Travel + Leisure

travelandleisureindia.in JANUARY 2021 / 150 Putting Mayurbhanj in Odisha on the World Map MILLENNIAL PRINCESSES Mrinalika & Akshita Bhanj Deo WIN A 3-NIGHT HOLIDAY in Krabi Thailand $ 4.50/ SLR 450/ NPR 35/ MVR 60 PKR 30O/ BTN 200 / TAKA 350 TRAVELS ROYALTY + A Wedding In Rampur + What’s Cooking In Rewa? FINE WINE IN THE LOIRE Old-WorldChâteaux Meet New-WorldVintage AFRICAN ODYSSEY The Magnificence of Morocco in Pictures wit h 21 EMERGING DESTINATIONS 2021 for

Ashok Gehlot Chief Minister of Rajasthan RAJASTHAN READY & SAFE The state of Rajasthan is the perfect destination for an exotic wedding. It has the right combination of rich heritage, majestic palaces, modern amenities, and excellent connectivity to the world. Whether it’s a palatial ceremony in Jaipur, a lakeside reception in Udaipur, an opulent gathering in a fort, or a function in the middle of the vast wilderness of the Thar desert, whatever you desire can come to life with the utmost luxury in Rajasthan. Royal Weddingsin Rajasthan

It’s Safe to Travel Again Hotels, Restaurants & Monuments of Rajasthan are SOP-compliant and Safe. www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in www.rtdc.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in rajasthantourism my_rajasthan rajasthan_tourism Rajasthan Tourism Channel Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan

2 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 ARKA PATRA 4 Letter from the Editor Discoveries 9 A list of 21lesser-explored destinations—within India or air bubbles—will help you discoverthe undiscovered in the newyear. The Intelligent Traveller 20 A road trip in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna reveals quirky museumsthat celebrate local culinary specialities; author Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi talks about hislatest book and how the pandemic influenced its narrative; the founder ofHealing Himalayas gets candid about turning treksinto cleaning drives; Raw Mango founder, Sanjay Garg, discusses his new collection, worn by our coverstars, and measured innovation within traditional textile practices. Through the Lens 34 Go on an immersive visual journey through Morocco, which offers a rich palette of landscapes, colours, and experiencesto the intrepid traveller. Cover Story 40 THE PRINCESSES’ DIARIES Meet millennial princesses, Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo, whose royal abode in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj is a stellar example ofresponsible tourism. Experiences 46 THE KING AND I A realtor exploresthe many layers of history embedded in the walls of the Rampur Nawab’sresidence and attends a regal, inclusive nikah. 52 FROM THE ROYAL COOKBOOK Trace the evolution of the royal cuisine of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh— from recipesinvolving game meat to present-day vegetarian versions. 56 EXCLUSIVELY YOURS, SANTORINI A couple’s wintersojourn to a famous Greek island rewardsthem with deserted, tranquilsites. 60 STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE Discover Bermuda with a local Instagram star, a herbalist, and other enterprising Bermudians. Departments 76 OVER HILL, OVER DALE Stumble upon culturalrichesin the wild landscape of Yorkshire in northeastern England. 88 NATURAL SOPHISTICATION The Loire Valley in France is home to an upstart generation of vintners whose low-intervention wines are redefining the old-world style. Your Best Shot 96 A writer captures her flight of imagination at the Mehrangarh Fort, on a family trip to Jodhpur. ON THE COVER: Sisters Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo with one of their two Great Danes at The Belgadia Palace. 63 RAISING THE BAR Find out howyoung chefs, winegrowers, and distillersin France’s Cognac are embracing innovation while staying true to the old-fashioned spirit. 66 IN THE CITY OF SAINTS A writer wandersthe ancient alleyways ofHararin Ethiopia and finds a new link to herfaith. Wellness & Spas 69 Expertsfrom luxury hotels and spas acrossthe country share easy DIYwinterskincare rituals. CONTENTS Mrinalika (left, sitting) and Akshita Bhanj Deo (right, sitting) photographed at The Belgadia Palace in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, with chhau dancers from Project Chhauni. (p. 40) Features ON MRINALIKA: Chowkadi Kurta and Churu Pants, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection. ON AKSHITA: Teej Kurta and Rohi Churidar, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection. PRODUCED BY Aindrila Mitra PHOTOGRAPHED BY Arka Patra STYLED IN Raw Mango MAKEUP BY Rebecca Polizzi HAIR BY Zohra Khan LOCATION The Belgadia Palace

LETTER from the Editor FROM MY TRAVELS I discovered The Belgadia Palace, a hidden gem in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, in November last year. This image was captured in the course of our cover shoot, as we photographed princesses Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo for this issue. W ITH THE YEAR 2020 behind us, there’s no better time than now to look forward to a new beginning. 2021 is a year that we hope will bring more meaningful travels and a sense of rejuvenation to our readers. This year, Travel + Leisure India & South Asia, in keeping with its editorial campaign around Conscious Travel, takes a step forward to support local businesses and communities, and bring to the fore places, people, and stories that are hidden gems in India and around the world. For us, this year becomes the year to #discovertheundiscovered, and to arm our readers with knowledge that will help them experience some truly unforgettable and unique destinations far from the madding crowd. Our list of ‘21 Emerging Destinations for 2021’ is just what you need to plan a novel itinerary for the new year (p. 9). Since this issue doubles up as our annual royalty special, we tracked down the royal family of Mayurbhanj, Odisha, where our cover stars and millennial princesses, Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo, are supporting local communities and crafts with their sustainable tourism project: The Belgadia Palace (p. 40). We also learn the rich history of the nawabs of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, and get a sneak peek of a royal wedding (p. 46). In the highly underrated Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, we sample cuisine that was served to kings and queens of yesteryear (p. 52). Please Note: Refer to the rules and guidelines issued by your state government and those in place at the destination of your choice before making travel plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aindrila Mitra [email protected] #TnlTravels on @travelandleisureindia @tnlindia linkedin.com/company/travel-leisure-india-south-asia From the alleys of Harar in Ethiopia (p. 66) to the grand châteaux that sit in Loire Valley, France (p. 88) and the brilliant colours of Morocco (p. 34), our fi rst issue of 2021 comes packed with plenty of captivating travelogues that will inspire memorable travels. Here’s to a new year that we hope will ring with wishes of ‘bon voyage’! 4 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Aindrila Mitra MANAGING EDITOR Sumeet Keswani EDITOR (DIGITAL & SP. SUPPLEMENTS) Priyanka Chakrabarti ASSISTANT EDITOR Adila Matra SOCIAL MEDIA HEAD Pallavi Phukan SENIOR FEATURES WRITER Rashima Nagpal FEATURES WRITER (DIGITAL) Kumar Shree SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Aditya Mehrotra MANAGER (SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT) Bayar Jain EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Kanchan Rana ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ghanshyam Singh ART DIRECTOR Ajay Kumar PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ritesh Roy MANAGER Manoj Chawla DEPUTY MANAGER Satish Kumar ADVERTISING SALES BUSINESS DIRECTOR - TRAVEL Sushmita Gupta NORTH Amarjit Bhatia SOUTH Indu Bhardwaj DIRECTOR - GLOBAL ADVERTISING PARTNERSHIPS Sanjiv Bisaria MARKETING & ACTIVATION HEAD Mallika Raina ASSISTANT MANAGER Daljit Kaur Aulakh CIRCULATION & VISIBILITY SENIOR MANAGER Bijay Kumar Kar [email protected] CORPORATE OPERATIONS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Puneet Nanda HEAD (HR) Sonya Caroline Shah SENIOR MANAGER (ADMIN) Sushila Choudhary MANAGER (IT) Arun Salhotra Distributed By Living Media India Limited Burda Media India Private Limited is a company of The Hubert Burda Media Group HUBERT BURDA MEDIA INDIA CEO Björn Rettig BURDALUXURY CEO Björn Rettig DIRECTOR-PRINT OPERATIONS AND STRATEGY Simon Clays HUBERT BURDA MEDIA BOARD MEMBER INTERNATIONAL Martin Weiss FRANCE/LUXEMBOURG Marion Badolle-Feick T. +33 1 72 71 25 24 [email protected] italy Mariolina Siclari T. +39 02 91 32 34 66 [email protected] GERMANY Julia Mund T +49 89 92 50 31 97 [email protected] Michael Neuwirth T. +49 89 9250 3629 [email protected] AUSTRIA Christina Bresler T. +43 1 230 60 30 50 [email protected] SWITZERLAND Goran Vukota T. +41 44 81 02 146 [email protected] uk/ireland Jeannine Soeldner T. +44 20 3440 5832 [email protected] usa/canada/mexico Salvatore Zammuto T. +1 212 884 48 24 [email protected] INTERNATIONAL SALES & ADVERTISING BURDA INTERNATIONAL HOLDING GMBH LEGAL ADDRESS Hubert Burda Platz 1, 77652 Offenburg, Germany POSTAGE ADDRESS Arabellastrasse 23, D-81925 Munich, Germany TRAVEL + LEISURE (USA) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacqueline Gifford SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER Jay Meyer MEREDITH INTERNATIONAL, LICENSING & SYNDICATION ([email protected]) VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS AFFAIRS Tom Rowland EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LICENSING OPERATIONS Paul Ordonez SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Wendy Zhang MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Nicholas Arnold ASSISTANT MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Thomas D. Rodriguez MEREDITH CORPORATION CHAIRMAN & CEO Tom Harty CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Joseph Ceryanec CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER John Zieser TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA vol. 14, issue 173 Burda Media India Private Limited, Plot No. 378-379, Second Floor, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Sector 18, Gurugram – 122015, Haryana. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Published by Puneet Nanda from Burda Media India Private Limited, Plot No. 378-379, Second Floor, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Sector 18, Gurugram – 122015 Haryana. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. ltd., S.No. 185, Kondapur Village, Serilingampally Municipality, Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad - 500 133. Travel+Leisure does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only. Opinions expressed in the articles are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy. Unsolicited material is sent at the owner’s risk and the publisher accepts no liability for loss or damage. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the consent of Burda Media India Private Limited. This edition is published by permission of TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 USA. Tel. +1 212 522 1212 Online: www.timeinc.com Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner is prohibited. © Burda Media India Private Limited in respect of the published edition. Copyright queries to [email protected] ADVERTISING For your advertising enquiries please contact: DOMESTIC: Sushmita Gupta +91-9711808101, [email protected]. INTERNATIONAL: Sanjiv Bisaria +91-9811562019, [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe call Gurugram: 0124-3083500, 08218122745; Mumbai: 022- 26041735/36. E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.burda.in

2021-22 THE LIST Travel + Leisure India & South Asia COMING offers exclusive recommendations, tips, and SOON tricks to elevate your holidays, food, fashion, and lifestyle. For this, we engage experts and trendsetters from various fields and bring them on board our Adviser List, or A-List. The A-List 2021-22 will have all this and more! Watch this space.

