It had been more than 11 months since we had a chance to visit Rajasthan. With travel assignments pouring in from all parts of the globe, we had to put our love for the royalty of Rajasthan on the back foot. We had started the year with a trip to Jodhpur in January so when in December we got a chance to head to Ranthambore and stay at the Treehouse Anuraga Palace, we weren’t gonna say no.
Why visit Anuraga Palace?
Ranthambore, located at about a six hours train journey from Delhi is famous for its tiger reserve. Most of the things you see in Ranthambore are based around the tigers. The Anuraga Palace is nothing different, a huge taxidermied tiger adorns the reception of the Hotel. The hotel is made in a haveli style and the interiors have been done by the two sisters Archana and Rachna. The dome of the lobby is adorned with a mural of a Rajasthani wedding procession.
We moved to our suite on the 2nd floor which absolutely floored with the green and yellow colour palette. The lovely cushions, chiffon curtains, and the four-poster beds look paints quite a cozy picture. I decide to explore the haveli a little bit more and find quite a few more examples of Rajasthani handicrafts, be it the mirrored walls or the hooks on the walls.
Dining at Anuraga Palace
Executive Chef Satbeer cooks up some delicacies for us. There is some lovely continental food for us to sample including a gnocchi pasta and a lamb roast. Not only that, the starters on the first day were a prawn cooked up with butter and herbs. But it was the Indian food on the second that totally had us impressed. Starting off with a succulent Sheekh Kebab, we ended off with some Amrud ki Sabzi and a decadent Gutta Chicken.
Activities at Anuraga Palace
One of the most interesting activities to do around the hotel is to visit the family’s organic farms: Shabri. Here, you can get an authentic experience of India’s rural lands. The farm has ample experiences for you amidst organically grown fruits and vegetables, cows and a whole load of pigeons. We finished off our day with an authentic cooked organic meal with a load of white butter on the chappatis. We also decided to hop onto some of the wildlife safaris to spot some tigers. Although we weren’t able to spot the prize, we did get to spot some antelopes. Another activity that will give you a feel of rural India is to visit the Grameen Mahila Vidyapeeth which is run by the family. Here, they have girls from rural backgrounds studying to make their careers. Just interacting with them and delving into their midst can make your trip quite wonderful.
After all the activities for the day, we decided to relax with a swim in the pool and a relaxing massage in the spa. A visit to the Treehouse Anuraga Palace in Ranthambore is quite rejuvenating to the senses and acts as a perfect way to replenish yourself during a holiday.
