lake Palace Hotel

Set in the centre of the lake, the Lake Palace’s dazzling white shape has been compared to a snowflake and it is instantly recognisable. Although once a summer palace, it has for many years...

Find out more about tailor made trips to India

India

From mighty Himalayan peaks to paradise islands, from teeming colourful cities to sleepy hill stations, the Indian subcontinent has diversity like no other place on Earth.

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