8 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Tread Uncharted Places in Kashmir Put these five hidden gems near Pahalgam on your itinerary and go off the beaten path in the Kashmir Valley. travelandleisureindia.in/ unexplored-places-in-kashmir Explore the Largest State in the Northeast Arunachal Pradesh-based travel and lifestyle YouTuber Lenzing Doming reveals the hidden gems in his home state. travelandleisureindia.in/ lenzing-doming Find Treasures in the Western Ghats Perched on the Anaimalai mountain range of the Western Ghats, Valparai—the only hill station in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu—will unveil two new tourist attractions this year. travelandleisureindia.in/tamilnadus-valparai-hill-station India has countless secrets, and 2021 should be all about exploring the hidden gems of our country. So, pack your bags, pick up that map, and embark on a memorable journey. DISCOVER THE UNDISCOVERED SPOTTED Purab Kohli’s trip to the Nilgiris was all about nature walks and spotting wild animals. travelandleisureindia.in/ purab-kohli DISCOVER Ever heard of Haflong? It is Assam’s only hill station and offers thickets, cotton-candy clouds, and rolling green hills. travelandleisureindia.in/ assam-haflong THIS PHOTO BY @THEROUTECAUSE IS MAKING US DREAM OF THE UNDULATING MEADOWS OF SONMARG. TO GET FEATURED HERE, TAG @TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA ON INSTAGRAM AND USE THE HASHTAG #TELLTNLINDIA. NOTE: ALL PRICES MENTIONED IN THE MAGAZINE ARE APPROXIMATE VALUES AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. WWW.BURDA.IN SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS Download Travel + Leisure India & South Asia digital editions, and follow us for the best in hotels, food, style, culture, and trends. travelandleisureindia tnlindia tnlindia traveleisurein #telltnlindia travelandleisureindia.in DIGITAL

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 9 COURTESY OF RAS AL KHAIMAH Leisure Disc A GLOBETROT TER’S GUIDE TO THE L ATEST IN TRAVEL veries RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE The northernmost emirate in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is the perfect getaway post a travel drought. It is home to the country’s highest peak, Jebel Jais (1,934 metres). Here, you can find Jebel Jais Flight (in pic), the world’s longest zipline; the Jais Sky Tour, featuring seven ziplines flying over grand cliffs and canyons; and the recently launched Bear Grylls Explorer Camp, offering branded survival experiences. You can gaze at the majestic Hajar Mountains from Jais Viewing Deck Park, which houses 1484 by Puro—the highest restaurant in the UAE. Located at the base of the Hajar Mountains, Suwaidi Pearl Farm is the region’s first cultured pearl farm. The emirate is also home to several historical and archaeological sites such as Julfar, Shimal, Jazirah Al Hamra, and Dhaya, all recognised by the UNESCO’s Tentative List of Heritage Sites. visitrasalkhaimah.com 21 2021 Emerging Destinations for A new year calls for a brand new bucket list! Choose from these 21 lesser-explored destinations— within India or air bubbles—and #discovertheundiscovered. BY RASHIMA NAGPAL 1

10 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 DISCOVERIES 2 3 4 5 SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA  Saskatchewan is a rugged and bucolic province of Canada. Made up of vast prairies in the south, rocky terrain in the north, and modest cities such as the capital Regina, it is perfect for an unhurried countryside holiday. At the heart of the province lies the million-acre Prince Albert National Park, ideal for lakeside picnics and hiking in summer, and cross-country skiing during the mild winter months. At the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in the capital, one can trace the natural history of the country, and the town of Saskatoon exhibits the avant-garde culture of the destination. saskatchewan.ca MANAMA, BAHRAIN  Manama is the gateway to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The capital has a modern landscape, but also houses a treasure trove of history. The Al Fateh Grand Mosque (in pic) features suras engraved in the Kufic script, a three-and-a-halftonne Swarovski crystal chandelier from Austria, 952 hand-blown glass lamps from France, and a huge fibreglass dome. Bahrain National Museum displays artefacts from the Dilmun civilisation, which flourished in the region circa 2000 BCE. The city is at its liveliest in the narrow alleys of Manama Souk, where you can buy everything from spices to pearls. visitbahrain.bh KYUSHU, JAPAN  Blessed with a subtropical climate, beautiful beaches, active volcanoes, natural hot-spring zones like Kurokawa Onsen, Beppu Onsen, and Yufuin Onsen, and Instagram-worthy locations such as the Takachiho Gorge (in pic), Kyushu is an underrated destination that promises thrill and relaxation in equal measure. The island also has sites of historical interest. The city of Fukuoka, for instance, is home to museums, mega malls, and an eighth-century Shinto shrine, Kushida-jinja. The isle of Yakushima, off the southern coast of Kyushu, is a ferry ride away from Kagoshima city, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site perfect for outdoor adventures. For the ultimate adventure, you can go hiking on Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan. japan.travel DOHA, QATAR  Wander through the atmospheric Souq Waqif (in pic), marvel at the world-class Museum of Islamic Art, or head out to Katara Cultural Village to explore beautiful theatres, concert halls, and exhibition galleries. With a new metro system and the 2022 FIFA World Cup looming on the horizon, Doha is one of the most dynamic cities in the Gulf. Locally recommended activities include eating at Turkey Central, which is popular for its mixed grills and mezze platters, camping at Al Wakrah Beach—just 10 kilometres out of the city— and a pitstop at Doha Corniche for the best views of the skyline. visitqatar.qa SHUTTERSTOCK (3)

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 11 6 8 BUCHAREST, ROMANIA Known for its tree-lined boulevards and Belle Époque buildings, Bucharest is Romania’s largest city and capital. Nicknamed ‘Little Paris’ in the 1900s for its high life, the city is a bustling metropolis today. Stroll along the Calea Victoriei avenue, from Piata Victoriei to Piata Natiunilor Unite, to discover some of the most stunning buildings in the city, including Cantacuzino Palace, Revolution Square, Military Club, and National History Museum. The city offers something for everybody: a tour of the world’s largest parliament building, a feast of local food in Old Town, an evening at National Museum of Art, countless tiny chapels, and more. romaniatourism.com GLASGOW, UK Ditch the cliches of London for a charming alternative: Glasgow. With its underground clubs and centuries-old pubs, street markets and museums, the Scottish port city surprises you at every turn. Affectionately called ‘Glesga’ by the locals, the city offers a range of brewery tours and a thriving art and music scene, backed by prestigious institutions such as the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, and National Theatre of Scotland. There’s no dearth of old-world charm either; the city’s subway system dates back to 1896 and Glasgow Cathedral to the 12th century—making it the oldest cathedral on mainland Scotland. visitscotland.com 9 7 UMBRIA, ITALY  Landlocked by Tuscany, Lazio, and Le Marche, Umbria is the only Italian region that doesn’t have a coastline or a border with another country. Called the country’s green heart, Umbria is known for its medieval hill towns, dense forests, and local cuisine (think full bodied wines and truffles). The capital, Perugia, gives you a lesson in the Etruscan culture, pottery, and the history of olive oil, among other things. From the Gothic-style Orvieto Cathedral to the frescoclad Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, the art and architecture, too, is on par with popular European regions but lacks their crowds. umbriatourism.it WAYANAD, KERALA  Spared from the tourists that flock to Alappuzha and Munnar, Wayanad enjoys a sense of serenity. This rural hill town is fit for a laid-back stay on a tea estate or coffee plantation. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and harbours Asiatic elephants, Indian bison, tigers, and leopards, among other wild creatures. Wayanad’s landscape is blessed with paddy fields, skinny betel nut trees, tall bamboo, spiky ginger fields, slender eucalyptus trees, rubber trees, and fragrant cardamom plantations. keralatourism.org FROM TOP: SHUTTERSTOCK; ROBERTO RICCIUTI/GETTYIMAGES

