Experience for yourself the India of ITV’s Beecham House.
Land of kings
Claire Webb - 9 July 2019
Northern India’s lavish palaces and mighty forts steal the show in ITV’s sumptuous drama Beecham House, which follows the fortunes of John Beecham, a British colonial entrepreneur who buys a mansion in pre-Raj Delhi. Whereas ITV’s The Good Karma Hospital is filmed in Sri Lanka and Channel 4’s Indian Summers was shot in Malaysia, director Gurinder Chadha never considered filming Beecham House anywhere but India. “You can’t beat India on camera,” she says. “I think dramas that do shoot in other countries are always slightly strange. One of the things about India that existed long before the British came along is the architecture – the palaces, the forts. We have used many shots of those amazing buildings and that is India for me. You cannot shoot that anywhere else.”
Last year the cast and crew decamped to Rajasthan – a state that has more history than the rest of India put together, according to a popular Indian saying. “Rajasthan” translates as the “land of kings” and was the realm of the chivalrous Rajputs and the art-loving Mughals before the British East India Company dropped anchor. Many of the region’s impressive hilltop fortresses and palaces have been beautifully restored, and several of the locations in Beecham House are also hotels that offer guests a taste of regal splendour.
JAIPUR’S CITY PALACE
Rajasthan’s capital is the “Pink City” of Jaipur, which is famous for its timeless bazaar and rose hued City Palace – a complex of royal residences, courtyards and temples in the heart of the old town. “The City Palace is world renowned and was the main draw of Jaipur because we were allowed to use the main courtyard and the front gates,” explains production designer Michael Ralph. The city was founded in the 1700s, when a Hindu Rajput maharaja, Jai Singh II, moved his court here, and over the centuries his successors embellished his magnificent home. The jewel in its crown is the gorgeous Hawa Mahal – a five storey, pink-painted, honeycomb-shaped confection that allowed the women of court to watch street festivals and everyday life passing by while remaining in purdah.
JAIPUR’S OTHER RED FORT
The fort in Beecham House isn’t Old Delhi’s Red Fort, Agra’s much-visited Red Fort or Jaipur’s star attraction, Amber Fort. “We couldn’t possibly have shot at the Red Fort itself, so we filmed at Jaigarh Fort, a magnificent, sprawling edifice on a mountain top,” says Ralph. “It has incredible views and a fabulous garden.” Also built by Jai Singh II, Jaigarh Fort lies a few miles outside of the city and is connected to Amber Fort by underground passages – an escape route in times of war. Its impressive armoury includes what was once the world’s largest cannon on wheels. The fort also stood in for the City Palace.
RAJASTHAN’S PALATIAL HOTELS
The opulent quarters of Beecham House’s Empress belong to one of Jaipur’s most distinguished hotels: Samode Palace, a 475-year-old mansion in a village in the hills beyond the city. Run by the noble family who used to preside over dozens of nearby villages, it’s now furnished with an infinity pool, antique-filled suites and a stunning great hall. The family’s garden retreat, Samode Bagh, doubled as the home of the governess played by Dakota Blue Richards. The 20 acres of gardens are now a deluxe campsite, with air-conditioned tents boasting en-suite bathrooms and verandahs.
Beecham House itself was a purpose-built set in London, but the exterior scenes were filmed in India: Samode Bagh’s gardens are the backyard and the front approach is Narain Niwas, a charming heritage hotel in Jaipur. It’s also possible to stay in John Beecham’s neighbour’s sumptuous house; it’s really Chomu Palace, a fortified royal palace that combines old-world style and modern amenities such as a rooftop gym.
KISHANGARH’S ROYAL RETREAT
The last capital of the Mughal dynasty was New Delhi’s walled old town – rechristened Old Delhi by the British. Today travellers flock there to feast on fantastic street food and admire its Red Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site. Ralph recreated its harbour and market at Kishangarh Fort – a vast 17th-century fortress that towers over a lake. “It’s a beautiful place,” he says. “The interior of the fort is preserved and protected but we had total freedom there. We built 45 market stalls and six barges that we dropped into its little harbour.”
Travellers who want a view fit for a king can stay in the fort’s splendid waterfront hotel, Phool Mahal Palace, which is still owned by Kishangarh’s royal family.
Last year the cast and crew decamped to Rajasthan – a state that has more history than the rest of India put together, according to a popular Indian saying. “Rajasthan” translates as the “land of kings” and was the realm of the chivalrous Rajputs and the art-loving Mughals before the British East India Company dropped anchor. Many of the region’s impressive hilltop fortresses and palaces have been beautifully restored, and several of the locations in Beecham House are also hotels that offer guests a taste of regal splendour.
JAIPUR’S CITY PALACE
Rajasthan’s capital is the “Pink City” of Jaipur, which is famous for its timeless bazaar and rose hued City Palace – a complex of royal residences, courtyards and temples in the heart of the old town. “The City Palace is world renowned and was the main draw of Jaipur because we were allowed to use the main courtyard and the front gates,” explains production designer Michael Ralph. The city was founded in the 1700s, when a Hindu Rajput maharaja, Jai Singh II, moved his court here, and over the centuries his successors embellished his magnificent home. The jewel in its crown is the gorgeous Hawa Mahal – a five storey, pink-painted, honeycomb-shaped confection that allowed the women of court to watch street festivals and everyday life passing by while remaining in purdah.
JAIPUR’S OTHER RED FORT
The fort in Beecham House isn’t Old Delhi’s Red Fort, Agra’s much-visited Red Fort or Jaipur’s star attraction, Amber Fort. “We couldn’t possibly have shot at the Red Fort itself, so we filmed at Jaigarh Fort, a magnificent, sprawling edifice on a mountain top,” says Ralph. “It has incredible views and a fabulous garden.” Also built by Jai Singh II, Jaigarh Fort lies a few miles outside of the city and is connected to Amber Fort by underground passages – an escape route in times of war. Its impressive armoury includes what was once the world’s largest cannon on wheels. The fort also stood in for the City Palace.
RAJASTHAN’S PALATIAL HOTELS
The opulent quarters of Beecham House’s Empress belong to one of Jaipur’s most distinguished hotels: Samode Palace, a 475-year-old mansion in a village in the hills beyond the city. Run by the noble family who used to preside over dozens of nearby villages, it’s now furnished with an infinity pool, antique-filled suites and a stunning great hall. The family’s garden retreat, Samode Bagh, doubled as the home of the governess played by Dakota Blue Richards. The 20 acres of gardens are now a deluxe campsite, with air-conditioned tents boasting en-suite bathrooms and verandahs.
Beecham House itself was a purpose-built set in London, but the exterior scenes were filmed in India: Samode Bagh’s gardens are the backyard and the front approach is Narain Niwas, a charming heritage hotel in Jaipur. It’s also possible to stay in John Beecham’s neighbour’s sumptuous house; it’s really Chomu Palace, a fortified royal palace that combines old-world style and modern amenities such as a rooftop gym.
KISHANGARH’S ROYAL RETREAT
The last capital of the Mughal dynasty was New Delhi’s walled old town – rechristened Old Delhi by the British. Today travellers flock there to feast on fantastic street food and admire its Red Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site. Ralph recreated its harbour and market at Kishangarh Fort – a vast 17th-century fortress that towers over a lake. “It’s a beautiful place,” he says. “The interior of the fort is preserved and protected but we had total freedom there. We built 45 market stalls and six barges that we dropped into its little harbour.”
Travellers who want a view fit for a king can stay in the fort’s splendid waterfront hotel, Phool Mahal Palace, which is still owned by Kishangarh’s royal family.