Rare 1904 Advertisement Of The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay
A rare 1904 advertisement of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay (Mumbai). This iconic landmark overlooks another of India’s famous iconic landmark, the Gateway of India. This is one of the earliest of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel’s advertisements. An interesting line in the advertisement reads “European Management. European Staff.”
It was not uncommon that hotels in Bombay usually preferred European management during the British era. This was because of the large European community that resided in the city. Other notable features displayed in the advertisement is about the electric lift, light, fans, motor cars etc. These were one of the earliest features to be introduced not only in the hotel but in Bombay itself at that time.
Indian architects, Rao Saheb Vaidya and D N Mirza, originally designed the building, the foundation was laid in 1898. The Taj opened its doors on, December 16, 1903, with 17 guests. In 1972, it acquired its neighbour the once European owned Greens Hotel, it was demolished in the same year to make way for the ‘Taj Tower” that came up in 1973. In 2008, the hotel was attacked by terrorists, and despite the heavy collateral damage, it bounced back within a month and was opened to public.
Read more The History Of Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.
Did you know- there was the “Dumb Friends” event during the early year, which was an animal show, that became a huge hit with the patrons.
Past posts-Raja Ravi Varma’s Saraswati Oleograph c1910., British India Era Postman – Old Stereo Photo 1902., The Outskirts Of Delhi Jama Masjid – Old Print 1800s., Charminar & Street Scene Hyderabad – Old Postcard 1905