DISCOVERIES 12 BURGUNDY, FRANCE A historical region in east-central France, Burgundy is famous for its legendary wines. An alternative to the popular Champagne region, the countryside in Burgundy welcomes you with endless vineyards, a network of canals, and medieval villages dotted with grand châteaux, some of which have now become luxury hotels. The capital, Dijon, boasts impeccable architectural heritage, including the Palace of the Dukes, where the distinguished Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) was established in 1787. Burgundy’s four departments— Côte d’Or, Yonne, Saône-et-Loire, and Nièvre—cater to your love for the great outdoors with activities ranging from cycling to hot-air-balloon rides. italia.it 11 10 ZANSKAR, LADAKH  Rugged and remote, this Buddhist valley is one of India’s best-kept secrets. Historically one of the two main capitals of the Zanskar Kingdom, Padum is no more than a cluster of some shops and houses. As in most of Ladakh, the notable sights here are timeless monasteries—Karsha, Stongdey, Sani, and Phugtal. But the sheer otherworldliness of the landscape is what makes the journey special. During summer, Zanskar can be reached by road as well as on treks; in winter, the Zanskar River (in pic) freezes and the valley opens up for the gruelling Chadar Trek. ladakh.nic.in SUNDARBANS, INDIA & BANGLADESH A boat trip to the Sundarbans, the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, promises both, idyll and thrill. The forest covers about 10,000 square kilometres and straddles India and Bangladesh. Apart from being home to the Irrawaddy dolphin, the estuarine crocodile, and the critically endangered river terrapin, it is the only mangrove forest to harbour the royal Bengal tiger. The wetlands are accessible from Kolkata in India, but visiting the reserve forest in Bangladesh offers scenic hamlets en route. wbtourismgov.in; bangladesh.gov.bd CLOCKWISE: SHUTTERSTOCK; CYRILLE GIBOT/GETTYIMAGES; F9PHOTOS/GETTYIMAGES 13 ORCHHA, MADHYA PRADESH  A recent addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Cities, Orchha is finally getting the attention it deserves. A flourishing period of nearly 300 years gifted the medieval town magnificent specimens of Mughal-influenced Rajput architecture, including mahals and royal cenotaphs (in pic). A highway divides the city in two halves—to the west is the Orchha Fort, built on the banks of the River Betwa; to the east is a cluster of temples and havelis. Visitors can enjoy the surrounding countryside on foot or bicycle, and even go rafting on the River Betwa. mptourism.com

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 13 CLOCKWISE: SHUTTERSTOCK; BENTE MAREI STACHOWSKE/GETTYIMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, TANZANIA Named after siringit, the Masai word for ‘endless plains’, Serengeti National Park is one of the oldest existing ecosystems on Earth and is considered one of the seven wonders of Africa. The Big Five that define the ultimate African safari— lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and Cape buffalo—roam freely here. The riverine forests are a haven for hippos and crocodiles, and the migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra makes for an annual spectacle. There are over 500 species of migratory birds to be spotted in Serengeti, which offers one of the best safari experiences in the world. serengeti.com 16 17 SIMIEN MOUNTAINS, ETHIOPIA  A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the Simien Mountains National Park in Ethiopia is surprisingly less explored. The landscape features a rugged mountain range made up of vertiginous cliff faces, and the exotic wildlife includes Gelada monkeys, Simien fox, and the endemic Walia ibex. At 4,500 metres, Ras Dashen is the highest mountain in Ethiopia and the fifth highest in Africa—and an intrepid trekker’s dream. The traditional lifestyle of the population and their adaptations to the harsh climate and terrain are revelations to any visitor. simienmountainsnationalpark.org 15 14 THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS  Often overshadowed by Amsterdam, The Hague warrants a visit for art and history aficionados. The government of the Netherlands is run from the historic Binnenhof, a complex of buildings in the city centre. Within its Gothic Inner Court lie some of the country’s best museums: while Escher in Het Paleis pays homage to the eponymous Dutch artist, Mauritshuis is home to the Royal Cabinet of Paintings, which includes paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Moreover, a wave of restaurants is lighting up The Hague’s culinary scene. For instance, the seaside Scheveningen district serves the best seafood. holland.com PARO, BHUTAN A valley town situated west of Thimphu, Paro is a sacred sanctuary. Its biggest claim to fame is the Taktsang Palphug (Tiger’s Nest monastery), which clings to a cliff above the upper Paro Valley. A hike of five to eight hours takes you to the site. While the monastery has existed for centuries, the main street in Paro came about in 1985. As you drive in from the airport, Paro Dzong (in pic), a 17th-century fortress and monastery, welcomes you. Above it is the Ta-dzong, or watchtower, which was renovated in 1968 to house the National Museum. bhutan.travel

DISCOVERIES 21 20 ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands offers pristine white-sand beaches and colourful marine life. Havelock is the most popular island, whether you’re looking to laze around, go scuba diving, or do a bit of both. It can be reached from the capital, Port Blair, which also offers easy access to Neil Island, Baratang Island, Cinque Island, and Little Andaman. The fact that only 36 of the archipelago’s 572 islands are inhabited, and a fraction of these accessible to travellers, means the destination enjoys an exotic status. andamantourism.gov.in 18 ARAKU VALLEY, ANDHRA PRADESH  A unique train ride or a three-hour drive from Vishakhapatnam through the picturesque Eastern Ghats takes you to Andhra Pradesh’s Araku Valley. The region is home to some isolated tribal communities, and their traditional art and culture are beautifully exhibited at the Tribal Museum in Araku town. Thanks to its lofty mountains, lush forests, milky waterfalls, and a thriving organic-coffee culture, Araku Valley is quickly climbing the chart of destinations in South India. The 150 million-year-old Borra Caves (in pic), 35 kilometers from the valley, are thrilling to explore, while the Araku Balloon Festival lets visitors get a bird’s-eye-view of the landscape. tourism.ap.gov.in 19 BINSAR, UTTARAKHAND  At an impressive altitude of 2,420 metres, Binsar is one of the most scenic yet lesser-explored destinations in the Kumaon Himalayas. Located 95 kilometres away from Nainital, it is home to the expansive Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, a paradise for birdwatchers. Various walking trails, flanked with towering oaks and rhododendrons, lead up to surreal vantage points. More often than not, majestic views of snowcapped peaks such as Chaukhamba, Trishul, and Nanda Devi give you company. An easy escape from the national capital region, Binsar is also a great opportunity to explore the rural Kumaoni culture. uttarakhandtourism.gov.in TAWANG, ARUNACHAL PRADESH  Tawang district holds in its secluded chest natural and cultural treasures. The Gudpi and ChongChugmi ranges, Tawang Chu River, and Tawang Valley are stunning. With the altitude ranging between 1,830 and 6,700 metres, the region is ripe for adventure. Gorichen Peak is the highest mountain in the state and offers a challenge to trekkers; there are 101 lakes in and around Se La. The journey to Tawang is an adventure in itself, with hairpin bends, dense forests, and chilly passes. The Tawang Monastery is the largest one in India and plays host to the Dungyur and Torgya festivals. arunachalpradesh.gov.in FROM TOP: UNIQUELY INDIA/GET TYIMAGES; ROOP_DEY/GET TYIMAGES

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 15 COURTESY OF WHISTLER Clockwise from above: Whistler is a popular destination for skiing and other snow sports; new rules require you to wear a face mask on lifts; seafood at the recently launched Braidwood Tavern. W INTER IS HERE. And so is the urge to make the most out of snow-clad landscapes. This year, the popular destination of Whistler in British Columbia is all set to welcome travellers with new norms of safety in place. The tourism hub has upgraded its health and hygiene protocols and introduced new features for a hassle-free experience. At Whistler Blackcomb (whistlerblackcomb.com), for instance, a new reservation system will help manage traffi c fl ow, enabling guests to explore while maintaining social distancing. The new rules also require everyone to wear a face mask on lifts and inside buildings (lodging, retail outlets, etc.) at all times. One can ski without a mask, but it must be worn in the queue for the chairlifts and gondolas. You’re also required to reserve your days of skiing in advance. Whistler Blackcomb is now a touchless environment, so bringing a credit card or debit card is important for any purchases. Dining will be full-service as well as grab-and-go style. But it’s not just the rules that have been upgraded. Adding to the vibe at Whistler is a range of new openings. Among the culinary highlights is the recently launched Braidwood Tavern at Four Seasons Resorts & Residences Whistler (fourseasons.com), ready to serve delicious food with craft beer, cocktails, and the warmth of a cabin. Picnic Whistler (picnicwhistler.com) combines love for food and art into a gourmet picnic spread for gatherings of various sizes, while Fridge Full (fridgefulldelivery. com) delivers fresh produce to your doorstep in Whistler, Pemberton, and Squamish. In terms of experiences, Escape! Whistler (escapewhistler.com) is introducing two new themed rooms for your playdates. Explore the forested trails of the Callaghan Valley with a Canadian campfi re cookout organised by Canadian Wilderness Adventures (canadianwilderness.com). Refer to the Door’s Open directory on the destination’s website for up-to-date information about everything at your disposal in Whistler. whistler.com ―RASHIMA NAGPAL Winter in Whistler Home to one of the largest ski resorts in North America, Whistler in British Columbia, Canada, is a unique winter destination. DISCOVERIES

