Silver Chariot of Maharaja of Patiala.
Indian Maharajas and Maharanis liked to travel in style. One such example is the silver chariot of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala (north India). It was built in 1909 at Calcutta. The chariot was pulled by six horses and was used for all official ceremonial functions. With passage of time and neglect, the silver chariot has turned greyish.
After independence, the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad entered the Rashtrapati Bhavan (presidential palace) on this chariot. The chariot was brought to Delhi from Patiala after an insurance of Rupees 6 crores at that time (apprx US $ 1.3
million). It was returned to
Patiala after the ceremony.
You can see this chariot at
Durbar Hall at Qila Mubarak
in Patiala.