Top News

Indias history is filled with remarkable stories of kings and nawabs who lived with unimaginable luxury. We have often heard tales of palaces made with gold thrones encrusted with diamonds and an entire lifestyle that embodied what it meant to live royally. But of all of these tales of luxury one stands alone — that of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur. A Nawab who lived not in luxury but also reimagined what luxury could mean in his era. For most people in those days a train was simply a means of locomotion — a movement of marvel connecting towns and cities across India. But for Nawab Hamid Ali Khan it was something much greater than this: a form of status power and royal pride. While the world stood patiently waiting for their train on railway platforms the Nawab decided that he would do things differently. If he wished to travel the train would not wait for him — instead the train itself would come right to his palace gates. It was 1925 during the British Raj and while the majority were restricted to traveling in third class the Nawab commissioned Baroda State Rail Builders to build an exclusive royal train entirely for him. The result was the stunning four-coach creation known as The Saloon. Each one of the trains coaches was a luxurious masterpiece—a moving palace on wheels. The floors were covered in thick Persian carpets sparkling chandeliers hung from the ceilings carved teakwood furniture filled the interiors and the golden silk curtains floated with the motion of the train. The train could only be described as the immeasurable splendour of Rampurs royalty radiating through every corner. What had started as a mark of comfort soon evolved into a sign of prestige; even in motion the Nawabs royal aura was unblemished. To the Nawab this royal train was like a moving palace set apart with everything — a bedroom a dining room a kitchen and even an entertainment room — decorated to regal standards and comfort. There were even dedicated cars for a security detail and attendants to make sure the Nawabs royal lifestyle was not disheveled while travelling. When the train arrived it was like a royal pageantry. Whenever it stopped a crowd gathered out of awe. The shine of the passenger coaches with opulent features almost made it feel like a royal court had arrived on train cars. The sound of the whistle did not simply announce a journey but rather it proclaimed the presence of a king.