The Mobile Palace

Club, Maharani By No Comments

The Mobile Palace/Delhi Pavilion as it was known back in the day, now houses the Maharani Chimnabai Ladies Club. Located besides the Bird Zoo at Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug) this wooden structure was actually commissioned to be Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III‘s residence during the Delhi Durbar of 1911.

Royal Opulence :

Would you like a tent to be booked in your name, Sir ? No thank you, Ham apna ghar sath me leke chalte hai !!! (No thank you, I carry my home with me)

Such would have been the conversation, if someone would have asked Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III about his accommodation plans for the Delhi Durbar, 1911. As the name suggests, the structure was designed to be easily transportable from one place to another. Along with being easily transportable, it was made every bit as royal and luxurious as his palace.

Such was it’s beauty that it is said that the people of Delhi specially went at the place it was assembled, to get the glimpse of it. What made them do so, even more were the little lamps that made it look it’s regal best during the evenings.Mobile Palace (Delhi Pavilion, now the Maharani Chimnabai Ladies Club)

The Structure :

Now majorly modified, the structure is approximately 125 foot long & 50 foot wide. When built it had 1 big room, 2 small rooms, a kitchen and 2 small facility rooms which are still there. An earlier photo of the structure reveals that the structure is much modified now and somewhat used to resemble a Mughal structure. It’s embellishments included pristine white chattris, domes and carved wooden panels which made it a truly royal structure . These chattris and domes were later removed and hut-like roofs were placed on the corners and the main space was covered with pitched roof.

Although it is not known as to how the structure was transported to Delhi, it said that it was a folding tent and was probably assembled after reaching Delhi. Once it’s purpose was fulfilled at Delhi, it was brought back at Baroda. After a few years of which it was converted to a permanent structure by mounting it on a platform.

Chimnabai Ladies Club :

After a visit to Delhi Durbar,  people used this structure as a Club. But after many years, Maharani Shantadevi converted this to a Ladies Club for discussing various topics on women empowerment, education. When started, it had about 35-50 members. Today it is known as the Chimnabai Ladies Club, named after Maharani Chimnabai.

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Although the building is not in a bad condition, it’s glorious past has long been forgotten. There may be rarely anyone knowing that this is the same structure that had captured the imagination of the people of Delhi, who specially went to gawk at it’s beauty.

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Then & Now