Facts On Historic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel-Mumbai, India.
On December 16, 1903, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay (as Mumbai was called then), welcomed guests to enjoy the grandiose created by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata – who was a man of exceptional vision, and is the founder of the Tata Group.
Overlooking the Arabian Sea, the hotel has history, tradition, and several anecdotal stories.
How the hotel came into being has two theories. One is that when Jamsetji Tata was refused entry by “whites only” Watson Hotel, he decided to build Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The other version is that Jamsetji Tata wanted to create a memorable place which captured a multi-faceted essence from the world’s heritage.
In the planning of the project, Jamsetji Tata took a very keen interest. The architecture is in Indo-Saracenic style, and matches the nearby Gateway of India, a structure built to commemorate the visit of the British royals, King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel opened the city’s first licensed bar. It opened the country’s first international discotheque-Blow Up. It was the first hotel in India to have electric supply.
In 1973, a whole new wing, the Tower was added. Today, the hotel has 565 rooms, 46 suites and 11 restaurants.
On 26th November 2008, the hotel was attacked by a group of terrorists which invaded different parts of Mumbai. At Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, 31 people died, and some parts of the hotel were destroyed very badly. The estimated cost of renovation was USD 40 million, and over 12 months to get it to its present aplomb.
Barack Obama was the first foreign head of state to stay at the hotel after its restoration. He made a speech, saying: The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel has been the symbol of strength and the resilience of the Indian people.
Indeed! Indeed!
Long Live! The Historic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel of Mumbai.
