Situated in the historic town of Lunavada, amid the hills and water bodies of present-day Mahisagar district in Gujarat, Raj Mahal Palace is both an ancestral residence and a living record of the former princely state of Lunavada. Nearly six centuries old, the palace stands at the heart of a story that reaches back to the Solanki rulers of medieval Gujarat.

The ruling family of Lunavada traces its lineage to the Solanki dynasty of Anhilwad Patan, one of the most influential royal houses in the history of Gujarat. According to historical tradition, a branch of the family established itself at Virpur in 1225. In 1434, H.H. Maharana Bhim Singhji moved the capital across the Mahi River to Lunavada, laying the foundations of the town and of the royal seat that would evolve into the present Raj Mahal Palace.

The original palace emerged as the political and residential centre of the newly established capital. Over the centuries, successive rulers expanded and adapted it, leaving behind architectural layers belonging to different periods. The result is not a monument defined by one single style, but a complex shaped by changing ideas of defence, ceremony, domestic life and royal representation.

Its earliest character can be read in its inward-looking arrangement and substantial construction, while later additions introduced elaborate façades, arcaded passages, projecting balconies, carved brackets and ornamental rooflines. Traditional stonework and lattice screens sit beside colonial-era architectural details, reflecting the gradual transformation of the palace from a medieval royal stronghold into a more expansive ceremonial residence.

The exterior rises in a sequence of arched openings, carved galleries, balconies and varied roof forms. Rather than presenting a perfectly symmetrical elevation, the palace possesses the accumulated character of a structure built and altered over generations. Different wings appear to belong to different moments in its history, yet remain connected through courtyards, corridors and verandas.

Within, the palace reveals a far more intimate and decorative world. Hand-carved architectural details, intricate latticework and paintings across walls and ceilings form an essential part of its visual identity. The interiors contain motifs and ornamental compositions that have survived through generations, turning the palace into an archive not only of royal life but also of the artists and craftspeople who worked within it.

Family records also identify Udaipur sandstone, imported Italian tiles, carved timber and locally worked stone among the materials used during different phases of the palace’s construction and embellishment. Together, these elements reveal the wider cultural and commercial connections maintained by the Lunavada court. Regional techniques were not abandoned in favour of imported influences; instead, materials and styles were brought together to create interiors that were distinctly personal to the palace.

The wall and ceiling paintings are equally significant. Some appear as independent decorative compositions, while others frame doors, arches and architectural divisions. Their colours, borders and repeating forms give individual rooms their own identities. Seen alongside the carved surfaces and painted glass, they create an atmosphere that is richly ornamented yet markedly different from the mirror-work palaces of Rajasthan. Raj Mahal’s character is rooted more specifically in the artistic traditions of Gujarat, shaped by the palace’s proximity to Rajasthan and by the later influence of colonial design.

At the ceremonial heart of the palace lies the Durbar Hall. Historically used for formal gatherings, state occasions and royal ceremonies, it served as a setting in which administration, music and courtly life came together. Family accounts record that Ustad Dr. Ghulam Rasool Khan Saheb performed at formal and state functions held in the Durbar Hall, making music an important part of the palace’s ceremonial memory.

A period of considerable change came during the reign of H.H. Maharana Sir Wakhat Sinhji K.C.I.E. , who ruled from 1867 until 1929. Educated at Rajkumar College in Rajkot, he assumed full ruling authority in 1880 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1889. His reign coincided with an era of institutional and infrastructural development within Lunavada State.

That continuity has shaped the approach taken towards its preservation. Raj Mahal is not being restored as a reconstructed vision of royal life, nor has it been remade as a hospitality property. It remains a lived-in palace, where conservation must coexist with the practical requirements of a family residence. Restoration has consequently progressed gradually, guided by surviving architectural evidence, old photographs, family records and the materials still present within each room.

Particular care has been directed towards retaining the palace’s original carvings, latticework, wall and ceiling paintings, glass panels, floors and architectural surfaces. The aim is not to remove every sign of age, but to stabilise and preserve the building without erasing the passage of time. Weathered stone, faded paintings and variations between different wings are part of the palace’s history and reveal how it has changed through nearly six hundred years of occupation.

Still inhabited and still evolving, the palace preserves the rare character of a place in which heritage has never become entirely separate from everyday life. Every courtyard, painted surface and carved opening carries evidence of those who built, altered and lived within it. Raj Mahal does not simply recreate the atmosphere of a bygone era; it allows the history of Lunavada to remain present, personal and alive.