Manik Bagh

Manik Bagh is a palace in Indore with 40 rooms connected by terraces, forming a complex of interconnected spaces. The building features dedicated servant quarters and corridors designed for a household staff of approximately 80 people.

German architect Eckart Muthesius designed this palace between 1930 and 1939 for Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar II and his wife Sanyogita Devi. Its construction marks a period when European architects came to India to create modern residences for royal families.

The palace combines Bauhaus design principles with Art Deco furnishings, reflecting early 20th-century European design trends brought into an Indian royal context. This blend of international style with local patronage shows how design movements traveled and adapted across different cultures during that era.

The walls were treated with glass dust instead of wallpaper to protect against the high humidity of the region. Visitors should expect varying light conditions throughout the building due to its varied window and opening arrangements.

Today it serves as the Office of the Commissioner for CGST, Customs & Central Excise in Madhya Pradesh. This transformation shows how royal palaces in India have been repurposed as modern government institutions.