SURYAGARH JAISALMER

A gateway to the Thar Desert, Suryagarh Jaisalmer is the epitome of elegance and royalty. Jaisalmer is the Gloden City and is known for sandstone palaces, Jaisalmer Fort Jain temple, and the finely wrought Havelis. Suryagarh is a 5-star hotel on the outskirts of the city and is set in the stark desert landscape. Surygarh- meaning the fort of the Sun- rises up like a golden mirage from the dusty plains of this city, a bit like the fortress itself that brings international acclaim to Jaisalmer. Local yellow stone has been used in the construction to blend tastefully into the environment.

HISTORY OF SURYAGARH PALACE

Built-in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort, situated on Meru Hill and Trikoot Garh has been the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are tawny lion color during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. It is also known as the Sonar Quila or Gloden Fort. According to most historians, the Sikh Jats of Majha and Malwa Doab’s and Kapurthala State in Doba in Punjab trace their direct lineage to Jaisalmer royal families over the centuries. Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, MD MRS Group, currently owns and operates Suryagarh in Jaisalmer and Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner.

ARCHITECTURE AT SURYAGARH

Suryagarh is a timeless hotel built to represent a unique way of life, carefully preserving the traditions of our past yet framing them in a modern idiom. A hovering sandstone oasis primed for sensual and culinary pleasure, Suryagarh Jaisalmer occupies a colossal bluff atop a low hill. The topography of the bare scrub desert and the material memory of the erstwhile forts created a dominant design palimpsest for the contemporary hotel imagined by Architect Ravi Kumar Gupta & Associates in 2010. The palace is surrounded by two lavish gardens, 83 luxurious rooms, and other necessary luxuries to offer to the guests. The majestic palace is located in Jaisalmer and is true to ancient craft which features a beautiful courtyard, and Rajasthani architecture. There is an indoor pool, a fitness center, and free Wi-Fi. Suryagarh’s design beautifully echoes the architecture of an actual fort- an arched gateway flanked by cannons, a three-level courtyard with stone pillars jharokhas, latticed windows, and a glistening marble floor. Suryagarh occupies a bluff at the top of a low hill. Right from the entrance- with its large doorways, water bodies, and arches- it transports you to the age of royalty. The hotel has been planned on a sprawling scale: the property, with three floors, a spa called Rait; a fitness center called Akhara; restaurants Nosh and Legends of Marwad; Draksh, the bar; Tash, the cards and billiards room and Neel, the indoor swimming pool. All this in the hotel was done by interior designer Aparna Kakrania of Design Dimensions New Delhi.

FOOD AT SURYAGARH

• The royal experience continued for our first meal at The Legend of Marwar, an opulent dining room in gleaming emerald and crimson, dimly lit with candles. The Suryagarh Thali is an elaborate multi-course meal inspired by Bhatiar cuisine. The Bhatiar community in Rajasthan arrived with the invading Mughals in the 16th century and were traditionally innkeepers. Unlike the fiery Rajasthani cuisine laced with red chilies, Bhatiar cuisine is more mellow allowing the ingredients to shine through. Without giving away too many details, let me just say that this was one of the finest Rajasthani meals. Some highlights- airy dahi ke kebab coated with sago, succulent Patthar kuta gosht (hand-pounded goat meat kebab simply flavored with black cardamom and cinnamon), creamy Mohan Maas (goat meat in milk gravy), fragrant Jaisana pulao, and more. Another stand-out meal was the Halwai Breakfast at Suryagarh. It had several Rajasthani breakfast staples such as pyaaz ki kachori, daal pakwaan, and methi paratha with piquant sangri (slender beans typical to (Rajasthan) pickle), jalebi, and badam doodh, mithai of every description and more. Share a breakfast table with peacocks, picnic in a hidden oasis, and dine on meals inspired by past travelers while watching the sunset over the dunes.