The maharajas of Patiala, it seems, were rathe fond of constructing opulent buildings. Patiala, therefore, has a lot of palaces. The oldest of these is the Qila Mubarak, a stunning 18th-century fort-palace that forms the core of the old city. Then there are the Moti Bagh palaces, Old and New, built respectively by Narender Singh (reigned 1845-62) and Yadavindra Singh, who ascended the throne in 1938 and joined the newly independent India in 1948. The Baradari Palace, latest addition to the Neemrana group&rsquos chain of heritage hotels, is perhaps the least flamboyant of Patiala&rsquos regal residences. A colonnaded colonial building constructed in 1876 as a new home for the then-ruler Rajinder Singh, it&rsquos centred round a Mughal-style baradari &mdash a pavilion with 12 arches which gives its name to the surrounding garden and to the neighbourhood.
We&rsquove been told there&rsquoll be no trouble getting there if we just ask for Rajinder Kothi &mdash it&rsquos world-famous in Patiala. But we run through three rickshaw-walas and a couple of auto guys before we find someone who knows what we&rsquore talking about. And then, too, it&rsquos the mention of the adjacent Baradari Garden (once royal repository of rare trees, now haunt of walkers, microphone-aided yoga classes and sellers of wheatgerm juice) that gets us to the hotel. After a tasty dinner of aloo-gobhi, paneer and chicken curry in the awe-inspiring darbar hall, I abandon late-night exploration plans in favour of the awe-inspiring comforts of my suite No. 15, otherwise known as Maharaja Bhupinder Singh suite.
The next day, talking to H.S. Gill, the mild-mannered engineer who has worked on the building&rsquos restoration, I realise why no one recognises the name Rajinder Kothi in present-day Patiala. The royals moved out soon after Independence, after which the palace has been the Shahi Mehmandari (the state guesthouse), Punjabi University, and from 1972 to 2006, the Punjab State Archives.
Years of serving as a government office must have taken its toll, so, it seems incredible, when Mr Gill tells me that the Baradari&rsquos wooden staircases, with their graceful banisters, and the prettily-carved wooden terrace railings, are all original. &ldquoIt took a long time to scrape off all the layers of paint,&rdquo he smiles. Certainly not original, though, are the over-bright prints of Punjabi village scenes and maharajas found throughout the hotel. There&rsquos also a slight problem with the restoration of the darbar hall, which now serves as the dining room. Most of the ceiling&rsquos central portion, which had been eaten away, has been painted over in stark white. Which is fine, except that the painter&rsquos brushstrokes seem to have ranged indiscriminately across portions of the bejewelled red and blue borders. But this slapdash artwork is somewhat compensated for by the period furniture and the carefully chosen fabrics &mdash from bedside rugs to table linen &mdash characteristic of Neemrana properties. The rooms are luxurious without being cluttered, their relative emptiness allowing the eye to absorb details like the wood louvred ceilings and the arched doors with their old brass latches.
Wandering around the building, I discover that its original front entrance is now the back. A gloriously sunlit pillared patio, laid out as an informal dining area, looks out over the Baradari Garden, which itself has long been parcelled off for the benefit of the Patiala public. Having duly admired several gorgeously plumed pheasants in the garden&rsquos aviary portion, I wander about the town&rsquos grander palaces all afternoon. In the darbar hall of the Qila Mubarak, under an enormous gilt-edged mirror, I come upon a decrepit marble-topped table almost exactly like the one on which my toast was laid out that morning.
Back at the Baradari, I&rsquom told that the room I&rsquom staying in is in the section that formed Maharaja Rajinder&rsquos private quarters. As I lounge on one of the lovely terraces on a thoughtfully provided Bombay Fornicator, dawdling over my second cup of tea, I&rsquom pretty sure I&rsquom channelling something of his spirit.
The information
Location Near Baradari Garden, Patiala, Punjab
Accommodation 6 rooms, 11 suites
Tariff Rs 3,000 (rooms), Rs 5,000 (suites)
Contact 011-46661666, www.neemranahotels.com