Latest news with #SheeshMahal
News18
6 days ago
- News18
5-Star Hotel On The Move: Experience Royal Luxury Aboard This Train For Rs 23 Lakh
The Palace on Wheels, Rajasthan's iconic luxury train, is all set to resume operations from September 17, with a completely revamped interior. Known for offering a royal travel experience, the train has been upgraded with crores of rupees spent on interiors, including Mexican fabric, mirror 'tikri' work, veneer wood, and golden embellishments. Each coach has been given a theme based on popular tourist destinations, creating an immersive royal ambience. (News18 Hindi) The Palace on Wheels offers the comfort and charm of a 5-star hotel on tracks. With only 2,400 passengers accommodated in a season, demand remains high despite the expensive fare. A VIP cabin for two is priced at Rs 23 lakh, while other cabins range from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 16 lakh. A complete tour aboard the train costs around Rs 1 crore and lasts for 8 days and 7 nights, covering Delhi, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, and Agra. (News18 Hindi) Bookings have already crossed 300 cabins for the upcoming season, with overwhelming interest from international travellers, particularly from the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and Europe. NRIs have booked the highest number of seats this year, reinforcing the train's appeal as a luxurious way to explore Rajasthan. Many travellers wait an entire year just for a chance to travel in the Palace on Wheels. (News18 Hindi) This season, several new features have been added to enhance the royal feel, including oil-free meals, custom menus, spa services, and luxury geysers. The restaurants inside the train have been renamed ' Sheesh Mahal ' and ' Swarn Mahal ', maintaining the regal theme. The culinary experience now includes dishes like Palak Chupa Rustam, Roasted Broccoli, Veg Musakka, Spanish Corn, Sabz Ratnagiri, and traditional Rajasthani Thalis. (News18 Hindi) A new trend on the Palace on Wheels this year is destination weddings. Several couples have already booked the train to tie the knot while travelling through Rajasthan. The package starts at Rs 6 lakh per person, and the wedding journey can last between 4 to 7 days. The idea of getting married in a moving royal train is gaining popularity, especially among NRIs and elite families. (News18 Hindi) Among the luxury trains in India, the Palace on Wheels is the second most expensive after the Maharajas' Express. It is followed by other luxury rail experiences like the Deccan Odyssey and the Golden Chariot. Most passengers include international tourists, celebrities, and high-profile business people. The average daily fare is about Rs 1 lakh per person, which increases based on the journey's duration. (News18 Hindi) 7/7 This year, the refurbished Palace on Wheels will complete 35 round trips during the travel season. With enhanced interiors, premium service, and a blend of heritage and hospitality, the train continues to be a symbol of India's royal legacy on rails. (News18 Hindi)
India Today
31-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Courage has no gender: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on being a woman leader
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta addressed various issues in a detailed interview, including criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party over waterlogging concerns. She highlighted her government's efforts to remove 25,000 metric tonnes of silt from city drains to mitigate flooding and discussed reducing the Ghazipur landfill's height from over 60 meters to approximately 30 meters. Gupta invited former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a public debate, referencing the 'Sheesh Mahal' controversy surrounding his bungalow worth seventy crore rupees. She announced a city-wide cleanliness campaign, 'Delhi ko koode se ajadi,' starting August 1. Gupta also discussed amendments to the 1954 Shops and Establishment Act, enabling women to work night shifts, emphasizing the government's role in ensuring safety. Additional topics included pollution control measures like dust mitigation plans, water sprinklers, and smoke guns. Contrasting her governance style with her predecessor, Gupta stated she cannot indulge in luxury funded by public money.
