Читать книгу Asia's Legendary Hotels - William Warren - Страница 10

Some twenty-five years before the celebrated Gateway of India was erected on a spit of land called Apollo Bunder at the port of Bombay (now known as Mumbai), the first monument of the subcontinent that greeted arriving visitors by sea was the even more celebrated Taj Mahal Hotel.

This imposing structure, five stories tall and adorned with a huge glittering central dome as well as several smaller ones, had opened in 1903 and from that moment became what author Jan Morris called a synonym for the “quintessence of imperial amplitude.”

The Taj was the ultimate achievement of one Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the father of a Parsee dynasty who made his first fortune in the cotton trade and later branched out into mills, hydroelectric works, a shipping line and numerous other businesses. According to one story, Jamsetji took a foreign friend for dinner at a local hotel in the closing years of the 19th century and was denied entry simply because he was not European, a sadly familiar occurrence in those days when the British concept of racial superiority was at its zenith. Jamsetji, however, was in a position to respond: he decided to build a hotel so palatial Europeans would be attracted to it, but open it to Indians and people of all races.

Jamsetji went about the task with characteristic dedication. Two Indian architects, Sitaram Khanderao Vaidya and D.N. Mirza, drew up the original design and when Vaidya died, an English architect of radical persuasion,W. A. Chambers, took over the job. In 1898, foundations 40 feet (12 meters) deep were laid on two and a quarter acres (one hectare) of reclaimed land and on this rose a massive building flanked by two wings, creating space for a large courtyard. (Contrary to some reports, the U-shaped structure did not face the wrong way; the courtyard was created to trap late afternoon breezes, which blew not from the ocean but from a back bay and its position also ensured that most guests could enjoy rooms overlooking the sea.)

While the hotel was under construction, Jamsetji went to London, Dusseldorf, Berlin and Paris to select the furnishings, paying careful attention to every detail, from fabrics to lighting fixtures. In Paris he attended the opening of the Eiffel Tower and was inspired to order ten pillars of spun iron, which would hold up the ballroom of the Taj. Writing to his son Dorab about the decorations he commented: “In this matter, there is no science of taste established, though it is possible at some remote time such a universal agreement may be brought about. But taste in this matter keeps so constantly varying that often fashions change every few years; and what goes out now, may come back. Under the circumstances, we must try to do what we think our customers would like.”

Jamsetji died in 1904, but he had already seen the opening of his remarkable creation and the excitement it had stirred. Everything about the Taj, from its theatrical blend of architectural styles (Rajput and Gujerati, Florentine, Edwardian and Moorish) to its splendid atrium-style central stairwell and overall sense of space, was designed to impress; and this it most certainly did. As one visiting journalist wrote in 1905: “The Taj Hotel is on such a scale of magnificence and luxury that at first it rather took one’s breath away.”

It was the first commercial building in Bombay to be electrified, with its own power plant serving not only the rooms but also four lifts, a laundry and a Turkish bath. In addition, a gas-operated ice machine provided refrigeration and helped cool the suites. (It would later have Bombay’s first licensed bar, its first restaurant to stay open all day, and its first discotheque.)

The hotel at once became Bombay’s unrivaled social and political center. Banquets were held there twice for King George V and Queen Mary, once in 1905 before he was crowned and again in 1911 when he received his Indian subjects at a grand durbar. Another was held for Edward, Prince of Wales, when he visited in 1921. Even those anxious to put an end to British rule, among them Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi were equally welcome, as was a steady stream of Maharajahs and Princes, for whom the Taj proved the perfect place to escape formality while still offering the palatial standards they were accustomed to. (The Maharajah of Patiala, for example, was able to check in with his entire retinue of staff, servants and personal harem and find rooms waiting for them all.)

The Taj maintained its lofty position and its fabled service through two world wars, the birth of Indian independence, and beyond. During World War II it became a 600-bed hospital, and later, in 1948, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the first governor general of independent India, chose it as the place to give his inaugural speech to the leaders of Indian industry.

A staff member in traditional Indian dress stands outside the entrance of the legendary Taj Mahal in Mumbai, which has welcomed visitors since 1903.

The imposing façade of the Taj Mahal, with its distinctive domes. Built by the father of a wealthy Parsee dynasty, it became one of India’s most famous landmarks, featuring a blend of fanciful architectural styles and open to locals and foreigners.

This spacious swimming pool was added to the Taj Mahal during one of several expansions that began in the late 1960s. A dramatic statue of a lion shoots out a jet of water.

Traditional Indian and European Art Deco elements, such as Hindhu carvings (left), wall lamps (middle) and the lion statue by the pool (right) were incorporated into the original hotel decorations.

When King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia visited in 1956 and ordered a picnic lunch for 1,200 guests to take to the races, the hotel provided asparagus soup, paté de fois gras, smoked salmon, roast turkey, chicken, lamb, guinea-fowl, nine different salads, and four desserts.

It also kept pace with the modern world. A new floor, the sixth, was added in the late 1960s and a 23-story tower wing, designed by the American architect Melton Bekker, was added in the next decade. At the same time it branched out to create the Taj Group of Hotels, which now has 54 hotels in 39 locations across India with an additional 13 hotels overseas.

In the late 1990s, as the hotel’s centenary drew near, both the old and new wings were completely renovated and refurbished. It was ready therefore to usher in the 21st century with an elaborate party on 17 January 2003, just as it had ushered in the 20th century in 1903.

Elegant railings (top) and archways (bottom) give a light, airy effect in the original building. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the owner ordered ten columns of spun iron to support the hotel’s ballroom.

Dramatic supports for corridors and molded stucco decorations on archways and the ceiling contribute to the overall atmosphere of the hotel.

The Taj Mahal offers generously appointed suites and rooms, each adorned with original paintings and period furniture that exude an aura of old-world charm and elegance.

An Indian-style sofa and chair, with locally-made cushions, are features in this corner of the Rajput Suite. The suite has played host to many a celebrity and head of state and features a private balcony overlooking the Gateway of India.

Interior of the enormous dome that is one of the most impressive features of the original building of the Taj Mahal, making it immediately visible to anyone arriving by sea. It was also the first commercial building in Bombay to be connected to the electrical power grid.

The Taj Mahal combines Oriental, Florentine and Moorish architectural elements to create an elegant and visually striking hotel. The high vaulted ceiling, graceful archways and intricately-detailed railings help create a palatial splendor seldom seen in contemporary establishments.

The intricate onyx columns and archway, stained glass panels and carved window panes are just a few examples of the level of detail and effort put into the Taj Mahal’s design and construction.