This book is about the Royal Rolls Royce of Udaipur Rajasthan. Seldom has a car lived such a life. The 1924 Rolls Royce Tourer 20 HP bearing chassis no GLK 21 was purchased by his highness Maharana Bhupal Singh of Udaipur in 1936. She was procured primarily to serve as a source of parts for another rolls-Royce 20 HP chassis no. 42 GO, owned by the princely state of Udaipur Mewar and a favourite of Maharana Bhupal Singh.
Soon after RR GLK 21 arrived in the Palace Motor Garage at Udaipur her engine was removed and fitted in RR 42 GO. Then World War II happened and RR GLK 21 the car that this book is devoted to got entwined in history and became victim to the ravages of time. From 1940s to the end of the last millennium she lay forgotten in the Zenana Mahal at the City Palace, Udaipur.
It was only in 1999 that Shriji Arvind Singh of Mewar decided to have her restored. After a restoration process that took around eight years, RR GLK 21 was finally resurrected and assumed pride of place in the Udaipur Palace Motor Garage. It was as if RR GLK 21 the Rolls Royce 20 HP that had been bought purely as a Christmas tree to source spares, was now making a miraculous comeback by rising from the ashes like the phoenix. The irony is that now it is RR GLK 21 that is getting all the attention and acclaim. She has been the star at several prestigious events and has received extensive coverage in both the print and electronic media.
As these words are being penned the magnificent lady is returning home over the high seas, proud and triumphant in her glorious achievement of being the only winner from India at the Pebble Beach Concours e'Elegance. |