India Today
31-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Rahul Gandhi avoids question on Malegaon blast verdict, slams centre's policies
42:47 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta addressed various issues in a detailed interview, including criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party over waterlogging concerns. She highlighted her government's efforts to remove 25,000 metric tonnes of silt from city drains to mitigate flooding and discussed reducing the Ghazipur landfill's height from over 60 meters to approximately 30 meters. Gupta invited former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a public debate, referencing the 'Sheesh Mahal' controversy surrounding his bungalow worth seventy crore rupees. She announced a city-wide cleanliness campaign, 'Delhi ko koode se ajadi,' starting August 1. Gupta also discussed amendments to the 1954 Shops and Establishment Act, enabling women to work night shifts, emphasizing the government's role in ensuring safety. Additional topics included pollution control measures like dust mitigation plans, water sprinklers, and smoke guns. Contrasting her governance style with her predecessor, Gupta stated she cannot indulge in luxury funded by public money.
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First Post
13-07-2025
- General
- First Post
Bagh Badshahi: Aurangzeb's forgotten garden in Fatehpur district
The sound and fury of the 17th-century battle are long forgotten in the quiet town of Khajuha, but the garden laid out by the Mughal Emperor on the site still exists read more In recent weeks, Mughal history aficionados have been thrilled to hear of the restoration of the Sheesh Mahal in Delhi's Shalimar Bagh. The small palace, built in 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan, was intended as a pleasure pavilion. In fact, the Shalimar Bagh itself was originally called Aizzabad Garden, named after Aizzun Nisha Begum, one of the emperor's consorts. Some believe that the emperor himself renamed it 'Shalimar' meaning 'abode of pleasure'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, it was only after Shah Jahan was deposed that the Bagh saw its most important historical moment. In July 1658, his son Aurangzeb was crowned emperor in the Bagh, skyrocketing its status from mere pleasure place to imperial coronation seat. Aurangzeb's path to the throne was marred by intrigue, treachery and ruthlessness. To keep the crown, each of his brothers needed to be eliminated. Dara Shukoh – the original heir apparent to Shah Jahan's throne – was executed in August 1659. Murad was captured, imprisoned at Gwalior and then put to death in December 1661. But before these two were done away with came a more formidable challenge. In the form of Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb's brother who oversaw the fertile and revenue rich province of Bengal – resources which were leveraged to raise a sizable force. On January 5, 1659, Shuja's forces faced off against Aurangzeb's troops. The former had several fearsome war elephants under his command. In terms of artillery guns, the two forces were evenly matched, though Aurangzeb had an overall numerical superiority. The battlefield was a place called Khajuha. On that winter day in 1659, the pendulum swung one way and then the other. Aurangzeb was forced to bring his reserves into action and eventually carried the day, confirming his status as emperor. Shuja fled the battlefield with his brother's forces in pursuit. He would eventually have to flee all the way to the Arakan where he later died. Located between the Ganga and the Yamuna, Khajuha now falls in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The sound and fury of the 17th century battle are long forgotten in this quiet town. But not entirely. One marker remains and a rather large one at that. The story goes that Aurangzeb stayed at Khajuha for a week, renaming the place Aurangabad. On the site of the fateful battle, he had a magnificent walled garden laid out in the Mughal 'Char Bagh' style with twin pavilions within. This 'Bagh Badshahi' survives and in fact, the town of Khajuha is known for the Bagh. Given that Khajuha lay on the Mughal highway that led eastward, the Bagh also had a caravan sarai for travellers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Entrance to the Bagh Badshahi at Khajuha The Bagh is surrounded by a high wall, punctuated on its western side by a lofty gateway. Each corner has a small tower. At the eastern end are the structures built by Aurangzeb. Standing atop a two-tiered platform are twin pavilions that face each other. One has a curvilinear style roof while the other is flat on top. These pavilions may have once had painted interiors, but no sign of artwork remains today. With multiple arched entrances on both sides, one can imagine a Mughal royal taking a break in these pavilions while travelling east from Delhi. Between the two pavilions is a now-dry water tank. Stone channels for distribution of water run all around the complex with an elaborate fountain also present. On the other side