Pay homage to one of India’s greatest leaders at the colossal Statue of Unity, Gujarat’s grand ode to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Pride of GUJARAT A state known for its vibrant culture and gorgeous landscape, Gujarat unveiled in 2018 the tallest statue in the world. With a height of 182 metres, the Statue of Unity surpassed what was previously the tallest statue, the Spring Temple Buddha (128 metres) by 54 metres. Its size is only matched by the historical stature of its inspiration. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India and a prominent figure in India’s freedom struggle, is known for orchestrating the integration of 562 princely states into India. In keeping with his ideology, farmers across India came together to help build the statue by donating used farming tools and soil during its astonishingly quick construction period of five years. Surrounded by the serene waters of the River Narmada and flanked by the Vindhyachal and Satpura mountains, the Statue of Unity is as imposing as it is picturesque. Built at a cost of `2,989 crore, using 1,700 tonnes of bronze and 1,850 tonnes of bronze cladding, the monument was unveiled on the anniversary of Sardar Patel’s 143rd birthday—on October 31, 2018. The mammoth structure was designed by Ram V Sutar, the recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2016 and Padma Shri in 1999. An observation deck, accessible by two high-speed elevators, is perched at a height of 152 meters and offers a bird’s-eye view of the River Narmada and the Sardar Sarovar Dam; it can fit 200 people at a time. From the statue’s base to its shins is a complex with a memorial garden and a museum with 40,000 documents, 2,000 photographs, and a research centre dedicated to the life and times of Sardar Patel. The Statue of Unity is operational on all days except Monday, when it is closed for maintenance. ATTRACTIONS GALORE Once you’ve had your fill of the spectacular view of the statue, head down to the grounds to enjoy the myriad experiences available here. Whether you’re visiting with a group PROMOTION

of friends or your family, there is something for everyone. Laser Light & Sound Show: Colourful projections on the statue take visitors through the story of the Iron Man of India and his contribution to the Independence movement in an enthralling 30-minute laser show that takes place every evening, except Monday. Also visit the unique Unity Glow Garden to see its illuminated installations, figures, and optical illusions. Sardar Sarovar Dam: Take in the glory of the gushing waters of the River Narmada surrounded by a vast expanse of mountains at Sardar Sarovar Dam, ranked the secondWith a height of 182 metres, the Statue of Unity is the tallest statue in the world. largest dam in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the USA. Close by, the Khalwani Eco-Tourism Site has a children’s play area, campfire zone, amphitheatre, and tents and tree houses for accommodation. Jungle Safari & Dino Trail: Catch a glimpse of the famous Asiatic lion and the royal Bengal tiger, among other species of fauna, in a state-of-the-art zoological park. Or step into the past at recent dinosaur excavations in the Narmada valley. The excavations have revealed an indigenous dinosaur species that lived here during the Cretaceous period, between 145 million and 66 million years ago. A replica of the dinosaur, Rajasaurus Narmadensis, has been created and A replica of the dinosaur species found at excavations in the Narmada valley. A zoological park gives you a glimpse of the state’s wildlife. Cactus Garden features over 500 types of cacti.

Visitors can travel to Kevadia on a seaplane from Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront. The journey takes approximately one hour. Operated by Spicejet, this trip offers unmatched aerial views of the Statue of Unity and its stunning surroundings. spiceshuttle.com Travel in Style exhibited for visitors. The replica is about three times the estimated original size; it measures 75 feet in length and 25 feet in height. The Gardens: The Valley of Flowers boasts over 22,00,000 plants, with 300 types of fl owers, over an area of 24 acres along the bank of River Narmada. Within it is the Butterfl y Garden, which lets you walk among 80 species of butterfl ies. You can sample the desert ecosystem in the Cactus Garden, which features over 500 types of cacti. And Arogya Van, the herbal garden, allows you to saunter through fi ve diverse zones: Garden of Colours, Aroma Garden, Yoga Garden, Alba Garden, and Lutea Garden, all of which are dedicated to medicinal plants. Vishwa Van: As the name suggests, Vishwa Van embodies the theme of ‘Unity in Diversity’ with its extensive collection of herbs, shrubs, and trees from the seven continents of the planet that have been arranged to resemble a natural forest. Children Nutrition Park: Let your children learn healthy eating habits and the importance of good nutrition PROMOTION

For more information, visit gujarattourism.com GETTING THERE The Statue of Unity is located in Kevadia, around 90 kms from Vadodara. You can take a bus or taxi. Vadodara is well connected by road to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Within Gujarat, roadway buses as well as air-conditioned coaches ply from nearly all cities to Vadodara. It is also well connected by rail as it lies on the Mumbai-Delhi Western Railway Mainline. Vadodara airport is connected to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. STAY The Narmada tent city in Kevadia has 250 tents, including 75 luxury, five deluxe, and 100 standard tents. It o‘ers stunning views of the river and the surrounding verdant landscape, and is a 10-minute drive from the Statue of Unity. Packagesstart from `4,500; tentcitynarmada.com From far left: Visit the Unity Glow Garden to see its illuminated installations; Arogya Van is dedicated to medicinal plants; cruise on the River Narmada to get a unique vantage point for the Statue of Unity. NEARBY ATTRACTIONS PLAN YOUR TRIP Zarwani waterfall located in the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Dediapada: A small village sitting in the midst of a forest two hours away from Vadodara, Dediapada hasits own wildlife sanctuary and the famous Ninai waterfall. It also oŠers many opportunitiesfor trekking and camping in itslush surroundings. Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary: Famous for sightings of sloth bears, the Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary is home to many other animals, such as leopards, palm civets, four-horned antelopes, in the most enjoyable way possible—at a theme park. This state-of-the-art park has virtual games, a 5D theatre, a nutri train, and a Mirror Maze to ensure your little one is playing and learning at the same time. Boating, cruises, and rafting: Enjoy a scenic boat ride in the Panchmuli Lake, or cruise on the River Narmada to get a unique vantage point for the Statue of Unity. Thrill-seekers can head to the Khalwani Eco-tourism langurs, and various birds. The sanctuary is around two-and-a-half hours away from Vadodara and makes for a great picnic spot. Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary: This pristine sanctuary is best known for its fl ying squirrels, along with a number of other species such as the rhesus macaque and the barking deer. Also visit the majestic Zarwani waterfall located within the sanctuary. Just two hours away from Vadodara, it makes for a wonderful day trip. Site for an exciting rafting adventure through whirlpools and rapids. Ekta Mall: If you wish to pick up exquisite traditional Indian handicraft and handlooms, head to the Ekta Mall, or pick up souvenirs from the nearby souvenir shop. A food court ož ers delicious global and Indian cuisines to satiate your hunger pangs. Don’t forget to stop by Ekta Nursery to pick up a seedling to take home as a ‘plant of unity’.

20 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Travel + Leisure India & South Asia Intelligent Traveller The TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP YOU TRAVEL SMARTER Travel + Leisure

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 21 THE GUIDE A prosciutteria with typical ham specialities in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. A CULTURAL FEAST Not only is the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna home to a wealth of culinary specialities—it also has a number of quirky museums dedicated to celebrating these prized foods. TONY PERROTTET sets out on a road trip to learn about (and sample) the local delicacies. O NLY IN ITALY can you go looking for a museum and end up in a ham dungeon. I had driven through a raging storm in search of the Museum of Culatello, an institution devoted to the history of the country’s rarest prosciutto, situated inside Antica Corte Pallavicina (doubles from `14,750; tasting menu `8,480; antica corte pallavicina relais. it), a 14th-century castle near the Po River. But when I arrived at the looming edifi ce in pounding rain and shouldered open a wooden door, not a soul was about. The castle’s shadowy interior had the air of an abandoned opera set, all ravishingly frescoed salons with antique chandeliers. Over rolling thunder I heard a sound from below, so I descended a stone staircase into sepulchral darkness. When my eyes adjusted, I found myself in an underground warren, surrounded by thousands of hams strung from the rafters like alien pods. The smell was as musty and inescapably organic as a medieval butcher’s shop—a vegetarian’s idea of hell, no doubt, but magical for me. My unlikely road to the ham dungeon (afi cionados prefer the more decorous cantina di prosciutto , though I think it lacks a certain something) had begun several days earlier, when I had set off on a self-designed gastronomic Grand Tour of Emilia-Romagna, the region midway between Venice and Florence that Italian gourmands consider sacred ground. Many travellers know its two main cities, Bologna and Parma, home to Bolognese and Parmigiano-Reggiano, the staples of “that’s amore” red-sauce eateries from New York to Sydney. More recently, the region has become famous for the lauded Osteria Francescana (tasting menu `23,600; osteria francescana.it), the Modena restaurant from native son Massimo Bottura. But Emilia-Romagna’s true culinary wonders are obsessively artisanal and embedded in their locations— which is perhaps why the region is home to the world’s densest cluster of highly specifi c food museums. They often serve the specialities whose stories they recount, combining two great pleasures of travel: the intellectual stimulus of the museum and the sensory delight of dining out. But could eating really be made more pleasurable by spending hours in such a cerebral setting? I had no choice but to undertake a heroic mission, driving across the land learning—and eating—as much as I could. IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY

2 2 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Italy Florence Venice Bologna Parma Milan Modena Emilia-Romagna ADRIATIC SEA LIGURIAN SEA Gnocchi in tomato sauce at the 641-year-old Osteria del Cappello, in Bologna. out onto the sidewalks and piled high with mountains of cheese and ham. The city’s oldest restaurant, Osteria del Cappello (entrées `958–`1,400; osteriadelcappello.com), has been going strong since at least 1379, and even its place mats ooze tradition. They are reproductions of a culinary dice game created in 1712, a version of snakes and ladders featuring thumbnail reviews of the city’s many osterias. The Osteria del Cappello itself, the place mat informed me, once specialised in partridge lard accompanied by croutons, although these days it offers a creative range of pastas that go far beyond the Bolognese cliché. I asked the chef, Marco Franchini, whether any other osteriasin the dice game had survived. Only one, he said—Osteria del Sole (osteriadelsole.it). Down yet another lane, I found a packed tavern, walls covered with faded photos of long-dead patrons. It was barebones, but as atmospheric as a scene from a Visconti movie. This was where Bolognese people unwound, bringing picnic food and sipping Lambrusco for two euros( `180) a glass. It’s a wonder the whole city isn’t always drunk. The process of edging my silver Fiat out of Bologna’s ancient street maze and onto the autostrada had the air of a professional driving challenge, but that made it only more rewarding when I turned off for my first stop, the village of Spilamberto, where a majestic palazzo is home to the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (museodelbalsamico tradizionale.org). A sculpture of a black vinegar droplet and a store selling balsamic gelato confirmed that I was in the right place— as did the fragrance, which wafted into the street in waves of sweet and sour. Handcrafted around Modena, traditional balsamic is THE GUIDE ILLUSTRATION BY LOLITH T.K. My journey began in the regional capital of Bologna, fondly nicknamed La Grassa, or ‘the fat one’, for its devotion to food. From my home base in a 13th-century inn, the Art Hotel Commercianti (doubles from `27,290; art-hotel-commercianti.com), whose balconies jutted so close to the Gothic spires of the Basilica di San Petronio that I could almost touch them, I wandered long arcades that cast dreamlike shadows. I paid my respects to Europe’s oldest institute of higher education, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088 and still humming with students. Nearby, I climbed one of the two remaining towers that teeter drunkenly over the city, built by crazed aristocrats during the Middle Ages. Bologna has the world’s largest branch of the Italian food market Eataly, but it is the last place that needs one. The city’s crooked alleyways are lined with hole-inthe-wall salumerias, their tables spilling

