Umaid Bhawan Palace was originaly called Chittar Palace during construction, due to its location on Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. Ground for the foundations of the building was broken on 18 November 1929 by Maharaja Umed Singh, it was unfinished until 1944. Umaid Bhawan was one of the last royal constructions (and India's last Palace), built to provide work and drought relief for the poor. The building is dramaticaly illuminated at night causing some controversy in a city that continues to endure daily multi-hour power cuts.
Built on the Chittar Hill in souteastern area of the Jodhpur, construction employed over 5000 men for six years. The building does not use mortar or cement to bind stones together, all of its pieces are carved stones joined together by a system of carved interlocking positive and negative pieces; a specially constructed train line was used to transport these large blocks of stone.
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