Hero Image

Royal teapots take centre stage at Gondal palace exhibition

Rajkot: Home is where your teapots are , they say. But if 500-odd teapots signify love for the brew as well its accessories, then Bhagavatsinhji , the popular ruler of erstwhile princely state of Gondal, surely had his heart set in his palace!

Teapot, a gift to mankind, particularly the tealovers, by the Ming Dynasty around 3,000 years ago, has its own history of how it time-travelled into the quaint English kitchens, and interestingly held its own place of pride till date.



Bhagavatsinhji, who ruled Gondal state from 1865 to 1944, had studied medicine at the University of Edinburg. He had his own love for the vessel — a hobby that led him to collect various kind of teapots from across the country, and even abroad, during his visits.

The Navlakha palace, built in 18th century and located some 50km from Rajkot city, in Gondal’s Darbargadh is home to the vast antic collection. For the benefit of common people, the palace is holding up an exhibition of its royal tea ware where nearly 500 such teapots will be showcased, said Bhavesh Radhanpara, manager of the museum and secretary of Jyotendrasinhji, the present Maharaja.

“Maharaja Bhagavatsinhji sahib had the hobby of collecting teapots. We will showcase teapots of the last 100 years in the exhibition. You will find modern teapots alongside those a century old,” Radhanpara explained.

READ ON APP