Whenever you stand upon the territory that marks out the Seventeenth century-inspired Chavni resort in Maharashtra’s Pune (and by the top of this piece, it’s positive to make it to your wishlist!), I urge you to close your eyes for a second.
You’re now not a Twenty first-century being. You are actually standing on the foothills of two of historical past’s finest works — the Lohagad and Visapur forts, their domes melting into the sky. There aren’t any deadlines to satisfy, no to-do checklist actions to tick off, and no emails to answer. You’re merely an observer of the previous.
The heritage resort curated by Pune-based city planner and architect Snehal Karlekar (46), architect Tushar Shetye (46), social employee and banking skilled Uday Jagtap (52), and restauranteur Ajit Ingawle (46), reverberates with echoes of the previous.
And at the moment, we’re going to discover it.
Chavni was a coming collectively of contemporary concepts and historical past, says Karlekar. “The 4 of us met through the years whereas engaged in numerous tasks.” United by the widespread zeal to enhance the tourism scene in Maharashtra, they joined arms. “We now have at all times been inclined in the direction of vernacular structure. The state had a terrific conventional knowledge and tradition,” she says. Her use of previous tense is clear.
“I can’t say this [the culture] persists. Most of it’s now fusion,” she states. Cognisant about how North and South India nonetheless have footprints of their cultures on the land, she says Maharashtra is likely one of the few locations the place tradition is fading.
And so, backed by an intent to get native and non-native Maharashtra dwellers to “know” the true historical past of their land, the 4 determined to dive right into a venture that may render this attainable.
At present, when Karlekar opens a letter from a visitor who expresses their happiness at having chosen a trip spot the place their baby may get a glimpse of historical past, she smiles. Chavni has achieved what it got down to do.
Recreating a century-old vibe
Let your eyes keep shut, as you breathe within the air round you — pure and untouched. Permit your toes to find the bumpy terrain that rests beneath. The soil has reminiscence.
Not many centuries in the past, this terrain performed host to commerce as discoveries, items, spices, pearls and extra have been ferried alongside the Dakshinpath — the historic North-South tremendous freeway. You’re standing on a chunk of historical past.
In the event you open your eyes, your gaze will naturally fall upon the horizon the place the Satavahana Caves — the oldest group of caves relationship to the primary century BCE — stand. A lot of Maharashtra’s historical past was formed throughout these pre-colonial occasions beneath the Maratha reign.
If sounds of the previous needed to accompany the visualisation you simply did, there could be the regular clippity-clop of horses as their grasp troopers nudged them to go quicker. The horses have been a prelude to the liveried chariots that adopted behind them carrying rich households and retailers, whereas bullock carts have been designated to bear the brunt of the products.
Whereas the vital loved these privileges, bizarre individuals would stroll on foot. However offering some respite to them have been the chavnis (transit camps). These served as shelters for the troops and merchants for when night time fell or after they wanted relaxation. It was throughout their travels from one place to the subsequent that the Marathas spent a considerable chunk of their time right here.
Within the 1600s, an observer trying from the highest of the Lohagad fort could be aware about a phenomenal scene of those caravans spinning a colossal internet throughout the terrain. There was no denying that the chavnis held a sure mystique.
The vacation spot was generally unsure however as meals was cooked and jokes shared, a number of the most stunning friendships have been struck. The will to recreate these experiences within the current day is what compelled Karlekar and Shetye to set their eyes on this piece of land in 2017. And in 2019, the work started.
By way of the design course of, the guiding script was to construct an area that was rooted in Indianness, says Shetye. “Chavni is an idea that subtly nurtures Maharashtra’s architectural and cultural legacy. It does this whereas providing a tangible framework for the hospitality and tourism business in Maharashtra.”
Reside like a Maratha
Karlekar and Shetye have been city planners for 20 years now, with a concentrate on sustainable structure. Chavni imbues these ideas within the type of its mini carts, seven royal tents, 5 luxurious carts, and a two-bedroom basic suite (wada).
“Even the stays are designed on the idea of ‘being in transit’. Tribes all through historical past have at all times moved from one place to a different,” explains Karlekar. It was this rhythm of motion, she says, that separated the opulent Moghuls from the less complicated Marathas. “The latter solely carried as a lot as they required and relied on the native meals, grain, and greens for the remainder of their wants.”
This identical ethos is championed at Chavni.
Take for example the royal carts. Right here’s a aspect of historical past: The native chieftains of Bara Maval (the land the place Chavni stands) have been the Deshmukhs, and the royal carts are named after the 5 Maval sub-regions — Rohida Khore, Hirdas Maval, Gunjan Maval, Pavan Maval, and Nane Maval. Karlekar shares that the carts are actual bullock carts with wheels. “If we want to get them shifting to a special location, let’s say Konkan, we will,” she notes, including that they’ve been curated with Indian rosewood (shisham), bamboo, jute, and brass.
The Rahuti tents in the meantime are embellished in items of Nizami artistry with Himroo (a cloth manufactured from silk and cotton) carpets. In comparison with the royal carts, these are smaller dwellings. Every tent has a charpoy (conventional woven mattress), flame lamps, and conventional upholstery. The tents are excellent for a bonfire night time.
The Sarja-Raja mini carts are tucked away on comparatively larger terrain and provide a commanding view of the environment. These stays are excellent for hikers and no-fuss trekkers, trying to have an immersive expertise with minimal luxuries.
Probably the most premium of all is the wonderful Yashwant Wada. Its comparatively reverential two-storey design is borrowed from the houses of the chieftains of the Seventeenth century and embodies conventional Maratha attraction. The flooring gives the right canvas to play a sport of shatranj (chess). The Zharoka Room options period-style furnishings made with shisham.
All of the stays are outfitted with a fridge, a minibar, a rest room with a bathe, books, and scrolls that inform the story of Bara Maval. Karlekar emphasises that the rooms boast indigenous textiles and painted by hand canapes together with a host of artefacts. However she insists, “It isn’t like a museum. The artefacts aren’t simply stored on show, however as a substitute are an integral a part of the decor.”
The upholstery options ethnic materials like paithani, himroo and ilkal. Jagtap emphasises that “The architectural type, vintage components, and the actions that unfold for a customer in Chavni immediately conjures up tales of the bygone Shivakalin period with their simplistic splendour. Chavni is a spot the place tales are advised and historical past is unfolded in its each element.”
That being mentioned, he provides that the largest problem of ‘sluggish journey’ is curating genuine cuisines that enchantment to a world viewers. A number of the dishes are sattak (spiced buttermilk), doodh saar (vegetarian spicy milk curry), bharli kombdi (roast hen dish), kismur (dry prawn salad), kacchya kelyache kebab (kebabs with uncooked bananas), crab Lohagadi (a crab curry made with native stream crabs), and narali bhaat (a Konkani spiced coconut candy rice preparation).
Chavni’s founders come from walks of life the place sustainability is prided. And so, each nook of the resort is eco-conscious. Rainwater is harvested by way of aquifers — a physique of rock and sediment that holds groundwater. “Normally, the rain that falls on Maharashtra is drained away due to the kind of soil,” says Karlekar. “So, we have now dug pits and contours in such a approach that every one the water that falls on the soil will get absorbed into aquifers.”
The land too has seen a journey; from three timber in a abandoned panorama to now 1,300 timber and a pair of,000 native shrubs. There are various delight factors at Chavni, however the truth that it’s a dwelling piece of historical past tops all of them.
Guide your journey, right here.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
