Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a brave monarch whose claim to fame lay in the active role he had played during India's tumultuous struggle for independence.
The majestic palace built under the patronage of the late rajah was constructed under the deft supervision of Fakir Azeez-ud-din and Sardars Lehna Singh and Desa Singh Majithia, two former nobles of the Lahore Darbar.
The expenditure incurred in building the magnificent palace with its elegant interiors and sprawling estates came to approximately Rs. 1, 25,000 Nanak Shahis.
The elegant auxiliary edifices surrounding the palace have been converted into popular clubs, and libraries that are the haunts of the aristocracy while the British rehabilitated the landscaped lawns into tennis courts.
The imposing palatial entrance or the Darshani Deori has four two storied towers facing the east, west, north and south, respectively. Tanks and exquisitely carved water fountains with air-conditioning pipes complete the picture of imperial grandeur. The interiors are grand and chic and display some ornate mirror work and artistic masterpieces that recount the former glory of the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Last Updated on 14 January 2011
