French Chateau in Mussoorie that aroused British curiosity

Mussoorie: Nestled among a host of Victorian style buildings, that came up during the British-era in Mussoorie, is a French chateau whose construction had apparently aroused curiosity among the British and continues to draw curious glances from tourists even now.
Chateau Kapurthala or Kapurthala House, as it is locally known, is a five-minute walk from Gandhi Chowk in Mussoorie.Visitors are not allowed to enter the chateau premises but even from the outside, one can feel the grandeur of this structure as well as the distinct architectural design.
Cynthia Meera Frederick, a conservation architect and co-author of a recently published book on the life of erstwhile maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagatjit Singh, informs that this building was constructed as per the French Renaissance style of architecture and was the summer abode of the Maharaja.
“The maharaja spent time in France’s Loire Valley region where he stayed with his friend Princesse de Broglie at her Chateau de Chaumont–sur-Loire and the Chateau de Brissac. The Chateau Kapurthala was influenced by such prototypes,” Cynthia says.
The maharaja had first arrived in Mussoorie in June 1892. Enamoured by the town, he decided to build himself a grand palace here. The construction was initiated in 1896 and the chateau was constructed in a span of three years.
Interestingly, it was not French but British architects who designed and constructed this chateau. Kapurthala state engineer JOS Elmore designed the building and supervised the construction while the consulting architect was Robert Fellowes Chisholm who is regarded as a renowned architect of that time.
The building has two large turrets at the front and two other small ones at the back. It has two floors and an attic. The ground floor has a billiard room, ballroom, dining room and meeting room. The royal residences are on the first floor. The building premises also have a badminton and tennis court.
“Tennis was the favourite sport of the maharaja but on rainy days, he would remain indoors, playing billiards,” Cynthia remarks. The maharaja, who spoke fluent French, was said to be an ardent admirer of the French architecture and culture.
It is believed that the construction of Chateau Kapurthala led to eyebrows being raised by the British. Cynthia, however, denies any feud between the maharaja and the British, owing to the construction of this chateau. “It aroused British curiosity certainly but they did not harbour other sentiments or concerns,” Cynthia says.