The Lalit Palace-on-the-Dal

It's a grand hotel alright. And boasts of the oldest, most beautiful chinars in all of Kashmir. The palace grounds with manicured lawns and beautiful flowerbeds, are reminiscent of a genteel era gone by

 

The Lalit Grand Palace, Gupkar Road, Srinagar. No doubt this is among the most prestigious of addresses in Kashmir. And a befitting royal home, which it was, until, two hotels claimed it. First, the Oberoi which started to run it in 1956 and then The Lalit, which took it over in 1998.
The palace is one location in Kashmir, probably in all of India, where the maximum number of films have been shot, 77 to be precise.  In the 70s and 80s, the palace which was the residence of the erstwhile Maharaja of Kashmir, was the most preferred natural film set for top Bollywood directors. Film stars such as Sanjeev Kumar, Dharmendra, Biswajeet, Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee, Mala Sinha, Asha Parekh, Nanda, Sadhana, Sharmila Tagore were frequent guests at the hotel, thanks to these shootings. Sometimes four film units would be shooting there simultaneously, so large is the palace. I believe, after pack up, dozens of stars would all team up at the bar!
Apparently the famous Kabhie Kabhie scene with Amitabh Bachchan sitting leaning against the trunk of a tree, with Rakhee lying in his lap, while he dreamily waxed eloquent poetry was shot right here under one of the huge chinar trees.
Sadly when The Oberoi Palace shut down due to the mindless turmoil in the pretty state, the palace, left unsecured, but for one lone security guard, was ravaged.  For 10 years during the time it stayed shut and neglected, it became a virtual relic and a jungle with grass over 10 feet tall and the area infested with snakes! The Lalit group of hotels took it over in 1998, renovated and refurbished it and opened its doors to the discerning traveller in 1999. Chairperson and Managing Director, Jyotsna Suri, the dynamic head of the group, was personally and passionately involved with the project. She spearheaded the operations and had it completed in record time to set the ball rolling. In 2010 when the palace completed 100 years she invited many of her film star friends from the bygone era, especially those who had shot there and celebrated the occasion nostalgically and in grand style, as only she can; Legends in the Valley, she termed the endeavour.
The Lalit Grand stands, how else but grandly, in all of 37 acres of beautiful landscaping. The first thing that strikes you about this wonderful property is its vastness. The second, its subtle and simple classiness. It has all the trappings of old-world grandeur. The remarkable vista in front of you could so easily be set somewhere in Europe. White, roof-topped, wooden window frames, sitting pretty against the backdrop of a dense forest. Certainly heritage, certainly unreplicable.
I was given a grand tour of the premises by Gourav Deb, the General Manager. Clearly he is very, very proud about the fact that he has been picked to look after what is the crowning glory of all that is in the Lalit basket. "Oh yes," says Deb, "Being here is simply exhilarating. Look at what I have to look after," he says, waving his hand in the direction of the beautiful expanse, taking a deep breath of joy and gratitude. "This hotel exemplifies all that Kashmir stands for. The fact that it was the palace of the Maharaja of Kashmir is in itself very significant. It is now 108 years old, a heritage that we cherish and are committed to looking after. When I said it exemplifies Kashmir, it's because we have the best, the oldest and most beautiful chinars, 11 in all, 150 to 160 years old. These towering giants are well cared by us. We actually give it a shape after every autumn. We have the best apple orchards, so laden with fruit that the trees bend towards the ground, there are pears and peaches, plums and apricots and cherry trees all over the 37 acres, everything grows here abundantly." I did go and visit the Kitchen Garden where they grow every "English vegetables" as the gardener puts it, pointing to celery, and other herbs. Almost the entire kitchen requirement is met with homegrown produce. Which is quite an achievement and something Gourav Deb is proud about.
The location of this hotel could not be any better, for sure. At the far and quiet end of the Dal Lake, you swing through two sets of beautiful wrought iron gates painted black and gold and drive on and on past apple orchards and large green lawns to arrive in front of the main building, which houses just the reception area and The Chinar, the multi-cuisine restaurant. High ceiling, old-world chandeliers, antique furniture, polished and patterned marble floors, here is where you check once you are done with the welcome drink, warm kahwa, the saffron and almond tea.
I have to admit, barring when I arrived and when I left, I did not see much of this charming reception area. Quite simply because you have two accesses to your room. One from the indoor passage which you come past the reception, traversing what must be the longest corridor for rooms located on just one side and the other access from the outside, walking through the lawns. The room key card obviously works on both doors. The access from the lawns is a lot nicer. Which also means the open verandah, a sit out, gets most used. When you have the grand old chinars playing out a tableau in front of you, that's where you want to be most times, right?
Well, The Lalit Grand is a large hotel. It has 113 palace rooms and suites, as well as 10 independent cottages, which were added under Jyotsna Suri's keen eye and supervision. These, situated next to and behind the indoor pool and spa cottage are rather charming, set as they are among fruit trees, with ivy growing on their walls. There is another wing dedicated to even more exclusive suites, Maharaja and Maharani, with high four-poster beds, antique furniture, ancient and rare carpets with windows overlooking the Dal with views of Hazratbal on one side and the Shankaracharya Temple on another. "There used to be a secret tunnel too, which led from under the palace and under and across the Dal to the patch you see there with black flags, called Kabutar Khana," informs Deb as he saw me looking out the window. "Really?" I ask, disbelievingly, "Did they really have technology to dig tunnels under water those days?" "Oh, yes," he replies, "don't underestimate the amazing know-how of engineers then, I will even show you the entrance to the tunnel, the escape route for maharajas that was always built in royal palaces those days, if you will have the courage to go under the foundation of the Darbar Hall!" Sure, I am always up to a challenge and no I don't underestimate the unique abilities of people in the eras gone by, I say to myself, with visions of the pyramids of Egypt popping-up in my mind's eye.
We did go under the foundation to check out the giant springs (which were imported from Manchester), upon which stands the Darbar Hall, built so to withstand the frequent earthquakes in the region and I did see the entrance to the tunnel. Wow, the lives of erstwhile maharajas do seem rather exciting. Reminded me of the Mughal emperors and their secret chambers and passages and stepwells, in the Bhool Bhulaiya of Lucknow from where I have plenty of unique childhood memories.
As for the Darbar Hall, it is simply beautiful. I could picture, one of the more prestigious guests, among many others,  Lord Mountbatten walking in there, admiring the carpet, perhaps. It did take my breath away. 300 years old, still retaining its vivid colours, this historical piece of Iranian handiwork must be priceless. It is said to be the largest carpet in all of Asia. To think, they actually let you walk on it, barefoot of course, is pretty generous.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, all meals, every guest at the hotel, enjoys sitting in the open air restaurant in the far end of the hotel called The Chinar Garden. Obviously it is under one of the great chinars. The service area is set up around the trunk of the tree, tables under big umbrellas and viola, there you are feasting in the great outdoor! Feasting is an appropriate term, for the kitchen of the Lalit Grand does produce some great fare. Kashmiri food of course, but also other North Indian and even South Indian stuff. For breakfast for example you could eat freshly prepared aloo parathas, or hot off the tawa, dosas. Or steaming idlis and crisp medu vadas! Srinagar and South Indian? Makes for a good change if all you have been eating is the heavy duty wazwan food, meat, meat and more meat.

Lamb Chops

Vegetarian Kebabs

Ooey-Gooey Brownie