It gives me great pleasure to write the Foreword to this website ‘The Royal Udaipur RR GLK 21, Classic Drive from Derby to Udaipur to Pebble Beach and…Continues’.
Like all little boys, motor cars fascinated me. It was my good fortune to grow up during the transitory period of transport when the horse-drawn carriage was used before the arrival of the motor car. Both intrigued me. Fortunately, in the Royal Udaipur Household, I was privileged to be exposed to the best and in abundance. My love affair with moving mechanical objects started over six decades ago and continues today with the same passion and enthusiasm.
The Palace Motor Garage was governed by Babu Vasudev Narayan Mudliar, Superintendent, Palace Motor Garage, and Rai Sagram, Chief Driver. The Chief Mechanic was Mr Daulat Ram ji who was later joined by Mr Pratap Singh ji from Dungarpur State Motor Garage, also as a Mechanic. Only these people were allowed to drive and attend to the Royal RRs used by my grandfather, H.H. Maharana Bhupal Singh ji. It was due to their combined wisdom that the decision was taken to ensure that the fleet of 20 HP should be well maintained and that spare parts were procured regularly. H.H. Maharana Bhupal Singh ji went for daily evening drives as well as official duties in his favourite 1922 RR 42 GO.
The engine of RR 42 GO required replacement. To get a supply of spares or import a new engine between the two World Wars was next to impossible and so the hunt began for another compatible 20 HP to be acquired essentially for a replacement engine. Shri Seth Moti Lal Ji Sanghi from Jodhpur, who was the only importer of RR into Rajasthan, India, at that time, through his distributorship M/s Sanghi Motors, Jodhpur, was approached. The Jodhpur State had recently imported five RRs through his distributorship and he procured 1924 RR GLK 21 for the Udaipur Palace Motor Garage. My grandfather approved the car on 13 July 1936. The deal was closed for Rs. 5721 Annas 15 (Sterling £440 or US $2142 as per the rate of exchange in the year 1936. This would be Sterling £67 or US $106 at today’s rate of exchange). This is how 1924 RR GLK 21 came into the realm of Udaipur, Mewar. The rest is history.
The Vintage and Classic Car Collection is located in the original State Motor Garage building. All cars and drivers were always housed over here then and even today. In the 1970s, this building was converted into the Garden Hotel. I was very lucky to inherit the family cars which are part of a unique collection of ‘single owner cars’ housed at VCCC. We have restored several cars and are committed to carry on further restoration work in the future. The principal challenge was to put together a team at our workshop who would understand the nuances of this specialist work and we are grateful to the visiting international consultants, especially Mr Graham Ashley-Carter, who have greatly contributed to this very difficult task as well.
It is also true to say that VCCC has never faced a more daunting challenge, felt a greater sense of satisfaction or enjoyed working on any other restoration project as much as the 1924 RR GLK 21, given that it was purchased to be cannibalized to keep 1922 RR 42 GO in top running condition. Images taken before its restoration and our archival records of the Motor Garage are testimony to my conclusion. The restoration story of our RR has attracted incredible interest and has been covered extensively in both the print and electronic media worldwide. Today with pride I can say that we have achieved this complex task and to a man the team has worked with dedication and without fuss or bother. RR GLK 21 occupies the pride of place in the royal processions even today. Thank you VCCC team.
Even though I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by beautiful objects in a luxurious environment, material bling does not fascinate me. To me real luxury means, among other things, being able to create time to do the things which provide great joy and personal satisfaction. Luxury is not about inheriting or purchasing an asset, enjoying it for a while and then casting it away or procuring another item which catches one’s fancy. It is as much about nurturing as about lovingly creating and passing it down to one’s successors to preserve for the next generation. This continued commitment gives me immense pleasure as money cannot buy these long term values.
I believe there are no coincidences, only things destined to happen. The ‘runt of the litter’ RR GLK 21 was bought simply to serve as a repository of spare parts and the Palace Motor Garage generously dipped into it for over five decades. This RR was never used after arriving in Udaipur in 1936. It was an eccentric decision of VCCC in 1999 to attempt resurrecting it from that mutilated condition.
For me, personally, the reincarnation of RR GLK 21 was most gratifying. It was always destined to leave all other Royal Udaipur RRs behind in its wake like a phoenix and is at the threshold of making its maiden international classical drive to Pebble Beach, USA, which initially began in Derby in 1924 to Jodhpur in 1927, to Udaipur in 1936, and to the supreme Concours d’Elegance in the world today. It is undoubtedly one of the most fulfilling achievements in my life.
It is also in harmony with our vision of ‘Eternal Mewar’.