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 2 3 FROM LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK; SUSAN WRIGHT Cellars for the ageing of salted pork at Antica Corte Pallavicina, located in Polesine Parmense. Chef Massimo Spigaroli in the gardens at Antica Corte Pallavicina. located in a landscape where every inch of soil has been tilled since antiquity. Just north of Parma, the provincial capital, at the end of a quiet, treelined road near the village of Collecchio, an 11th-century Benedictine monastery houses both the Museum of Pasta and the Museum of the Tomato (musei del cibo.it). The most fetching exhibits at the latter concerned the history of can labels—a century ago, illiterate shoppers would recognise brands from the striking designs—and, my personal favourite, a collection of can openers, which looked like torture implements. In the Museum of Pasta, a long wall displayed the 300 known shapes of pasta, with a touch screen to match each one with its ideal sauce. As my guide, Stefania Bertaccini, explained, “If you eat pasta twice a day every day, you have to have lots of shapes or you get bored!” Inspired, I rushed to the cafe-restaurant, where I sat at an outdoor table and ordered cappelletti in brodo di cappone, meat-stuffed bundles of pasta in capon sauce, while imagining the Benedictine monks working their herb gardens in this same, flowerfilled courtyard during luncheons past. By now I was at risk of becoming glutted on culinary lore. Should I head to the Museum of Felino Salami, I wondered, devoted to a type of peppery sausage? The Museum of the Marinated matured for 12 to 25 years, with the slowly evaporating liquid poured into a series of eversmaller barrels. “We give the barrels names,” explained director Cristina Sereni, pointing to one draped with a hand-sewn sash that read emma. “They’re mostly female. Some are male. But we have non-binary barrels, too.” At last we ascended into the “vinegar loft.” The most historic barrels were confiscated by Napoleon in 1796 but saved by a local bank; another set belonged to an even greater celebrity, Chef Bottura. The attic had the air of a shrine, which only intensified when Sereni ushered me to an altar-like table and solemnly poured two drops onto tasting spoons. “You are going to taste a symphony of flavours,” she said. The 12-year-old vecchio (aged) vinegar exploded with rich, deep sweetness and acidity, while the 25-year-old extra vecchio was a velvety nectar that left me reeling. I staggered out past a gift shop that sold minuscule flutes of the latter for `6,640 each. “It’s a terrible business model,” Sereni told me. “Balsamic vinegar has never been a way of making money. It was originally produced for family or religious holidays. What people were giving was a small part of their hearts.” In the province of Parma, Italy’s agricultural heartland, no fewer than eight food museums are Getting There & Around Book a connecting flight to Bologna, or fly to Milan and drive or take a train to the region. On the ground, a car is a must—rentals are plentiful for those willing to brave the city streets, or you can use a car service, like the locally run Auto Elite (autoelite limo.it).

24 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 SUSAN WRIGHT (2) each bursting with flavour. Chef Massimo Spigaroli strolled by at regular intervals to fill me in on the backstory of the ham, whose name means ‘little ass’. The one-to-three-year maturation process has not changed since the 13th century, and today, the hams go for up to `55,320 each. In 2000, the Po River overflowed its banks and flooded the cellar. “We said, ‘First, save the ham!’” Lucci laughed. “ ‘Then the women and children!’ ” Only the next day did I realise that I had forgotten to visit the actual museum. I wandered through the exhibits, but found myself being drawn outside into the morning sunshine, strolling along a shady canal to a paddock where black pigs wallowed in the mud. (“They have very good lives,” Lucci had told me. “Well, for two years. Then...” He made a slicing motion across his throat. “Not so good.”) I sat in the sun-soaked courtyard, watching bees buzz around the flowers, devouring culatello and Parmigiano drizzled in aged balsamic—the full Emilia-Romagna experience. It was almost sensory overload. I felt a little guilty for not paying closer attention to the museum. But then again, if not for its existence, I never would have been lured to this remote Italian paradise in the first place. Eel? I opted to go top-of-the-line: EmiliaRomagna is ham country, and I had yet to try culatello, Italy’s rarest and most revered porcine product. Only 30,000 culatellos are made each year, and few leave the Po Valley. Which explains how I found myself lost in the cobwebbed darkness beneath thousands of hanging haunches. After a few disorienting minutes, I heard a welcome cry,“Chi è? Who’s there?” The jovial manager, Giovanni Lucci, led me back towards the light. I had arrived at the Antica Corte Pallavicina, a splendid 14th-century castle and former marchese’s residence in the village of Polesine Parmense. It offered far more than just a museum and a vast curing cellar for 5,500 culatellos—it also had a dozen hotel rooms, a working pig farm, and its most revered asset, a Michelin-starred restaurant. Isettled into a room overlooking the castle gardens, then at dusk headed down to the restaurant, where Isank into a throne-like velvet chair by a stone fireplace, beneath gilt-framed paintings and a vaulted ceiling painted with a faded trompe l’oeilscene. The candlelit meal wasin a glass-walled annex, and began with the beloved culatello, which was cut in near-transparentslices, Cafes and bars outside Bologna’s Mercato di Mezzo. Left: Hare with foie gras and celeriac at Antica Corte Pallavicina. THE GUIDE

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 25 ART “Sadly, there are not so many,” Tollman admits. True, Botswana-based furniture and accessories brand Mabeo supplied some guest-suite tables and storage items such as trays, pencil boxes, and coasters. But almost all the major pieces are by South Africans— many of them white South Africans. Recently, Southern Guild has pulled in smaller contributions from dozens of Black craftspeople from across western and sub-Saharan Africa . “No doubt, the number of African artists supplying Xigera will continue to grow,” says the co-founder and CEO of Southern Guild, Trevyn McGowan. Despite the representation question, the pioneering art-driven concept refl ects a major shift for the safari industry: Tollman’s ambitions may well spark a positive change that will see Africa’s artistic talent woven more deeply into the fabric of the wilderness experience . T HE COFFEE you’re tasting on a sunrise game drive tastes so much more delicious out of a handmade mug,” says Toni Tollman, the director of design and projects for Red Carnation Hotels. Such details are central to the design-fuelled rethink of one of Botswana’s most iconic places to stay, Xigera Safari Lodge (xigera.com). The Tollmanfamily-owned camp reopened in late 2020 after a two-year overhaul led by architects Anton de Kock and Philip Fourie. The Okavango Delta property is what Tollman calls a “living gallery” of southern Africa’s most celebrated artists and craftspeople curated by Cape Town’s Southern Guild collective . Many of the major pieces at Xigera (pronounced kee-jeer-ah) are sitespecifi c commissions. Cape Town–based sculptor Adam Birch spent months on the property hand-carving benches and chairs from dead knobthorn and mangosteen trees , intending them to mirror the semi-marine landscapes and wildlife of the surrounding area. Other commissions include a sevenmetre-wide water lily designed by de Kock and sculpted by South African Otto du Plessis that refl ects the dark delta waters fl owing beneath the property’s elevated walkways. A quartet of coiled ceramic sculptures from Cape Town–based Madoda Fani were inspired by woodpecker nests and plumage. Even the vaulted canvas of the lodge’s 12 guest suites takes cues from the environment, mimicking the shape of the wings of the native Pel’s fi shing owl . But for all the eye-catching art from South Africans— those coffee mugs from ceramist Chuma Maweni, woven cane seating by designer Porky Hefer, hand-dyed and handwoven rugs from Coral & Hive—something is missing: Where are the artists from Botswana? Clockwise from far left: Botswana’s Xigera Safari Lodge; a cheetah in the surrounding Moremi Game Reserve; artist Andile Dyalvane, whose ceramics are at Xigera; stools at the camp by Atang Tshikare. A Gallery Without Walls Inside one safari lodge’s two-year effort to put African arts and culture at centre stage. BY TRAVIS LEVIUS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: COURTESY OF XIGERA (2); ADEL FERREIRA/COURTESY OF XIGERA; HAYDEN PHIPPS/COURTESY OF XIGERA

2 6 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 STYLE - HIM SHUT TERSTOCK; F IL IPPO F IOR/GORUNWAY.COM 2 4 3 6 Tailored to Tease This winter, lay your hands on stylish coats and classic accessories. BY PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI 1. SKINCARE Moisturising Body Lotion, Arata, `675 (300 ml); arata.in ——— 2. WATCH Jump Hour Watch, Jaipur Watch Company, `50,000; jaipur.watch ——— 3. WALLET Derrick RFID Bifold Flip ID, Fossil, `3,095; fossil.com ——— 4. HAIRCARE Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, The Man Company, `499 (200 ml); themancompany.com ——— 5. BELT Two-Tone Reversible Leather Belt, Canali, `21,964; harrods.com ——— 6. SUNGLASSES Hexagonal Flat Lenses, Ray-Ban, `16,918; ray-ban.com ——— 7. SHOES Suede Bradley Loafers, George Cleverley, `41,109; harrods.com ——— 8. PERFUME Classic Eau De Toilette, Jaguar, `3,300 (100 ml); nykaaman.com ——— 9. CLOTHES Fall 2020 Menswear, Bode, price on request;  bodenewyork.com Ooty’s weather is ideal for chic layering. 1 7

