The Dhanraj Mahal palace building in Mumbai looks quite modern, despite the fact that it belongs to the ancient Dhanrajgir family from Hyderabad.
The fact is that the palace was built not in ancient times, but relatively recently – in 1930, in the then-fashionable Art Deco style, distinguished by straight and elegant forms, quite unlike the luxurious ornate palaces of the rajas of the distant past.
The Dhanrajgirs arrived in southern India from the northern regions of Gandhara in the 19th century and quickly became successful merchants and bankers here. The palace was built by one of the family's descendants, Raja Dhanrajgirji Narsinghji, who is better known to the general public for having married the princess and, at the same time, the famous Indian film actress of the first half of the 20th century, Zubeida Begum. By the way, their son, Humayun, still occupies part of the palace.
During the Second World War, the palace was handed over to the Ministry of Defence of India, but later the family got its property back. Nowadays, the palace building is one of the most expensive and prestigious properties in Mumbai; it is rented out to various organizations and private individuals. The total floor area exceeds more than 12 thousand square meters. The palace windows offer a wonderful view of the Arabian Sea.
