FOR A CITY PERSON, ANY CHANCE TO VENTURE into the wild is an invitation into the unknown. A world with its own rules and rhythms-where the frailties of everyday existence fall apart.
I realised this as soon as the car veered off the smooth metalled roads and suddenly pulled itself onto the uneven path, running through the dense teak forest fringing the Gir National Park.
I rolled down my windows, desperate to take in as much as I could, even though it had only been a few minutes since I entered the unknown and despite having another night in its embrace.
Suddenly, the silence of the three-hour journey was broken by a piercing call-a fitting welcome to my luxurious sanctuary at Aramness, just a few miles away from Asiatic lions' only home. Veiled by night, Aramness's deep-red facade was yet to reveal itself; however, the two massive lion brass figurines, placed proudly at each end of the tall and wide restored antique door opening up to the haveli, instantly conveyed Aramness's oath to honour Gir and Gujarat, with elan.
While "aram" translates to comfort or rest in Hindi, the second half, "ness," is a local term used by the Maldharis (a tribal community native to Gir) to refer to a cluster of houses. And ness it is, with 18 double-storey kothis-three among them include two rooms, parted by an expansive living room-spread over 12 acres, modelled after the villages of Gujarat.
The Many Treasures
I was guided by my private butler-present round-the-clock for any assistance-to my room. And behind another antique door lay my elegant and spacious abode.
Even though all I had dreamt about in the last hour of the car ride was a cosy hotel bed, the huge hand-carved wooden framed mirror hung on the walls of the pathway and inspired by a peacock's fanned feathers caught my attention with its aged beauty.
Denne historien er fra June - July 2023-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra June - July 2023-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Chutneys For Every Season
GROWING UP IN JHARKHAND, I've always been enchanted by the state's culinary landscape. Here, the local cuisine never fails to surprise with its depth and variety.
BADGE OF HONOUR
IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE of tourism, where greenwashing often taints sustainability, certifications can help distinguish between genuine efforts and marketing gimmicks. Green certification systems encourage businesses to enhance their environmental credentials.
WHEELS OF TIME
IN 1947, TRAINS CARRYING REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER WERE SYMBOLIC OF THE TUMULT OF THE PARTITION.
RAILS OF THE Raj
FROM ITS CONCEPTION TO ITS ROLE IN THE NATION'S HISTORY, THE BRITISH INDIAN RAILWAYS IS A PHENOMENON MARKED AS MUCH BY MARVEL AS AVARICE
THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD
FROM THE RAILROAD THRILLER MISS FRONTIER MAIL 1936) TO SHAH RUKH KHAN DANCING ON A TRAIN IN DIL SE' 1998), TRAINS HAVE GIVEN UNFORGETTABLE SONG SEQUENCES TO MANY HINDI FILMS
MEMORY'S OASIS
REMEMBRANCES OF GROWING UP IN SEALDAH RAILWAY OFFICERS COLONY IN KOLKATA
A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS
FROM CUTLETS AND RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY IN DINING CARS TO THE UNREMARKABLE FARE AVAILABLE TODAY, THE JOURNEY OF FOOD ON THE INDIAN RAILWAY IS FASCINATING
HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS
THE ICONIC DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY, FONDLY CALLED THE TOY TRAIN,' HAS HELD ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS SINCE 1999
HIDDEN LIVES
SPANNING 65,000 KILOMETRES THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED INDIA, THE RAILWAYS ARE A BACKDROP TO COUNTLESS STORIES. 'THE UNRESERVED' BY FILMMAKER SAMARTH MAHAJAN CAPTURES A FEW
JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT
FOR IMTIAZ ALI, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE, OFFERING GLIMPSES OF INDIA'S DIVERSE SOCIETY AND ITS MANY CULTURES AND RELIGIONS