STYLE - HER TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 2 7 SHUTTERSTOCK; COURTESY OF MARQUES’ ALMEIDA 3 7 Snow White Put on a pair of silver boots, grab a crystal-studded clutch, and add a hint of gold to dress up for your next winter getaway. BY PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI Pull out all the stops for a stylish vacation in Mussoorie. 5 1 4 8 1. SKINCARE Herbal Night Transformation Crème with Evening Primrose, Soulflower, `1,200 (60 gm); soulflower.biz ——— 2. NECKPIECE Gold Enchanted Layer Necklace, The Jewel Factor, `1,850; thejewelfactor.com ——— 3. LIPSTICK Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk Medium, Charlotte Tilbury, `3,150; nykaa.com ——— 4. CLUTCH Crystal Embellished Fizzoni Clutch Bag, Judith Leiber, `1,42,687; harrods.com ——— 5. EARRINGS Eclipse 18ct Gold Brown Diamond Fine Hoop Earrings, Annoushka, `62,939; annoushka.com ——— 6. NAIL POLISH Color Hit Nail Polish - L178 Rose Bouquet, Sephora, `440; sephora.nnnow.com ——— 7. PERFUME New York Platinum Eau de Parfum, Coach, `6,000 (100 ml); amazon.in ——— 8. SHOES Glitter Iman Boots, Amina Muaddi, `96,778; harrods.com ——— 9. CLOTHES Spring 2021 Ready-to-Wear, Marques’ Almeida, price on request; marquesalmeida.com

28 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 WATC H E S COURTESY OF BREGUET CLASSIQUE DOUBLE TOURBILLON 5345 “QUAI DE L’HORLOGE” BREGUET Breguet has designed a masterpiece that makes us revisit the genius of A L Breguet, the favoured watchmaker of the kings and queens of Europe in the later part of the 18th century. It is a piece of art featuring the facade of 39 Quai de l’Horloge, the Paris building occupied by A L Breguet from 1775. The watch blends mechanical vi with aesthetic mastery: the exhibited movement rev two tourbillons that set the whole plate in motion th a central differential leading the interconnected regu organs to perform a double revolution. A fi tting tribu to a master of the craft. All prices on request ROYAL WRISTS mited-edition watches focussing on unique craftsmanship, re metals, and avant-garde designs have wooed kings and queens since time immemorial. Here are fi ve exquisite timepieces that have royalty written all over them. BY MITRAJIT BHATTACHARYA 1. POLO TOURBILLON RELATIF PIAGET This is an exceptional high jewellery timepiece that sports a hand-wound mechanical movement, calibre 608P, with diamonds studded around it and aventurine glass on the dial. The watch displays a delicate balance between the power of Piaget’s fine watchmaking and an eye for high jewellery. It is a men’s luxury watch crafted in white gold with a fully paved diamond case, dial, and bracelet. ― ― 2. MAILLON DE CARTIER CARTIER No one understands royalty better than Cartier, and its relationship with Indian royals goes back a century. The Maillon de Cartier showcases the creative watchmaking repertoire of the maison. It is distinguished by a centrepiece chain-link bracelet that plays on classic codes, while reinventing contemporary attitudes. The links are offset and aligned on the bias, while the hexagonal dial and bevelled brancards complement this geometry. 3. HAPPY DIAMONDS CHOPARD This emblematic collection of Chopard honours the colour of feelings with a watchmaking variation in diamond-set 18-carat rose gold paired with a red dial and strap. It sends five dancing diamonds twirling around a textured motherof-pearl dial. The main case framing the time indication is encircled by a second bezel in diamond-set gold, separated by a void graced with five diamonds held between two sapphire crystals. ― ― 4. REVERSO TRIBUTE DUOFACE FAGLIANO LIMITED JAEGER-LECOULTRE The Reverso was developed in 1931 to meet the demands of the fashionable ‘sporting gentleman’. Issued in a limited edition, with a burgundy-red dial and pink gold case, this piece marries the dual-time zone complication of the Duoface with the aesthetic of the Tribute collection. The strap is specially designed and hand-crafted by Casa Fagliano, the world-famous Argentinian maker of polo boots. Limited to 190 pieces 1

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 29 1. LAPTOP Dell XPS 17 An ultralight premium laptop with a big display is a great productivity boost, especially when working on holiday. The Dell XPS 17 looks good, and with a milled aluminium chassis, it’s also tough. The 16:10 display form factor is workfriendly, and you can spec it out nicely, with GeForce graphics, up to 32GB RAM, and a UHD+ screen. The icing on the cake is its battery life—up to 23 hours. From `2,09,500; dell.com/in ― ― 2. SMARTWATCH Garmin Marq Adventurer Here’s a smartwatch that ticks all the boxes—it has the features you’d want, but it also looks like a serious watch. It’s a powerful tool for the adventurer. Apart from music control, activity tracking, VO2, and swim tracking, you’ll find ski, golf, topographical maps, altitude sensor and barometer, remote camera operation, and storm alerts. `1,64,890; helioswatchstore.com ― ― 3. WIRELESS HEADPHONES Apple AirPods Max The AirPods Max aren’t just a set of premium headphones; they’re also a conversation piece. Apple promises audiophilepleasing sound with dynamic drivers, Active Noise Cancellation, and advanced processing features like spatial with dynamic head tracking (works iOS devices). `59,90 apple.com/in ― ― 4. AIR PURIFIER Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Cold weather and air pollution make for a terrible combination. Enter the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool. An Alexa-enabled smart device, this is a fan (perfect for spring days), a heaterblower (for cold winter nights), and also an air purifier. Its air monitoring system gives detailed info on just how bad the air really is. `55,900; dyson.in ― ― 5. MEDIA PLAYER Sony Walkman NW-A105 This Android-based music player should stop all the grumbling about phone makers killing off headphone ports. Other pros include Sony’s audio processing and upscaling, which can make lowresolution tracks sound surprisingly good; support for 24-bit audio; and the warm, full sound signature. `25,990; sony.co.in GADGETS TRAVEL 2.0 We can all agree that last year was far from perfect. But 2021 promises to be a year of resurgence—in our travels and lifestyle. Here are a few gadgets to help you untangle your lives in the new year. BY VAIBHAV SHARMA 3 5 4 1 2

30 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 PEOPLE FARROKH CHOTHIA WRITING ON LOSS Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi’s latest book is a stirring memoir that tackles the loss of parents and a beloved pet over a decade. The T+L India & South Asia A-List member speaks to SUSHMITA SRIVASTAV about the act of remembrance, writing as an antidote to loneliness, and what the pandemic brought to his book. Siddhar t h AUTHOR Shanghvi Dhanvant quality of all: it should leave you feeling less lonely. Both fiction and non-fiction can do this. The book takes us from the deserts of Jaisalmer to the thickets of Matheran to the beaches of Goa and the chaos of Mumbai. What role do these destinations play in your narrative? With colour tones that one draws from specific regions or a certain journey that changes your relationship with a past sorrow, travel layers writing. All that is foreign jolts the senses out of inertia. Travel is a kind of psychological foraging, a gathering of small, stray things to make a meal for the mind. During the pandemic I remember thinking, “I am going to get on a plane and go somewhere, anywhere.” But I could not, and I did not. An immersion into yourself is another kind of travel—you’re already at your destination, and hopefully you like it there. Tell us about Bruschetta. How different is the loss of a pet? Have you adopted any dogs since? Bruschetta had a fine sense of humour, and she could really sulk; she was such fun, an antidote to life’s seriousness. I miss her very much. I now live with Kora and Lila in Goa, who came from the wonderful animal shelter W.A.G (Welfare for Animals in Goa; wagoa.com). Lila and Kora are constant reminders that you will lose your loved ones, and no one will replace them, but the heart is brave and hardy and it will learn to seek again. all over again. The sense of general safety had gone away in the pandemic, and the sense of fatality and diminished time that defined our last few months informed the rewrite, imparting a pared-down quality to this book. You’ve made your nonfictional debut with this book. How different was the experience? I don’t distinguish between the two mediums because the job of a book is to hold a mirror to your life, to give insight or consolation, and perhaps the rarest Loss tells the tale of your personal losses in great detail. How difficult was it to relive them? Of course Loss was difficult to write, but the act of looking back and recognising how these lives had shaped mine filled me with Did the pandemic affect the narrative? Loss was to come out in spring when the pandemic broke and publication was deferred to November. In the solitude of the lockdown, my publishers allowed me to edit this book gratitude and a thrill for knowing them at all. I love the line by Jonathan Safran Foer, “I hope you never have to think about anything as much as I think about you.” And that is what Loss is: a great and fond remembrance without regret.

