It was built in the 1870s during the reign of Shambhu Singh, the Maharana of Udaipur.[1][2] It was designed as a modern European-style villa by an English architect.[2] It covers an area of 5,000 sq. m. and is part of the City Palace complex in Udaipur.[1] Shambu Singh entrusted Pannalal Mehta with the responsibility of overseeing and expediting its construction.[3] When it was completed, he gifted Pannalal a golden langar (transl. an ornament worn around the anklet).[3]
Furniture made from Belgian crystal was originally purchased for it by Sajjan Singh but was later moved to Shiv Niwas Palace on the orders of Fateh Singh.[4] It contains numerous paintings, crystal chandeliers, objets d'art, and furniture from around the world.[1]
Pierre Loti described it as "... modern, with European drawing-rooms, looking-glasses, sideboards laden with silver, and billiard-rooms, appointments which we had been far from expecting to see in so indigenous a town."[4][5]
