Press the pause button at juSTA Diwans Bungalow, a boutique luxury retreat in India
Those who like their luxury with a side of history and nostalgia would love the embraceable juSTA Diwans Bungalow in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. The heritage boutique property is located in the heart of the throbbing metropolis, once dubbed the Manchester of India.
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One drives up to Diwans Bungalow’s tall wrought iron gates, beyond which the white crescent-shaped property unfolds and shimmers like a mirage for the wayfarer seeking peace, beauty and a long-vanished past. Two carved wood oriel windows project from a white wall, pulling one’s gaze upward to what is a classical feature of Indian architecture. They complement an English castle-style turret above the ground-plus-one structure while arched corridors and louvred and stained-glass windows seem to hide secrets from a rich past.
In the local language, Diwan means ‘chief minister’ and the heritage hotel has been named after a member of the illustrious Kadri family, the former chief minister of an erstwhile princely state who built the mansion. The Kadri family has owned the property for 150 years and has meticulously maintained its vintage aura, a mix of colonial and vernacular architectural styles.
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You may stumble across a slightly creaking door, a staircase that seems to lead nowhere, intriguing nooks and crannies, a shuttered room on the terrace where the family once gathered to perchance talk about what had transpired in the day and sip a nightcap before retiring for the night.
Diwans Bungalow could well be the abode of fairies and elves but its interiors have been sensitively refurbished to entertain 21st-century guests. There are no vast lobbies where staff wait stiffly to check you in. The restrained yet opulent décor of the property makes a statement of style and its two deluxe twin rooms and six heritage suites shield modern conveniences. The boutique hostelry is now managed by the home-grown luxury hotel group, juSTA Hotels and Resorts.
The interiors are studded with antique, carved teak wood furniture. The wood-beamed suites sport canopied beds, dressers, writing desks, wardrobes, throw rugs, carved love seats with cushions clad in local mashru fabric (a mix of rich silk and cotton), dowry chests, wall hangings and family photographs. The latter imparts the property with an aura of a stately home or country house hotel where, back in time, siblings played pranks and cricket in the courtyard, and subsequently grew up and moved to live in different parts of the world.
The premium suite has a charming alcove with stained glass windows through which the strong Indian sun filters through, spraying the interior in soft, ethereal, multi-coloured light. Other suites come with verandas and sit-outs for meditative contemplation of the courtyard with its lush greenery and tinkling fountain.
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The lounge and dining area exude the same happy yet luxe vibe, strung as they are with attractive light fixtures like Belgian chandeliers that shed a gentle glow over the carved settees and marble-topped tables, around which guests may gather after a day of hectic sightseeing.
Cuisine is Diwans Bungalow’s strong suit and Dalan, the dining area, too has a period setting with its vintage wood sideboard, artfully strewn artefacts in display cabinets and an outdoor section that faces a leafy courtyard. The flavours of the region are reflected in the cuisine served in the restaurant and some are based on closely guarded family recipes. Apart from a menu wreathed in homely flavours, international delicacies as well as pan-Indian choices are available. Seasonality is king here as is fresh local produce.
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However, it is the unbroken connection with the past that is fascinating. Rehana Bano, a third-generation home chef, recounts how her grandfather came from a village to cook for the Diwan and his favourite go-to dishes were Khatta Gosh, a tangy and spicy lamb curry; Hussaini Kebabs with a crisp exterior and a soft meaty heart; and biryani with fugitive spicy notes. The desserts are local in inspiration. There’s gulab jamun (fried dough balls spangled with a little sugar), shrikand, a kind of creamy flavoured yoghurt daubed with saffron and nuts, and a healthy carrot halwa consisting of grated carrots simmered in milk, sugar and ghee.
As guests dine, they may inhale lungs full of history, as the old-world space is strung with portraits of India’s freedom fighters who gathered here for secret meetings to plot India’s freedom. Renowned architect I. M. Kadri, who is now 97 years old, recounted in a Zoom interview an undocumented story of how Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, travelled by bullock cart from Diwans Bungalow to Sabarmati Ashram, the heart of the country’s freedom struggle, when he first moved there in 1917. The Mahatma lived at the ashram till 1930.
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At Diwans Bungalow, one turns a corner and the past taps you on the shoulder