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 3 1 COURTESY OF HEALING HIMALAYAS CLIMB AND CLEAN Since 2016, Healing Himalayas has been organising treks that double up as cleaning drives on the mountains. RASHIMA NAGPAL speaks to the founder and avid trekker, Pradeep Sangwan, to learn more about his endeavour, inspiration, challenges, and 2021 trek calendar. mountains, bring the empty packets back to the cities [to dispose of them]. The most common way of managing waste, globally, is to produce energy or electricity from it. Unfortunately, the concept hasn’t worked well in India. One of the major reasons is that the waste isn’t segregated properly. The [segregation] process can be monitored only if there are smallscale collection centres where waste is segregated before being sent to mass conversion plants. Some offbeat trekking destinations in the Himalayas that you recommend? Tirthan Valley near Kullu and Miyar Valley near Lahaul are lesser known but slowly getting attention from trekkers. healinghimalayas.org How and when was the idea of Healing Himalayas conceived? I had no qualifications in the field of environment. But I had been trekking for a long time. Initially, a trek was just a race to reach the top. But as the process became meditative, I couldn’t overlook the deteriorating conditions of the mountains. So, I decided to do something about it; I would promise my friends a trek or a party in the mountains to make them help me clean the garbage. weekend activity. I am planning the 2021 trek calendar, and it involves locations such as Kheerganga, Chitkul, Malana, Parashar Lake, Shrikhand Mahadev, Jogini Falls, Hadimba Temple [in Himachal Pradesh], and Rishikesh [in Uttarakhand]. We’re also focussing on building small-scale waste collection centres with the help of the forest department. We’ve built the first one in a village in Kinnaur; it will process waste from three villages, army units, and several other establishments in the vicinity. What do you think is the solution for waste management in the long run? Travellers need to be considerate. If you’re buying anything in the Is it still a one-man army? With the help of friends and social media, I now have an army of volunteers from across the country. But I have no full-time employees yet. I take care of everything, be it making a poster for a cleaning drive, talking to a porter for transportation, or making arrangements for food and lodging. What kind of activities does the foundation do? The cleaning trek, which welcomes up to 25 volunteers, is a regular Pradeep Sangwan FOUNDER, HEALING HIMALAYAS A team of volunteers on the Char Dham Yatra.

32 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 PEOPLE Sanjay Garg FOUNDER, RAW MANGO OLD STITCH, NEW THREAD The cover girls of this issue are wearing a wonderful fusion of tradition and modernity, thanks to a vibrant collection from Raw Mango. AINDRILA MITRA speaks to the brand’s founder and textile designer, Sanjay Garg, about the collection, sustainable fashion, and measured innovation within traditional textile practices. Our cover shoot has been styled in Raw Mango’s latest collection, Moomal. What was the inspiration behind it? Moomal is from an old love story from Rajashtani folklore, but more about a woman who lives by her own rules, unafraid to embrace customs and rituals while still upholding her values. She doesn’t shy away from traditions but seeks a balance. I was born in Rajasthan, and a collection drawing from the state has evolved over the years. This collection, in particular, draws from a continued lens of questioning the perceptions of classic and folk. How does travel inspire you as a designer? Travel opens the eyes, mind, and heart. My love for collecting textiles and antiques has led me to various corners of the country and abroad. Travel is a part of my work, and like all inspiration, it is not easily defined. You work closely with handlooms and artisans. What are some of your favourite Indian weaves? Chanderi is one of my favourites. Raw Mango began with the innovation of this Moomal draws inspiration from the colours of Rajasthan. Right: The collection is fi lled with interpretations of chintz fl orals.

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 33 From left: Moomal has been photographed amid trees of khejri, hingot, kharo jaal, and neem; the ‘Morarka’Varanasi silk brocade kurta in the collection was inspired by a chevron striped brocade sherwani from the early 20th century. textile, and I am glad it has found renewed interest since then. We have always tried to engage with the visual vocabulary of India through measured interventions within traditional practices, and also by revisiting earlier processes of engineering garment patterns on the handloom. These interventions continue to inform each collection, and I have love for all the textiles we create—and the ones I collect. How challenging has this pandemic been for you? What have been the key learnings? Like any other business, our sales have been impacted. It’s important to remember that global economic growth is a function of many years—this is a pivotal moment within it. In the long term, I know the industry will remain strong and vibrant, and that’s the vision we are working towards. Also, like most, we are innovating and adapting to changing needs. We launched our online store, and that has been a turning point. Consumers can now shop from the comfort of their homes. Do you see any shift in terms of consumer behaviour post COVID-19? We’re glad we have launched our website (rawmango.com) recently and that is definitely helping us reach new audiences and also our existing clients. I feel consumers are re-evaluating how to live and not abuse existing resources. The concept of sustainability has often been discussed in the context of fashion but what about incorporating it in our daily lives? I feel people are trying to identify with ‘restraint’ as an overarching approach, and advocate a certain degree of austerity. How important is sustainable fashion to Raw Mango? Sustainability is a bigger word, and it goes beyond a trend. For it to become a foundation, there is still a lot of work to do—not necessarily from designers alone. The media, the government, and the weavers have a role to play. ‘Vocal for Local’ is the buzzword today. How does your brand support local craftspeople? The brand’s relationship with handloom began a decade ago. There is always going to be a need for local commodities and businesses; this, among other things, is what contributes to a nation’s identity and individuality, and also socio-economic development. It’s time we stop looking outside and turn inwards to rely on our own. With karigars across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Varanasi, it has been our priority at Raw Mango to ensure ethical treatment and fair wages. Your favourite Raw Mango outfit? It’s a blue kurta from the festive 2020 collection Moomal. It exudes all the things I love about Rajasthan. Any trip in India that left its mark on you? My recent trip to Rajasthan. We were shooting for Moomal, and even though I am from the state, I fell in love with it all over again. How would you define the Raw Mango aesthetic? In what ways has it evolved since you started? For me, design is a way of life. You need to think about how your home looks, what your world looks like, and what that design can offer you. For example, everyone talks about weavers, but why doesn’t anyone talk about the leather tanner and the potter? They are artisans too. We continue to embrace innovative methods to reach new audiences, to employ methods of storytelling that share a broader perspective—not just aesthetically but in a way that reveals my personality, as well as the brand’s, and also communicates our social and cultural views. Three styling tips for women? Always dress for yourself first, be comfortable, and remember that beauty takes many forms, not just the socially sanctioned one. ‘Jaisalmer’ organza rani pink sari from the Moomal collection.

3 4 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 A MOROCCAN ODYSSEY A journey through Morocco displays the entire gamut of colours—from deep reds to bright blues—and offers a wide range of immersive experiences. BY SAMIR BHATNAGAR Morocco the

Clockwise from left: The driver of a Berber horse chariot waits for a customer; a traditional lamp shop in the Medina of Marrakesh; a local artisan carves a wooden oud in his workshop; Bacha Coffee offers the timeless experience of a Moroccan luxury coffee shop; a busy evening street leads up to the Medina. TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 3 5

3 6 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Clockwise from left: Walking amid bright sky-coloured walls in Chefchaouen; young children improvise a game of football; the evening sun sets on the blue city of Morocco.

3 8 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Clockwise from above: The fortified village of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was a popular shooting location for the fictional city of Yunkai in Games of Thrones; desert guides prepare dromedaries to accompany tourists to a Berber camp; a local Berber man shows off his tagelmust—a traditional scarf worn to protect the face from sand on desert expeditions; Ait-Ben-Haddou is a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture.

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 3 9 P ICKING A WINTER holiday destination to visit from Europe can be tricky. For me, Morocco was high on the list. Holidays in this African country are reputed to be immersive and rich experiences, more adventurous than relaxing. The country serves up a cultural joyride rich in flavours, if you are up for it. Since I hail from New Delhi, Marrakesh felt somewhat familiar. There is beauty amid chaos, and if you are not easily rattled by too much of everything, you can find some treasures. The Medina of Marrakesh appeared like an underground city from an Arabian classic. It is a partially covered bazar with aromas ranging from Argan oil and olives to camel leather. It also offers some fabulous cafes; Bacha Coffee (bachacoffee.com) looked like it had leaped right out of a James Bond movie. Around the Medina, you encounter majestic chariots led by beautiful Berber horses. Taking a ride in one of these is a chaotic experience, with lots of action happening everywhere you turn and scooters whizzing past dangerously. You might also be called out to attention—I was likened to Shah Rukh Khan a lot, even though I look nothing like him! Bollywood is very popular here, and you might come across a radio or two playing popular Indian songs. In northwest Morocco lies the mountain town of Chefchaouen, popularly called the blue city of Morocco. It was surreal to walk through its hilly terrain, as if visually experiencing Eiffel 65’s hit single I’m Blue. No Moroccan odyssey is complete without a desert safari, though. A long bus ride from Marrakesh took me to AitBen-Haddou—Game of Thrones fans know it as Yunkai— with its stunning earthy castles and mesmerising sand dunes. Dromedaries are Berbers’ best friends, and I realised that they are cool operators on the tough sea of Saharan sand. Finally, a night under the starry sky nicely rounded off a mesmerising sojourn.

STEERED BY MILLENNIAL PRINCESSES MRINALIKA AND AKSHITA BHANJ DEO, THE BELGADIA PALACE IS A REGAL HOMESTAY THAT IS PUTTING MAYURBHANJ IN ODISHA ON THE GLOBAL MAP OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM. TEXT & PRODUCED BY AINDRILA MITRA PHOTOGRAPHED BY ARKA PATRA STYLED IN RAW MANGO MAKEUP BY REBECCA POLIZZI HAIR BY ZOHRA KHAN LOCATION: THE BELGADIA PALACE

Mrinalika (left) and Akshita Bhanj Deo photographed at The Belgadia Palace with chhau dancers from Project Chhauni. ON MRINALIKA: Morarka Kurta and Baggar Sharara, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, price on request, Tvisha. ON AKSHITA: Chowkadi Kurta and Churu Pants, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, price on request, Tvisha.

