Tarun Chopra’s coffee table book provides a sneak peek into the architecture, interiors and art of famous palaces in India. He speaks to Divya Kaushik about his experience of shooting the private room of the maharaja at Mysore Palace and luxurious lifestyles of aristocrats
Those interested in history would know that the Mysore Palace originally was a wooden palace that was destroyed in a fire during the wedding ceremony of princess Jayalakshmanni. It was rebuilt in 1897 and the British architect Henry Irwin, who completed the new palace in record time of 15 years, made a conscious effort to use cast iron as the principal material and avoid combustible materials like wood. Those who have had an opportunity to visit the magnificent palace would know that its structure is a combination of fine sculptural style and proportions. Every material has been given an artistic blend, be it stone, marble, wood, ivory, semi-precious stone inlaying or stucco work paintings. Nobody is allowed photography inside the palace and this is one reason why only few fortunate ones have got the glimpse of the interiors. For lensman Tarun Chopra, it was a herculean task to get permission to shoot inside the palace. It took him almost four years to convince the authorities that his purpose to shoot was exclusively for his coffee table book, that was an attempt to chronicle the splendid interiors and magnificent architecture of Indian royal palaces. Not to mention, without Mysore Palace, the book would have been incomplete. “The funny part was that when I finally got the permission and reached the Mysore Palace with my camera and everything else required, I was asked to wait at the office reception. I was triumphant within that finally my hard work bore fruit. But the person who came to receive me at the reception told me that I won’t be allowed to take the camera inside. I was speechless and four-year ordeal to get the permission was running in my mind like a flashback. But fortunately, there was some confusion that was sorted and I was lucky to get permission to even shoot the private room of the maharaja. It was one of the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Jaya Chamarajendra Wodeyar, the last maharaja of the erstwhile native state of Mysore, was a passionate musician and a great composer, both in Indian and Western classical. He was an accomplished performer on the piano as well as the pipe organ. The pipe organ covered the entire wall of his living room,” shared the photographer and an avid traveller, who has come up with the coffee table book, Royal Palaces of India (published by Prakash Books), that introduces you to the most fascinating palaces of India. It is a rich collection of pictures detailing the architecture, the opulent garments and jewellery, and portraits of the timeless maharajas and their royal families.
On why he decided to come up with a book dominated by excellent pictures with precise text, Chopra said that “most books on Indian palaces spoke about one particular thing, like history, food or culture. I thought that there were less books that brought out the beauty of the architecture and interiors of Indian palaces. Since I have been interested in history and was travelling and shooting these palaces, I thought to compile it all to document the beauty of these palaces. These famous palaces exhibit grandeur, showcase a brilliant range of architectural style and artistry, and reflect an elegance of style that could have only been mastered over eons.”
While most books on Indian palaces you come across focus on the palaces of Rajasthan, Tarun’s book maintains a balance. There are palaces from Mysore, Hyderabad, Gwalior, Maheshwar, Kolkata, Baroda and Kapurthala, apart from palaces in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bundi, Udaipur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer. “laxmi Niwas Palace of Baroda is divided into three parts — the public areas, maharaja’s private apartments and zenana, the ladies quarters. The whole building is decorated with both Hindu and European elements. The façade of the palace is stretched to nearly 500 feet which shows five distinct styles of architecture. Although the accent is definitely Hindu, there are subtle influences of Venetia and Gothic architecture. The building is made of Dholpur sandstone with detailing done in marble and black granite. To decorate the palace, choicest materials were used from around the world. Twelve artisans from Murano Company of Venice worked for year and half laying the Venetian mosaic in the Durbar Hall. landscaping of the palace ground was done by experts from Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in london. An Italian artist by the name of Felici made the bronze sculpture of the staircase and Durbar Hall. The Coronation Room has the royal gaddi (seat of power) crowned by golden peacock, which is where the Gaekwads are ceremonisouly crowned,” explained Tarun, giving an example of the information that he has shared through the book.
The palaces of Dungarpur, Juna Mahal (Old Palace) and Udai Bilas Palace, were a revelation to Tarun. “Dungarpur has managed to conserve its seductive medieval charm. It is a delightful hideout seeped in history and tradition. The palaces here are rich with exquisite Rajput architecture and are decorated with wall paintings, mirror inlay and stone carvings,” informed Tarun.
After completing the extensive book, Tarun is working next on the evolution of Hindu temple architecture. “I am visiting major temple sites in the country to dig the history and facts about architecture of the Hindu temples,” said Tarun.