Историк-отельер Аман Натх отмечает 40-летие возрождения руин Neemrana в современный отель

Trending Four decades of giving India's past a new lifeComments AA Text Size Small Medium Large The Neemrana Fort Palace was acquired for restoration in 1986 (Pic: @neemrana_hotels) For nearly four decades, from 1947 to 1986, Neemrana Fort Palace stood as a crumbling ruin, its facade deteriorating and ramparts giving way. The ruins remained a liability for Raja Rajinder Singh, until they were acquired for restoration in 1986 by historian-hotelier Aman Nath. What was then dismissed as “madness” went on to shape a new model of heritage hospitality. As the restoration of Neemrana marks 40 years, Nath says the project was never about recreating the world of maharajas. “I never once felt that I had become a thakur or a maharaja. That wasn’t the aspiration,” he says. Instead, he wanted to awaken what he calls “the sleeping past of India”. Neemrana Fort Palace Then and Now Giving the past a new lifeNath’s approach was not to preserve heritage behind glass but to put it back into use. He says, “I intuitively chose to be a behind-the-scenes person, and coined the phrase, ‘We don’t let history become a bygone’.” That philosophy became the foundation of what he calls the ‘non-hotel’ hotel brand. Over the past four decades, he has expanded this philosophy across properties associated with communities and dynasties ranging from the Chauhans and Jats to the Marathas, Naruka Kachwahas and Reddys, to name a few.For Nath, the objective was to allow contemporary life to inhabit historic structures rather than leave them frozen in time. “Poetically, I wanted our contemporary clocks to flow through the splendid ruins and remind Indians of who they had once been – in fact, to be better than they ever were!” When the Neemrana Fort Palace opened as a hotel in 1991, Nath was also challenging the prevailing idea of what a heritage property could look and feel like. “It must have been the first to make ethnic interiors fashionable in the hospitality industry – as well as serve fresh local cuisine,” he says. Then and now: Historian-hotelier Aman Nath working at Neemrana in 1986 (L) Letting contemporary life into old wallsThe challenge, however, was to make a 15th-century structure work as a contemporary hotel without stripping it of its character. “One can imagine that life within would have been quite simple and basic in the mid-15th century: no running water or proper lighting, no attached bathrooms and so on,” he says.He did not see modern interventions as a betrayal of the past. “As free Indians, now we have the opportunity to express a more indigenous lifestyle that predated our colonisers. Although the result was somewhat hybrid, since our contemporary lifestyle desired the attached bathrooms, air-conditioning, the romance of beautiful jharokhas and sit-outs with colonial-era furniture. But the interiors evoked a strong Indian accent. The food represented the same eclecticism, but it wasn’t fusion. Guests had multiple options, but the dishes were regional and truly authentic.” Neemrana Fort Palace was in ruins from 1947 to 1986 (Pics: @neemrana_hotels) ‘Adaptive reuse of ruins requires a need-based revitalisation’For Nath, adaptive reuse is ultimately about giving heritage a reason to survive. “There is no incentive to maintain unused buildings,” he says, pointing to the difficulty even wealthy families face in maintaining multiple inherited properties. “Eventually they decay, crumble or are fought over by the next generation.”For young hoteliers interested in conservation-led hospitality, he distinguishes between purist restoration and adaptive reuse. “Adaptive reuse of ruins requires a need-based revitalisation, with bathrooms, private spaces with unique views, dining options, pools and more becoming essential.” Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day. End of Article Follow Us On Social Media MORE FROM ETIMES life & style Teacher's Day WishesKitchen Garden Waste TipsTeachers Day AI PromptBhavitha MandavaBaby Names