INDIA
Even devotees of the country who travel there regularly will often admit to a love-hate relationship with India. It’s a continent (well technically a sub-continent) with north and south having little in common. Vast in area, intriguing in its very complexity, it offers so much as it assails the senses with its sights, sounds, smells and tastes. It always offers more to see, to explore and to learn about. And it’s never boring. If you haven’t yet visited then you should.
Scattered across the country are a wealth of Heritage properties. These are not classified as listed buildings, as would be the case in the UK, but are buildings with a history, a provenance. Many are palaces, dating from the days of the British Raj and before, which have been converted into comfortable places to stay, with your hosts often descendants of the local Rajahs, or princes, who formerly ruled here. Staying in a Heritage property offers today’s luxury housed amidst yesterday’s heritage.
Let’s take just four examples of Heritage hotels property and what they offer as bases from which to explore India.
The glorious Rajbari Bawali mansion in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) was built around 250 years ago, but was in sad disrepair after years of decline when it was rediscovered in 2008. The miraculous restoration of its its classical columns, shuttered windows and marble-floored interiors involved skilled craftsmen from India who relearnt brick-making and restored pools and pavilions. Four-poster beds in the rooms and wide, lantern-lit terraces evoke the mansion’s heyday.
www.therajbari.com
Also in West Bengal, the Bari Kothi in Murshidabad is a boutique heritage hotel that offers a vibrant and engaging cultural programme, with visits to temples and palaces, Ganges boat trips, traditional dance and textile weaving. The fine 18th-century mansion itself contains delights such as hand-painted windows, classical columns, elaborately tiled floors and delicious vegetarian Sheherwali cuisine.
www.barikothi.com
A long way east of Delhi lies the ancient city of Varanasi, lying alongside the Holy River Ganges. A good base from which to start exploring the east of India, Varanasi is a lengthy train ride
Complex, frustrating, exciting, testing, exhilarating, shocking.
or a comfortable flight from Delhi. On the banks of the Ganges, next to the main ghat lies the 280-year-old Brijrama Palace and fort, which is now converted into a Heritage hotel. Transfers from the airport involve a boat as access to the property is by river. Interestingly, the hotel boasts India’s oldest elevator. There are just 30 rooms, all with Ganges views. Ironically, the smallest room in the hotel is the most sought after, since, being in a turret, it has a 360 view; it is much in demand.
www.brijrama.com - subject to same check as above
To explore the majestic Ganges itself, take a river cruise with Assam Bengal Navigation. Their discreetly luxurious boats take you to fascinating villages, towns and temples.
www.assambengalnavigation.com
Heading west from Delhi will take you to Rajasthan, one of India’s most colourful states. Here, not far from the major city of Jodphur lies the village of Narla, midway between Jodphur and Udaipur. Located here is a charming old palace Rawla Narlai, now converted into a luxury property from where guests can take excursions to see leopard, go bird watching or visit local villages by Jeep. The hotel owner also owns several vintage cars in which guests can go for a spin if the fancy takes them – a neat twist. The place also has conference facilities for a small, bijou gathering.
Just four examples of the many hundreds of Heritage properties in India that can form a base from which to explore so many aspects of the country, from browsing the rich archaeological sites and temples to looking for tigers in the jungles of the many wildlife reserves scattered across the regions. Time spent exploring India can lead you from a love of listed, or Heritage, properties to a love of this complex and intriguing country.
And why not try glamping, with The Ultimate Travelling Camp? Watch polo or raft down the Indus from your base at The Chamba Camp, Thiksey, pictured left, in wildly beautiful Ladakh. For adventures with luxury under canvas, visit
www.tutc.com
Article written by Derek Moore and Martin Anslow of D and M Travel Design.
Architectural Traveller | Page 33
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