Retreat just like the royals at Fort Rajwada in Jaisalmer

The gates loom massive and majestic and the driveway curves previous inexperienced lawns to cease at ornate double doorways, intricately carved in sterling silver. Once you step via them you journey again in time to the land of maharajas, flying carpets and caparisoned elephants.

Except, this fort has solely been round for 20 years.

Vinay Khosla, managing director, Fort Rajwada, explains, “This is a constructed fort, one among the many few lodges of this dimension constructed in 1999, with an intent to copy the historic forts of the area.” He provides that it modified arms in 2017, and as soon as it got here into their possession, they started upgrading it as a resort.

First, there may be the normal welcome, full with aarti, tikka and a garland of marigolds. Next, a heat towel materialises on a salver and truthfully, it’s a little exhausting to concentrate to those ministrations when the lobby is so fascinating.

Every seen floor exudes opulence — chandeliers, lush carpets, elaborate wallpaper, plush upholstery and carved stone pillars. The internal doorways, once more sterling silver, open out right into a courtyard walled off with turrets at every nook. An enormous marble fountain is flanked by walkways and nooks to the totally different wings of the fort that home the rooms.

Each wing sports activities a special motif (rosette, geometric, and the like), which is mirrored all through — from the accents on the room’s furnishings to the smaller fountain within the centre of that wing. The consideration to element is astounding. Four poster beds, wooden and rattan panelling, burnished brass fittings and lower glass lights, add to the continued feeling of stateliness.

Once you could have settled in and shaken off your journey weariness, the resort gives sightseeing journeys into the town the place one can marvel at its gorgeous historic structure, and bask in sampling native wares, arts and crafts.

Back on the Fort, preparations are made for bonfires, people singers and puppet reveals within the night for the leisure of friends.

Indigenous supplies

The general color scheme on the fort is gold, cream and beige, offset by heat wooden and brilliant house decor.

“For the exteriors, Jaisalmer stone or sandstone indigenous to the area has been used; its hue is why we’re referred to as the Golden City. Inside, we’ve used Botticino and Red Levante, each Italian marble, whereas the foyer is finished up in white Makrana, an beautiful white stone mined in Rajasthan,” says Vinay.

Though their wallpaper has been created by a number of award-winning designers, Vinay says the partitions and ceiling of their reception space have been accomplished by hand. “Artisans from numerous areas of our nation, together with Shekhawati, took about three years to finish their work in our resort.”

A brightly-coloured 20×20 mural depicting scenes from The Ramayana dominates one wall of the lobby. “We imagine these 35 frames exhibiting totally different situations from the epic will assist friends perceive our festivals and the celebration of fine over evil,” says Vinay.

With a room depend of 99, the residing areas in Fort Rajwada have been designed to make friends really feel at house. The Elephant and Monkey Lounges full with well-stocked bookshelves, fake hearth and vintage Persian carpets (monogrammed by the craftsmen), give friends the liberty to socialize in a sublime sitting room.

Indian miniatures from the Company School — artwork accomplished through the time of the East India Company, when European painters got here to India with their methods — line the corridors and an enormous Tanjore murals adorns the touchdown.

Past the primary look

“Service suppliers are additionally service receivers,” says Vinay, explaining how they up to date the resort. “Every product has a life cycle or a shelf life. If the identical product is being stretched past its use it received’t make financial sense in the long term.”

According to Vinay, Fort Rajwada deploys sustainable strategies for the maintenance of the resort. “Stone paint has a restricted business life, so for us to reinforce longevity, numerous instruments and gear are used frequently.”

Being a desert, virtually each commodity in Rajasthan is difficult to come back by and is due to this fact extra dearer than it might be elsewhere within the nation. Thankfully, the Fort runs an efficient rainwater harvesting and waste composting system. “With the resort trade contributing to the world’s carbon emissions, it’s time for us to take sustainability measures and undertake extra eco-friendly enterprise practices,” says Vinay.

The author was in Jaisalmer on the invitation of Fort Rajwada