Passport Denied Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bangalore

The Bangalore Palace, now owned by the royal family of Mysore, was inspired by the Tudor style of architecture. With its turrets, Gothic windows and fortified towers, the structure has more in common with the medieval castles of England than Indian palaces. Bearing testimony to the royal's passion for hunting, the palace houses mounted animal heads including that of an elephant and stools fashioned out of the legs of elephants.

Answer: Amba Vilas

The Wodeyar dynasty ruled the state of Mysore from 1399 to 1950 when the princely state was amalgamated with the Republic of India. Designed by the British architect, Lord Henry Irwin, the palace is built in the Indo-Sarcenic style of architecture. The three-storied stone structure is surrounded by large, well maintained gardens.

The palace complex is also home to twelve different Hindu temples.

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi

Constructed over a period of five years in the late nineteenth century, the Aga Khan Palace was commissioned by Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III. The region of Pune was reeling under a famine and the Sultan ordered the construction of this building as an act of charity to provide the villagers with a means of earning their livelihood honourably.

During the Quit India Movement that was launched in 1942 as part of India's struggle for independence from the British Raj, Mahatma Gandhi along with his wife, Kasturba Gandhi and secretary, Mahadev Desai were kept under house arrest in this building. Both Kasturba and Mahadev died during this captivity. The palace now houses a museum dedicated to Gandhi and the freedom struggle.

Answer: Maratha

The fort was built in the eighteenth century by Peshwa Baji Rao I who was the prime minister to Chattrapati Shahu, the then ruler of the Maratha Empire. It was initially constructed as a private residence for Baji Rao and fortifications, towers and court halls were added later.

The doorways and arches were created out of teak wood and the floors were inlaid with marble. The fort also contained an impressive lotus shaped fountain called the Hazari Karanje (Fountain of Thousand Jets). The lotus had sixteen petals with each petal having sixteen jets. Most of the fort was destroyed in a fire in 1828 with only some of the stone structures and outer walls still surviving.

Answer: Monsoon Palace

Sajjangarh Palace was named after Maharana Sajjan Singh, a former king belonging to the Mewar dynasty. Located in the Aravalli Hills, the palace commands a sweeping view of the lake and surrounding countryside. Built out of marble, Sajjan Singh had originally intended for the structure to help track the movement of the monsoon clouds.

His premature death at the young age of 26 resulted in the palace being completed by his successor. The vantage position of the palace afforded a good view of the monsoon clouds earning it the nickname of the Monsoon Palace.

Answer: Luxury hotel

Also known as Jag Niwas after the Maharana, Lake Palace is located in the middle of Lake Pichola and can only be accessed by boat. Covering four acres, it was built on the island of Jag Niwas in the mid-seventeenth century. In the 1960s, Bhagwat Singh conceived the idea of turning the palace into Udaipur's first luxury hotel before finally handing over the management to the Taj Group of hotels in 1971.

Answer: True

The Sheesh Mahal, which literally translates to Mirror Palace, had its roof and walls fitted with numerous tiny mirrors and glass pieces giving the structure a dazzling look. A single candle lit within the mahal could light up the entire structure through its reflection.
The Amer Palace was built by Raja Man Singh I and overlooks the Maota Lake. Constructed using sandstone and marble, the palace has secret underground tunnels connecting it with the nearby Jaigarh Fort enabling the inhabitants to escape in times of trouble.

Answer: Jammu & Kashmir

The Dogras were a Hindu Rajput dynasty and ruled over the region of Jammu and Kashmir until 1949. The Amar Mahal Palace is located in Jammu and was built along the banks of the Tawi river. It was built by Raja Amar Singh in the nineteenth century and its architecture is inspired by the chateaus of France.

The palace was converted in a museum in 1975 and various paintings and other works of art belonging to the erstwhile royal family have been put on display in the four rooms that are open to the general public.

Answer: Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan created a new capital city called Shahjahanabad, the location of the present day city of Delhi and the Red Fort ("Lal Quila") was built as the royal residence. It covered an area of over 250 acres and was named after the colour of the sandstone used in its construction.

The famous Peacock Throne, the jewelled seat of the Emperor which was later plundered by the Persian king, Nadir Shah, was originally housed in the Red Fort.

Answer: Scorpion

The Falaknuma Palace was built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra, prime minister of Hyderabad in the 1880s. The name translates to 'Mirror of the Sky' in Urdu. Having considerably exceeded his budget, the Nawab, following his wife's advice, invited the Nizam to stay at the palace.

The Nizam took an immediate liking to the palace and extended his stay there twice whereupon the Nawab offered to gift the palace to him. While the Nizam accepted the palace, he had the entire cost reimbursed to the Nawab. The palace was used by the Nizam as a guesthouse for his royal visitors and has hosted dignitaries like King George V and Queen Mary, King Edward VIII (while he was still the Prince of Wales) and Tsar Nicholas of Russia among others.

The dining hall was famous for one of the longest dining tables in the world which at 110 feet can seat 101 guests.