There are numerous interesting buildings in Patiala, which has a clean, well-maintained appearance and beautiful gardens. The Old Motibagh Palace of late 19th century is one of the largest residencies in Asia. It is a vast rambling building situated in the middle of manicured lawns and tree-lined scenes. The central block is edged by enormously long wings, which seem to last for ever but are actually symmetrical around the central axis. Architecturally, it is a miscellaneous Victorian mixture of Rajput and Mughal styles, all in rose-pink sandstone, a spectacular setting for a maharaja whose lavish lifestyle and reputation for self-indulgent eccentricity enlivened the social scene in the early 20th century. The Durbar Hall has over 100 chandeliers. There are fifteen dining-rooms and a vast central saloon that was once furnished with English chairs and sofas and signed portraits of European dignitaries. It has been converted into a museum now and the adjacent new Motibagh Palace has now become NIS, Patiala or National Institute for Sports, Patiala. The New Motibagh Palace was built in 1959 and by comparison, it is a more modest affair, with a plain arcaded facade crowned by a plain cupola. It accommodates many of the furnishings and family mementos from the Old Palace. Moreover, there are a number of outbuildings that include the Sheesh Mahal or Hall of Mirrors, for senior ladies of the family, and the Baradari, a smaller white marble pleasure pavilion in a walled Mughal garden. Other sites of interest in Patiala comprise the King Edward Memorial Hospital, the Clinical Research Laboratory, the Fort Museum and the Temple of Mahakali and Rajeswari. Patiala with its historical monuments is aptly regarded as the city of rich tradition and royal heritage of northern India. |