Revenge Story That Inspired Jamsetji Tata To Build Iconic Taj Hotels

People who experienced Taj Hotels hospitality have always recommended it as a must-visit, at least once. It is, after all, one of the world¡¯s most lavish hotel chains offered by the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), South Asia's largest hospitality company.

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai | Stock

But most of us didn¡¯t know the real reason behind the foundation of India's iconic hotel. Here¡¯s the story of a great Indian hotel and the inspiration behind them.

A Sweet Revenge Story Of Jamsetji Tata

Jamsetji Tata | Tata

It is said that Jamshedji Tata was inspired to build this hotel after he was refused entry at one of the grandest hotels of British time Watson¡¯s Hotel, which was restricted to ¡®whites only. Jamsetji Tata took this as an insult to whole Indians and then decided that he would build a hotel where not only Indians but foreigners could also stay without any restrictions, and that's how India's first super-luxury hotel came into being. Now Taj is a centre of attraction all over the world.

Foundation of iconic Taj Hotel

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¡®Diamond by the sea¡¯ the Taj Mahal Palace is an architectural jewel in Mumbai. The foundation of the Taj was laid in 1898 by Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group. The hotel opened its gates to the guests for the first time on December 16, 1902, even before the foundation for the Gateway of India was laid on March 31, 1911. Taj Mahal Palace was the first building in Bombay to be lit by electricity. The hotel is made up of two different buildings: the Taj Mahal Palace and the Tower, which are historically and architecturally distinct from each other, the Taj Mahal Palace was built at the start of the twentieth century, while the Tower was opened in 1973.

History of Taj Mahal Hotel

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai | Stock

The hotel has a long and distinguished history, having received many notable guests, from presidents to captains of industry and stars of show business. Ratanbai Petit, the second wife of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, lived in the hotel during her last days in 1929; her sister-in-law, Sylla Tata, had born into the Tata family, builders and owners of the hotel. During World War I, the hotel was converted into a military hospital with 600 beds. It has been considered one of the finest hotels in the East since the time of the British Raj. The hotel was one of the main sites targeted in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Recognised As A World's strongest hotel brand

Despite many ups and downs after the 2008 Mumbai attack, the Taj luxury hotel chain scored very well on Brand Finance's 'Global Brand Equity Monitor' for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.