Royal Rajasthan – I: Neemrana Fort & Palace

Neemrana is a sleepy village in Alwar district of Rajasthan, off the Delhi Jaipur Highway, approximately 100 kms from Delhi. It has a centuries old fort, built sometime in 15^th century by the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan. It has become a popular weekend gateway for Delhites, as it is one of the closest places one can visit for a weekend. Apart from Neemrana, there are not many weekend gateways close enough from Delhi / NCR। If there are any please do let me know, and my definition of weekend gateway is a radius of 100 kms or so.

Neemrana fort is spread across eleven vertical levels, intertwined with each other, making the place look like a maze for a first time visitor. As you take the diversion from the Jaipur Highway into the Neemrana village, you do not see the fort till you actually reach its gate, probably the way it was designed on top of a small hill. As you reach the fort, you go through its circular walls till you meet the huge gate that stands almost as it would have been when it was originally constructed. You climb a few levels through the ramped pathways which are surrounded by walls adorning the various artifacts from the times and era seen by the fort. There are about 55 rooms in this property which calls itself a non-hotel hotel. All the rooms are named as ‘some’ palace and the staff refers to the rooms as palace only and not by some impersonal number, which for a moment can give you a feeling that you are actually living in the palace and ready to be treated royally.

The rooms are nice, have an aura that ports you to another era or at least takes you away from the current era where only gizmos surround you. There is basic lighting in the room and there are no phones or televisions. After all you do not come to live in a fort to be watching the same idiot box. The upholstery in the rooms and elsewhere in the fort carries the essence of Rajasthan, with Sanganeri prints and typical bright colors from Rajasthan. Food served is a combination of Rajasthani and continental and is served exclusively for the people who live in the fort. They serve evening tea on a terrace which makes fort the backdrop. You can enjoy the tea sitting on the colorful cushions on the parapet of the fort overlooking the Neemrana village while the sun is getting ready to retire for the day. There is Rajasthani music in the late evening by the local artists, which repeats itself and can probably have some diversity. Artists try to involve the guests in the music and dance and lot of people do enjoy being involved. Dinner is set in a romantic setup with light music and the staff taking care of all your needs. The fort gives an entirely different look at night with interesting lighting highlighting some parts that you may overlook otherwise.

If you pay some attention, you would see the photographs of the fort as it was before restoration, and you would appreciate the work that has been done to restore the fort. The fort actually is proud of various awards it has won for the fantastic restoration. The legend is that the king who owned the fort wanted to sell it for mere one lakh Rs sometime in 1980s, and it was ultimately bought by the current owners for about 7 lakhs and then restored to its current state. There is another wing that is being added to the fort. The amphitheater that is hidden inside the fort makes a perfect picture from the poolside. The design of the fort is intricate and intriguing. You would enjoy going up and down through its pathways, stairways, ramps or just the walkways. You can look at various views from the holes in the walls, windows from the rooms, parapets and from the beautiful rooftop arches. Some of the loos too have views.

This non hotel resort is available for personal stays, banquets, corporate events, and music & art events or as a wedding venue. They actually have a complete brochure explaining the exotic and fairy tale weddings that they have arranged. No need to say, all the weddings were hosted by the ultra rich. Like a well managed tourist place, the fort has an audio tour, swimming pool and health spa, a high end shop selling handicrafts & artifacts from India, tie up with an NGO that supports the local community, tie up with an adventure company which takes you for light treks, camping or flying on a wire (aerial zipline). The place is usually sold out, so you have to plan a bit in advance especially if you plan to be there on a weekend.

Neemrana fort and palace is a good example of heritage that is not only restored and preserved, but is also well marketed to sustain itself and the people who take care of it. Definitely worth a visit and stay.