On my current visit to India, my family and I paid a visit to the Pataudi Palace yesterday. Just an hour from New Delhi, enter the sprawling luxury of the well-laid gardens at the Pataudi Palace, a verdant oasis in the countryside of Haryana.
The noble, white palace built by Nawab Ibrahim Ali Khan, was designed by the Austria architect Karl Molt Von Heinz in 1935, stretching the proportions and scale of the grand residences of Imperial Delhi, built by Lutyens. The palace in itself is not big but has been tastefully adorned with artifacts and family albums from yesteryear's. It is a treat for the cricket aficionado's as the hallways are adorned with pictures of Iftikhar Ali Khan and Tiger Pataudi at historic cricketing moments.
I must mention here that Tiger Pataudi's father Iftikhar Khan played cricket first for England under Douglas Jardine and consequently incurred his ire as he opposed Jardine's bodyline tactics whilst en route to Australia in 1932. He was never to play for England again but captained India later in 1943. His son Tiger Pataudi had unparalleled success as a cricketer and became India's youngest captain ever at the age of 21 years 77 days. He was also India's most successful captain in test matches before Sourav Ganguly broke his record.
The Nawab's palace has had a way to always stay afloat in fame - first cricket, then Bollywood - and now even Hollywood with Julia Roberts spending a lot of time at the palace while shooting for Eat, Pray and Love.
We did have a lovely lunch overlooking the palace pool and gardens bathed in the beautiful North Indian winter sunlight.
It was definitely a short road trip I thoroughly enjoyed with my mom, dad, sister and of course wifey.....