of the Bagh, facing the two pavilions, is the area that would have been used for the caravan sarai. Steps lead down from the pavilions towards this part. The trees that would have once graced this part of the Bagh are history now. The space they once stood in has been turned into an area for cultivation, lush with crops. In the middle is a shack where a farmer resides. Cattle are tied around, chewing the cud and looking utterly uninterested in their Mughal surroundings. Next to the shack is an old well, one that would have been part of the original sarai. There is evidence of various other structures having stood here once, but only their foundation levels remain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Long after the last Mughal had vanished from Khajuha, the area came into the control of the British. And in their true style, they made the most of the walled enclosure by encouraging the cultivation of Indigo within. Perhaps that is when the first crops came to be grown within the sarai space and the tradition continues till today. Beyond the Bagh Badshahi, there is more to explore in Khajuha. One enters the town through another gateway, also Mughal in appearance, and arrives in a large central chowk. A close look at the mosque on one side shows its true age, below the layers of white and green paint. On certain days of the week, the chowk area is filled with hawkers selling local produce. To discover Khajuha's best kept secret, a visitor needs to walk through its lanes and alleys. Within these are several small temples that date to the late 18th – 19th century period. Their exterior reveals fine carvings with small paintings in the gaps between the stonework. A commonly seen motif is that of twin fish – the Mahi Maratib which was the symbol of the kingdom of Awadh. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ornate temple exterior in Khajuha town On entering the temples, a visitor is amazed. The ceilings and walls of these temples are embellished with fine paintings, many of which have survived. There are depictions of various gods and goddesses – from Ganesha to incarnations of Vishnu to the Krishna Leela. Sharing space with them are finely drawn paintings of animals and birds. Prominent are peacocks, elephants, snakes, cows, tigers and monkeys. A Shiva Linga inside a temple in Khajuha town The town also has several newly built temples, easily identified by their garish exteriors, but these can be safely ignored by history buffs. In this place where the past jostles for space with the present, heritage will need an external hand to last longer. In the capital of the country, it took a visit by the Lieutenant Governor for the Shalimar Bagh's Sheesh Mahal to be restored. What will it take for the Bagh Badshahi or the temples of Khajuha to be conserved? The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Should undergo mental checkup': BJP mocks Kejriwal's 'Nobel Prize' remark; slams 'sheesh mahal' model
Arvind Kejriwal (File photo) NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday mocked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over his recent comment that he deserves a Nobel Prize for governance despite administrative challenges. During the launch of the Punjabi edition of "Kejriwal Model" in Chandigarh on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief claimed, "Despite being stopped from working, we delivered. I should get a Nobel Prize for governance and administration for doing so much despite a lieutenant governor and various difficulties." The statement prompted immediate backlash from BJP leaders. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva suggested Kejriwal should undergo a mental health evaluation, stating, "He can only get a Nobel Prize if it is for corruption, anarchy, and inefficiency." Sachdeva pointed to multiple FIRs against Kejriwal and claimed Delhi's residents had rejected his leadership. BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh demanded explanations from Kejriwal, questioning whether the Nobel Prize claim was for alleged misconduct in various areas including the Jal Board, Mohalla Clinics, education sector, and environmental issues concerning the Yamuna River. "Kejriwal, please tell us, what exactly you believe you deserve a Nobel Prize for. Is it for looting Delhi? For siphoning public funds to build your, 'Sheesh Mahal'? For corruption in the Jal Board, the Mohalla Clinics, or the education? For allowing toxic waste to be dumped into the Yamuna?... by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Or for the court stating that, prima facie, Arvind Kejriwal acted as a corrupt Chief Minister? The nation wants to know, on which of these counts are you seeking the Nobel Prize?" IANS news agency quoted Chugh as saying. Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister and BJP leader Vijay Sharma also took a jibe at the AAP leader. "The people have already given him a Nobel Prize. Everyone knows about his deeds. Working while running such a big racket is a significant thing," he said. The AAP has not yet responded to the BJP leaders' comments.
