The Hari Niwas Palace is a palace in Jammu, India. It overlooks the Tawi river on one side and on the other side the Trikuta hills. It was completed shortly after 1925, it served as the MaharajaâÂÂs preferred venue for receptions and leisure until his departure for Bombay following IndiaâÂÂs independence in 1947. After periods of official use, the royal descendants converted the twoâÂÂstorey Artâ¯Deco structure into a 40âÂÂroom heritage hotel in 1990, preserving its original brickâÂÂandâÂÂplaster form and Victorian interiors. The palace sits on a raised plinth approached by a treeâÂÂlined driveway through mango groves, its facades combining smooth stucco, geometric relief panels, ribbon windows and stepped parapets. Within the same compound, the Amar Mahal Museum and Library showcases Sir Hariâ¯SinghâÂÂs 120â¯kg gold throne and an extensive collection of royal artifacts.
The Hari Niwas Palace was commissioned by Sir Hari Singh, the last reigning Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir (1895 - 1961), as a riverside extension to the Amar Mahal Palace built in 1890 to host guests in greater privacy than the older Mubarak Mandi Palace. Constructed in the early 20thâ¯century completed shortly after 1925. It became Sir Hariâ¯SinghâÂÂs preferred venue for receptions and leisure until he left Jammu for Bombay following IndiaâÂÂs independence in 1947.
After passing through periods of official use, the royal descendants converted the palace into a 40âÂÂroom heritage hotel in 1990, preserving its royal legacy while adapting it for contemporary hospitality services. The descendants of the Maharaja converted the palace into a heritage hotel in 1990. In the same compound "Amar Mahal Museum and Library" displays the 120 kg gold throne of Sir Hari Singh.
Hari Niwas Palace is an exemplar of Artâ¯Deco architecture adapted to JammuâÂÂs subtropical climate. The twoâÂÂstorey brickâÂÂandâÂÂplaster structure rests on a raised plinth approached by a tree lined driveway through mango groves. Hari Niwas Palace comprises 40 rooms with views towards the river valley and mountains, all finished with VictorianâÂÂstyle interiors and hardwood floors, and includes a Durbar hall with 300âÂÂseat capacity and party rooms (The Magnolia and The Chinar).