It was in 2015 that Mrinalika Bhanj Deo decided to open her ancestral home to tourists. ON HER: Chirawa Kurta and Badali Sharara, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection. 4 2 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021

I set out to discover The Belgadia Palace, a 200-yearold marvel situated in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. It’s a smooth four-hour drive from the heart of the City of Joy to this stunning Victorian brickbuild double-storey structure, which is home to the erstwhile royal family of Mayurbhanj. On this trip, I meet two young princesses—Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo—the second and third daughters, respectively, of the 47th ruler of the Bhanja dynasty, Maharaja Praveen Chandra Bhanj Deo, and Rashmi Rajya Laxmi Bhanj Deo, who hails from the royal family of Jaisalmer. As an editor of a travel title, I believe sometimes it’s the people—maybe a tad more than the place—who leave an indelible mark on your sojourn. Clad in a yellow pullover, Mrinalika glows as she sits in the hathi barandah (the elephant porch) of her home, waiting to welcome us to what will become one of my most memorable luxury homestays with an Indian royal family. As she takes us on a quick tour of the palace, I travel back in time. The Belgadia Palace was founded in 1804, and the present interiors were designed under the tutelage of Bhanja dynasty’s most notable ruler, Maharaja Sri Ram Chandra Bhanj Deo, the famed ‘Philosopher King’ whose second wife, Maharani Sucharu Devi, was the daughter of Keshab Chandra Sen, the founder of the Brahmo Samaj Movement. Painted in shades of green, pink, and blue, the nine-room mansion is akin to a postcard from a bygone era. Every nook and cranny has a story— antique bookshelves, marbled floors, arched hallways, monogrammed railings, vinyl records, Persian carpets, and antique oil paintings take you on a trip down memory lane. As if reading my thoughts, Mrinalika smiles, “I consider The Belgadia Palace to be a living museum. Nothing has changed here for the past 200 years; every piece of furniture is restored.” It was in 2015 that Mrinalika, then 24, decided to venture into her pilot project: opening the ancestral home—where the erstwhile maharaja and maharani continue to reside—to tourists, and thus putting Mayurbhanj on the global tourism map. In 2019, Akshita, two years younger, joined her sister when she returned to Mayurbhanj after living in New York, Mumbai, and Delhi. By then she was a selfproclaimed ‘history nerd’ and had a background in communication, having worked with former British parliamentarian David Miliband for the International Rescue Committee. “Brought up in Kolkata, I can tell you that the eastern region of India hasn’t exactly been the hotbed of tourism. There is little awareness about Mayurbhanj, which happens to be the first place where J N Tata invested in an iron ore and steel mine, TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 4 3 thanks to the then king, Sri Ram Chandra Bhanj Deo,” Akshita informs me. While the restoration and conservation work of The Belgadia Palace started in 2015, it was not until September 2019 that the doors of the palace were opened to guests. I play the devil’s advocate. Palaces are, after all, Rajasthan’s forte. So, what makes The Belgadia Palace, situated in the relatively obscure town of Baripada, so special? “When you come to our home, it’s not about pomp and splendour. We aren’t doing a pujo to show how it is; it’s a family setup, and as a guest, you become a part of our daily life,” says Akshita. “We may not have the Rolls Royces, but we tell you what happened with the Administration of the Lands Act, and the unfiltered stories add to your homestay experience. We break the illusion of a royal family. In terms of tourism, Belgadia offers a unique milieu. Even though we are Odiya, our grandmother is from the royal family of Nepal and our mother from Jaisalmer— so our cuisine is a mix of Nepali, Rajasthani, and Odiya.” It is an interesting twist to the royal experience. The elder princess goes a step further to explain their sustainability initiatives, “We engage with the local community. The staff is local, as are the experiences. We work closely with local handicraft artists, and we have a community that’s growing while The Belgadia Palace grows.” The Mayurbhanj Foundation, started by their mother, helps local artisans with R&D, and part of the funds raised through the palace’s hospitality is directed towards the foundation. “Belgadia can’t stand alone. It needs community support,” adds Mrinalika. I witness this first-hand. Whether it’s the 2,000-year-old metal casting craft of dhokra or the self-help group The Belgadia Palace features colourful corners decked with antique furniture and artefacts. On a sunny winter morning in Kolkata,

44 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 Akshita Bhanj Deo is a selfprofessed history nerd and has a background in communication. ON HER: Khanwaja Short Kurta and Qadri Sharara, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection.

TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA.IN 45 GETTING THERE The Belgadia Palace is nearly 230 km from Kolkata and 260 km from Bhubaneswar by road. A drive through the eastern belt is picturesque and comfortable. STAY The property sits on 15 acres of greenery, including a mango orchard in the backyard. There are nine rooms, including junior suites. I checked into the ‘pink room’, or The Narayanhity Suite. The Belgadia Palace, Ward No. 2, Baripada town, Mayurbhanj, Odisha 757001; thebelgadiapalace.com who work with sabai grass (a plant that was imported by their ancestors from Madagascar and now generates income across three states), the palace makes local art and culture a part of your stay experience. But things are constantly evolving. Akshita sheds light on the current circumstances, “Pre-COVID, we would take our guests to the village of dhokra artists, but now an artisan comes here to showcase the works.” In August 2019, the sisters also hosted the Mayurbhanj Arts & Culture Festival that saw a footfall of 10,000. The palace was turned into an artist residency, and international artists all the way from New Zealand came to compare the Māori and Santhal cultures, culminating in an exhibition in Auckland. On the dinner table, we continue the conversation over a local feast of muri (puffed rice) and mangsho (mutton gravy). I’m curious to learn what made these young women dive into a hospitality project that has immense potential but also gargantuan impediments. What made two millennials return to their homeland in a lesser-known town of India? Mrinalika is straightforward. “I didn’t really see myself in India. I was in NYC and working for a family-run thirdgeneration fashion and fragrance label that ran the fashion houses of Carolina Herrera and Nina Ricci. But then, my H1B visa didn’t work out. And it probably happened for a reason. In 2015, I returned to India, went to Bali for a month to get my yoga teaching certifi cate, and I realised that I am chasing a dream when my gold mine is Belgadia. My father was an MLA at the time, and I had campaigned with him. I was introduced to all the handicraft villages here and was blown away.” What was her biggest challenge? Mrinalika says that no one knew about Mayurbhanj four years ago. “Even though there’s so much history, heritage, and culture here, Mayurbhanj came up only when people spoke about mining. We want to highlight Mayurbhanj in terms of its glory—the culture, art, and architecture.” In the municipality of Baripada alone, there are colonial buildings dating back 200 years, all built by the royal family. The palace organises visits to the Simlipal National Park (similipal.org) and the Mayurbhanj Palace (which is now a government high school and college), heritage tours to Haripur, art tours to Khiching, tribal tours to learn vanishing art forms like chhau (a martial arts dance), and nature tours to Barehipani Waterfall, Sitakund, and Bhimkund. If you’re looking for a spiritual getaway, then Baripada is a revelation during the Ratha Yatra (held every June/July), which sees Puri swarmed by tourists. Called ‘Dwitiya Srikhetra’ (second Puri), Baripada hosts a Rath Yatra that allows only women to pull the chariot of Goddess Subhadra. “It is magical!” the princesses, who are also national-level equestrian sportspersons, tell me. At Belgadia, you feel at home, whether you’re goofi ng around with Marcus and Sebastian—the two Great Danes of the household—or sipping a cuppa with the royal family. You might miss the grandeur of Rajasthan in this palaceturned-homestay, but the warmth, luxury, and personal touch are unparalleled. The family has donated most of its ancestral palaces—their Shillong Summer Palace houses the only IIM in the Northeast today, and the Rajabagh Palace in Kolkata is a government polytechnic institute. The Belgadia Palace is the last bastion of the dynasty. And this one, too, is dedicated to social causes—responsible travel and community building. For the young princesses, as Akshita puts it, “The story of Belgadia has become the story of how we fi nd ourselves with our history of being Odiya.” Explore Mayurbhanj The sisters with Marcus and Sebastian—the two Great Danes of the household. ON AKSHITA: Teej Kurta and Rohi Churidar, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection. ON MRINALIKA: Chowkadi Kurta and Churu Pants, price on request, Raw Mango; jewellery, personal collection.

T r + Le India a TRAVELLERS S, FRO ND FAR Expe i nces Raza Library in Rampur is one of the most important repositories of Indo-Islamic learning in South Asia. Right: The Rampur royal family bedecked in heirlooms at the wedding.

TRAVELANDLE ISURE INDIA.IN 47 H IS OBSIDIAN EYES halt you till you reach the twinkle in their midst. You look again, and those deep dimples fl anking his wide smile reach right into your heart. And then he speaks: he tells you tales of conquering heroes and lands won and lost; princesses from far lands who made India’s sons and daughters; gemstones and swords that fi lled coffers; a land, united and forged as one by the many layers of the legacy of the past. Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, much loved among his friends as Navaid bhai, is one of the most precious custodians of India’s history and some of its invaluable treasures. I met him fi rst as Nawab Sahib, in his full reglia, when he leaned down with his statuesque Pathan grandiosity and said gently, “Call me Kazim.” I was facetiously outraged. “I love calling you ‘Nawab Sahib’,” I spluttered laughing. That didn’t last long. The bonhomie that the nawab exudes makes it hard to retain deference and address him by his title. This was also the fi rst of many conversations on the history of the Rampur dynasty, rewinding its track through accession and succession, the British Raj and India’s Independence, right back to the Marathas and the Mughals. The Rampur state was created by the Rohila Afghan Pathans of Kandahar. The Yusufzai clan were originally THE KING AND I Luxury realtor SUSH CLAYS takes us to a royal wedding in the Noor Mahal Palace, home to the nawab of Rampur. Nawab Kazim Ali Khan tells the tale of the dynasty, its magnifi cent Raza Library, and years of progressive thinking that expanded the region and its many enterprises.

48 TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA | JANUARY 2021 R OYA LT Y