pailes kvrdhaa

Kawardha Palace is the home of the Erstwhile Rulers of Kawardha state in present day Chhattisgarh. Designed in Indo Saracenic style of the early 1930's it is a well preserved home of the rulers family while a section is now a Heritage hotel which boasts of large bedrooms, fine furniture and a dignified ambience. It is easy to visit nearby Wildlife sanctuaries like Kanha from here.

If you have done the Golden Triangle or want to experience what authentic rural India is like, after 25 trips all over India, I recommend Chhattishgarh where the REAL India still lives! We have been there 4 times and will certainly return again! One of my recommendations for a wonderful place to stay is Palace Kawardha, which is 2 1/2 to 3 hours West Northwest of Raipur. The hotel is the royal palace built in the 1930s with wide verandas, large rooms, and modern marble bathrooms with sunken tubs. Some rooms have private terraces; others open onto the large terraces that stretch across the front of the palace. Delicious food is served in the grand dining room or cooked outside in the gardens on fires like in the villagers do. Drinks before dinner are served in the Zebra Room, an art deco salon with striped marble floors. Since Kawardha is in tribal country, the Maharaja will take you to visit villages, attend a Mela, visit a lake with many birds, explore the fabulous very old fully carved temple nearby and see his new Jaggery factory at dusk (which is amazing to see in action). Tribal dancing in full costume and head gear is presented at the Palace and can be seen at various gatherings. Here you will get a real sense of what authentic old India still is. Kawardha is also the Chhattishgarh gateway to the eastern gates of Kanha wildlife park so after you have visited Kanker & Jabalpur in the south Kawardha is a great place to visit on your way to seeing tigers in Kanha. The Maharaja & Maharani will assist in making those plans by email before you arrive. I suggest a minimum of three nights.

It was a wonderful experience to witness the erstwhile richness and seeing the collections, worth visiting for like-minded individuals must not miss this opportunity. This heritage property is run by royal family who resides in the palace only. The Karwadha Palace was built in between the period of 1930 and 1939, by the Maharaja named Maharaja Dharamraj. The Palace is constructed in the 11 acres of the garden which is huge and admiring property, with green lush surrounding the entire foundation of the palace. Inside the palace, the darbar hall is situated which is said to be more than 80 feet in its height and the grand towering dome and the gold leaf filigree, and the Zebra room is associated. To the entrance of the palace the main gate is constructed which is known as the Haathi Darwaja which is the translation of the elephant gate. In the year 1991, Maharaja Yogesh Raj Singh Ji thought of transforming the palace to a luxurious hotel. The visitors to Chhattisgarh can have a tour to the Karwadha palace and recall the architecture of the ancient times. The palace though restricted but some part of the palace is open for the public or the visitors.

Arriving at this beautiful and remote palace, the first impression is that we are welcomed as if old friends. The rooms are palatial, with marble everywhere. The host and hostess are greatly personable and are very keen to show off the many aspects of the palace, the town and the local district. Being in a Baigha Tribal area, visits to the villages are fascinating, and the Bhoromdeo temple a real find. There is so much more, even just walking in the town and seeing local people in their daily tasks gives a much more real idea of rural India than many of the over-visited places on the tourist trail. I will have to go back.

Our family of three adults stayed in two separate large suites at the Palace Kawardha. The rooms were comfortable and equipped as one would expect for a 20th century colonial Palace. The public areas and marbled verandahs of the Palace were impressive and cool drinks served by the Palace staff after a day of sightseeing were a pleasure. Maharaja Yogeshwar Raj Singh and his wife had dinner with us each night and regaled us with stories about the Palace, their families, the sights in the area and Indian politics. The Maharaja also provided cocktails around a campfire in the garden one evening and arranged for a local dance troop to perform in the Palace courtyard on another evening. Near the Palace are the 10th century Bhoramdeo Temple, dedicated to Shiva and known for Khajuraho type carvings, and local markets and rural villages which give ample opportunity to observe and photograph the fascinating Baiga tribe, which is noted for the intricate tattooing of women's faces, arms, legs, etc. The local people are friendly and inviting and welcome visitors who want to learn about traditional rural Indian and tribal life. The area around the Palace is well worth a few days of sightseeing and the Palace Kawardha is the place to stay and unwind after this sightseeing.

We feel our Indian trip would not have been complete without seeing the true rural life in India and staying at Palace Kawardha gave us this opportunity in a lovely setting. The warmth of our hosts made us feel welcome. Our room was amazing and made you feel like you were in a palace. The food has been exceptional and I even got to try my first mutton curry. We have loved our stay here and would whole heartedly recommend it, especially those who want to get off the tourist track.

This is a gem of a property nestled within the beautiful Maikal hills and forests. The palace belongs to the royals of the former princely state of Kawardha. A beautiful imposing building set in a peaceful little town barely touched by the chaos and pollution of other tourist hotspots in India. The surrounding forests and hills have an air of old mystery about them - they give you the feeling that you are right in the middle of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle book - the heart of India. There is plenty to see and experience - picnics among the ruins of the temple of Bhoromdev, exploring the Bhoromdev wildlife sanctuary and every sight and scene is photo-worthy. Our stay at the palace itself was very comforfable and the warm hospitality made one feel right at home. We were served some excellent food, staff was welcoming and the Baiga tribal dance was fun.||A must visit place for the off-beat traveller. A wonderful experience.

What a pleasure to come again to the Palace! The royal family stays the same, friendly, warm and informative. We had nice talk altogether and the stay was enlightened by the festivities of Dussehra. We could follow them among the Maharajah, the Maharani and their family. An inside regard and not the impression to be a tourist. A place to go if you wish to experience a less common India