THIS is the awkward moment an elephant pooped moments before a five-star hotel welcomed its most important royal guest.
Staff at one of the world’s most prestigious hotels, the Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India, eagerly awaited the arrival of Padmanabh Singh, head of the former ruling family of the state of Jaipur, in the present-day Rajasthan, and godson of King Charles.
The Oberoi Rajvilas is considered the epitome of luxury, with its wealthy guests often arriving from all over the world by helicopter to enjoy their sumptuous £11,000-a-night suites.
In Channel 4’s new show, called Grand Indian Hotel and broadcast last night, tensions soared as staff prepared to welcome not only the royal, but also the owner of the exclusive Gem Palace jewelry store, Samir.
Workers were nervous after the VIP didn’t arrive more than 15 minutes after the event started. But as the royal approached, an elephant defecated just outside the lodge entrance.
This is the awkward moment an elephant pooped moments before Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India, welcomed his most important guest.
The Oberoi Rajvilas is considered the epitome of luxury and was to host Padmanabh Singh (pictured)
A waiter alerted staff to the incident and shouted, “Oh my God, he’s pooping now!”
Behind him, an elephant decorated with golden fabrics could be seen standing in front of their excrement.
Staff were seen running around in panic, while a waitress named Ishita took out her phone in an apparent attempt to call for reinforcements.
However, just in time, a quick-thinking staff member scooped up the droppings into a large nylon bag just moments before the VIP guest walked through the doors.
Staff distracted visitors by applying incense, hoping to cover up the fact that the surroundings “stinked.”
This pesky elephant had been causing problems at the hotel, leading general manager Vishal at one point to consider banning the animal from the grounds.
Earlier, Ishita explained that a number of elephants would be placed around the front pillars of the hotel to provide “royal charm” to their special guests. It’s safe to say that this particular elephant didn’t get the memo.
When the troublesome creature began grazing on the grass, Ishita warned her owners to put a stop to it, as the food “goes in at one end and comes out at the other.”
The drama unfolded in Channel 4’s new program Grand Indian Hotel, which aired last night (pictured: aerial scenes from the exclusive Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India)
The Oberoi Rajvilas is one of the most exclusive five-star hotels in the world, with a price tag of £11,000 a night to match (pictured: in one of the hotel’s sumptuous suites)
Just before the special guests arrived, an elephant pooped right in front of the lodge entrance.
The incident was covered up seconds before the guests arrived (photo: the Maharaja and his entourage arriving for the banquet)
Wealthy men and women arrived dressed in glittering traditional outfits and luxurious furs.
With stakes high for the boss, he too checked on the elephants, and just then, he noticed that one of them had already urinated all over the posh estate.
Calling for housekeeping staff to clean up the mess, he shouted: “It’s going to stink now!” Quickly!’ The elephant peed everywhere! It smells,” he continued. “I think we should remove the elephants,” he concluded.
While the principal was debating the executive decision, moments later the elephant had pooped all over the floor.
This stressful incident was handled well by the knowledgeable staff, many of whom had studied hotel and catering management at university.
The incident was covered up seconds before the banquet and, thankfully, the royal – also known as the Maharaja of Jaipur – was none the wiser.
A fleet of cream-colored luxury cars arrived with men and women dressed in glittering traditional outfits and luxurious furs.
At the head of the entourage was the Maharaja who preceded them to their sumptuously decorated banquet table.
The main course was a traditional Rajasthani dish made with chicken, yogurt, mustard oil and clove powder marinade.
Tensions soared as staff prepared to welcome not only the royal, but also the owner of the exclusive Gem Palace jewelry store, Samir (pictured center)
Guests from all over the world often arrive at the luxury hotel by helicopter
The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur is described in the show as an “oasis of tranquility, far from the hustle and bustle of the streets” (photo: the exterior of just one of the hotel’s luxury suites)
Preparing such an exquisite dish required the chicken to be cooked over charcoal and buried underground at a temperature of 190°C until the 153 guests arrived.
The effort was a success, with the royal noting that the hotel’s standards were “very high.”
He added: “I’m someone who is very proud of where I come from and when I see all of this come to fruition, all of these ideas and thoughts articulated – being able to experience that hospitality was very special to me.”
Padmanabh “Pacho” Singh, 25, is worth around £1 billion and was crowned the unofficial Maharaja of Jaipur in 2011.
He is a member of the ancient ruling family of the state of Jaipur, in present-day Rajasthan, India.
Although its title is not officially recognized by law because India is a federal parliamentary democratic republic, the title is still highly respected.
It was awarded to him upon the death of his grandfather, leaving out his mother because of her gender, and his father – a former domestic worker – because he did not have royal blood.
The main course of the banquet was an exquisite dish that required the chicken to be cooked over charcoal and buried underground at a temperature of 190°C.
At the Oberoi Rajvilas, some suites come with their own swimming pool (photo: a private swimming pool)
In 2020, he spoke about his close relationship with his godfather King Charles, calling him “the most special person.”
He added that he admired the way Charles treated those around him, including the staff.
He said: “He will ask everyone what their name is and how they are… that’s something I learned from him, asking people backstage how they are and what their name, if there is anything you can do for them.
Like his grandfather, Bhawani Sing, Padmanabh is an accomplished polo player and the youngest member of a World Cup polo team in 2017 and the youngest winner of the Indian Open Polo Cup.
Pacho, who was once among Tatler’s most eligible bachelors, has strong links to the UK, having attended Millfield School in Somerset before frequently returning for polo matches.
He studied liberal arts at New York University, New York, where he says he discovered “Netflix and sushi.”
The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur is described in the show as an “oasis of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of the streets”, with its most elite suite costing a staggering £11,000 per night.
For the price, you can expect your room to come with its own pool, 24-hour butler service, and a 3:1 staff-to-guest ratio.
Other amenities include a private garden, a sunken marble bathtub, your own dining area and exceptionally large en suite bedrooms.
