The coat of arms of the royal family of Bhavnagar
The main hall of the Neelambag Palace hotel, with antique furniture and paintings of ex royals of Bhavnagar.
The last king of Bhavnagar
Awesome carved doorway
This internal fountain square is a common feature in most indian palaces. Before the days of air conditioning, a fountain was the only way to keep cool in the scorching summer, and this covered courtyard gave the royal ladies a secluded place to chill and relax.
A royal personage!
The royal dining room, with chandeliers and monogrammed silverware
Two elephants with a silver gong to announce dinner
Take a closer look at the elephant! It's carved with the royal coat of arms, and the white in it is all genuine ivory.
Unfortunate leopard! Not only does it get shot and stuffed and mounted, but also a pigeon comes and sits on its head!
The rooms on the upper floor
The thinker...
...thinking about the royal family tree, perhaps.
The royal swimming pool and gym - now converted into a health club for the locals
This was the room we stayed in. It might have been a servants quarter or a cow byre once, but now its called the 'Royal cottage' and we spend big bucks (comparatively) on it.
Another royal personage!
