Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Six Senses Fort Barwara is a lesson in restoration and conservation, AINDRILA MITRA finds out during her recent stay in the heritage property.
ICHECKED IN TO the latest outpost of Six Senses in India—Six Senses Fort Barwara—barely a month before the property became headline material for being the wedding destination of Bollywood’s ‘it’ couple, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif. Respecting its prospective celebrity guests’ privacy, as is expected in luxury hospitality, the property and its staff were tight-lipped about the impending wedding. But this was arguably the event of the year! So, the rumour mill was abuzz and the hush-hush whispers of a VIP shaadi were irrepressible among guests. By now, of course, we all know why.
The property officially opened its gates in October last year. While it has 48 suites, only 19 of them are operational when I visit it. Situated 22 kilometres from the
Ranthambore National Park and overlooking the Barwara Lake as well as the Chauth ka Barwara temple, this restored fort turned heritage property is a lesson in conservation.
From Jaipur, the Barwara Fort is an easy three-hour drive, featuring colourful villages until we hit the Barwara village and encounter the soaring fort, standing tall like a protector of this tiny community. The Barwara Fort was originally constructed in the 14th century by the Chauhans, and was then captured by the Rajawat dynasty from the Hadas in 1734. On our heritage and horticulture walk, tour curator Surya Pratap Singh shares the full story. During World War II, Raja Man Singh from the noble family of Barwara, along with the Jaipur State Armed Forces, fought alongside the British. In appreciation of his services, he was given the title of Rao Bahadur. Today, the fort is owned by his grandson Prithviraj Singh, who spearheads the fort’s restoration project, working with conservation experts like landscape designer Savita Punde and horticulturist Pradeep Kishen of Sunder Nursery (New Delhi). The landscape
retains the traditional gardens and water features, and native flora and fauna. Age-old water harvesting techniques have been contemporarised to not only celebrate the rains in this area but also make people aware of this precious resource through spiral structures across the resort.
From personal experience, I am aware of the herculean efforts required to restore a heritage property. My first reaction on entering Six Senses
Fort Barwara is one of thankfulness and gratitude— to be able to live in a 14th-century structure. Such repurposing requires serious devotion and passion from the people who have worked behind the scenes to bring these walls to reflect their past glory. The site, spanning 5.5 acres, is encircled by thick rock walls that soar six metres above the ground.
Inside the fort, three buildings, which traditionally accommodated the men’s and women’s palaces—the Mardana Mahal and the Zenana Mahal—and two temples, have been restored. The temples and the Zenana Mahal take centre stage as the Six Senses
Spa and fitness centre are located here. Spread over 2,787 square metres, this haven of wellness does not disappoint. Based on the Six Senses Integrated Wellness philosophy that plays out across all Six
Senses properties around the globe, the spa here offers an exhaustive Ayurvedic healing system, meditation, as well as customised wellness programmes. Dr Jitendra Varshney, popularly called Dr J, is the in-house Ayurvedic doctor. He explains during my wellness consultation, “We follow the philosophy of Eat with Six Senses.” This philosophy is based on the guiding principles of natural ingredients, local and sustainable menus, and the motto of ‘less is more’.
Dr J smiles, “Nourish the body, don’t punish the body.” I pay heed and relish the culinary menu led by Matthew Cropp that’s based on the power of local products, sourced responsibly and in accordance with the seasons.
After a hearty and healthy meal, I retire to my Aravalli Suite. The property’s 48 suites—split into five categories— range from 1,800 sqaure feet and more. Each suite is designed in contemporary Rajasthani style that reinterprets the history of the property, but it comes with all the modern amenities any VIP guest might desire. As I drift to sleep on the handmade mattress, I can’t help but imagine what a beautiful, intimate setting this restored fort would make for a special occasion, not knowing that the most glamorous couple of Bollywood are thinking the exact same thing. sixsenses.com