When Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II of Indore and his wife, Maharani Sanyogita, invited Eckart Muthesius to collaborate with them, it was to construct more than just a palace.

Through the creation of Manik Bagh, or Garden of Rubies, the couple established a truly modern identity for themselves, confirming their legacy as discerning and committed patrons at the forefront of the international avant-garde.

- Prahlad Bubbar

For Muthesius, the project was also the realisation of a dream, in which he had the freedom to fully express his creative vision. Together, their shared dedication to the ideological and aesthetic principles of modernism led them to embark on a remarkable project, now widely considered a pinnacle of modern architecture and design, and one of the most significant expressions of the movement outside Europe.

Manik Bagh holds particular significance to me on a more personal level. I was born in Indore and grew up in Italy. After coming across Reto Niggl's important book on the subject in 1996, it immediately resonated deeply, as a bridge between the East and the West, the perfect synthesis. Upon digging further, I discovered that my father had gone to Manik Bagh, aged 18, in the late '60s, when it was still intact with contents and offered to our family for purchase. Sadly, we didn't acquire it. He recalls the massive, sleek dining table with a large glass top, the thickness of which particularly struck him; it was unlike any he had ever seen.

The story of Manik Bagh began in England, in the late 1920s. Yeshwant Rao Holkar II and Eckart Muthesius met while the maharaja was studying at Oxford. The two soon became friends over a shared passion for modern design, technology and architecture. The maharaja and his young wife, Sanyogita, were the epitome of glamour and sophistication. Their elegant and iconic persona was crafted and immortalised in the work of photographer Man Ray, whose Surrealist images transformed photography in the 20th century. His photographs highlight their creativity, intellect and deep sensibility; Man Ray always captured more than met the eye, representing spirit, not just form.