SOUND OF SILENCE

Local craftsmanship and mindful tourism make for a lovely stay at the Taj Theog Resort & Spa near Shimla. Nayanika Mukherjee comes back impressed

- Nayanika Mukherjee

The five stars of Cassiopeia had never looked clearer. I raised my fingers and traced its zigzag outline. The southernmost, Segin, seemed to rest right above the wooden roof of the hotel, a shade away from the cedars and broad-leaved oaks that formed its shrouded boundary. As my gaze travelled further down, Segin’s brilliance faded into the luminous nooks on the façade. Set on every level of the building, these niches were a nod to the diyas used by local villages, signalling home and hearth to those in the dark. Further inside, the warmth continued by virtue of small alcoves outside every room.

I had checked into the Taj Theog Resort & Spa, a luxury property some 30 kilometres beyond Shimla, and it didn’t look like I had to check out—or even step out—for a dose of Pahari heritage anytime soon. The flooring was Himachali carpet, the mirror framed by wood of some forgotten fragrance, and the balcony opened into a sterling hillscape. Theog, once a princely state, comprised five small ghats, and the hotel was built into one of its ridges.