To Jaipur, with love
An ancient warriors’ retreat just outside the capital of Rajasthan, Alila Fort Bishangarh is a lofty, looming sandstone castle-turned-hotel that is worth travelling for.
A230-year-old warrior fort perches on top of a granite hillock in the Aravalli Range. The surrounding view of hills, havelis, villages and temples unfold below. This is what the unique heritage property of Alila Fort Bishangarh looks like.
The Alila Fort Bishangarh was once the residence and battle encampment of several kings, before it was abandoned and left to bats, snakes and monkeys. Today, it has been transformed into a luxurious hotel with tradition and modern touches. Designed by Jaipur-based firm STHAPATYA Architects, Ritu and Sandeep Khandelwal (the architects behind the renovations) kept the entirety of the original structure intact. This project is like a child to us and a thesis paper. Set to open next month, Alila Fort Bishangarh is ready to impress.
THE BIRTH OF IT
The plan to restore the fort started nine years ago, first with a feasibility study. The Khandelwals investigated the fort’s every nook and cranny to assess its strength and stability. It was a maze. There were bats and monkeys inhabiting every corner, but it was intriguing.
Before they had even turned over a single stone, the Khandelwals knew the fort was a sight to behold. It was a bare, beautiful, raw old fortress, sitting in the middle of a small village of Bishangarh, untouched for years. The inspiration came from the fort’s history and carefully wove the visual vocabulary to keep it true to its original form. This meant embracing Jaipur’s Gharana architectural elements, such as intricate lattice work in stone screens, a mix of Tudor and cusped arches, stone columns and frescoes with vegetable dyes.
The first two years were the most difficult phase of the restoration. Every existing room and floor had a unique, unconventional layout, making the restoration process exceedingly complicated. “It’s an organic structure, with no 90-degree angles. Every detail of the project was executed without even a single typical floor plan, yet every corner of the building had a drawing
More obstacles ensued. For example, there was the issue of transporting construction materials up a hill without an existing road, or penetrating the 10-foot-thick walls and the granite hill itself to provide electrical and plumbing services. To work out the positions of the elevator shafts, the architects eventually gave up guessing and instead investigated by puncturing the floors and dropping ropes into the holes with attached torch lights.
Other facets of the fort stumped the team too. Some parts of the wall were too thick to be drilled through; they had to be heated first, with burning tyres. But there were rewards too. The turrets, originally used as a lookout for approaching enemies, offered an unbeatable 360-degree view of the rolling Aravalli mountains. At the lowest level — which now houses the spa — the granite of the hill manifests in the large boulders that line the corridor. Also on the same level, the battlements, originally made for shooting weapons through, now serve as passages for air and light.
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
New features were introduced, including a driveway that leads up to the hillside, a second wing for additional guest rooms, and larger windows to encourage natural ventilation. Polished anew, the powerful edifice now rises from the hilltop. Aside from its turrets and windows and the red-ochre colour — gerua to be exact – the hotel facade appears unornamented. Simplicity is the end, and not the beginning, of design. They developed clean and uncluttered interiors, weaving in ancient metal jaali screens, antique brass embossing, block printed fabrics and hand-picked artifacts.
From the textiles and granite to lighting fixtures and furniture, everything on site has been sourced within 100km or completed by a local contractor. It extends to the interiors as well, from the use of traditional surkhi (stone dust) and araish on the walls (instead of paint) to the fruit bowls made of locally sourced Aandhi markble. The whole building fully belongs to its setting.
Finding talent was a relatively easy task: the region is full of craftsmen who specialise in carpet making, stone carving, metal crafting, wood work and stone masonry. The architects chose hand-woven carpets in neutral tones, made using various vernacular techniques, such as patchwork, block print, and tie
dye-like “Gudri work.” Hand-painted frescoes bring colour to public spaces, while wooden jewellery boxes and antiques add a touch of warmth to the rooms.
Each of the 69 rooms and suites has a unique layout and atmosphere.
Yet all of them have one thing in common: windows – some of which are built in the jharokha style – framing exquisite views. In the turrets, these windows offer a comfortable place to relax and take in the scenery. The jharokha windows are an integral part of Indian architecture, you can’t just omit them,. History has it that in ancient times, women rarely left their place of residence. Instead, they lounged in these window alcoves and watched the world outside. For guests, the vibe of Alila Fort Bishangarhis that of fun, luxury e discovery while paying respect to the past.