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Royal Heritage Tripura Castle - Shillong
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 Built in the early 1920s by Maharaja Bir
Bikram, who came to Shillong at the age of 16 for his military training
and fell in love with the place, Tripura Castleis the symbol of the
Maharaja’s romance with Shillong. Though the Castle does not resemble a
‘castle’ in the British or European sense of the term, it does reflect
the regality of a royal home – from its tiered gardens and marvelous
collection of orchids, including an underground bomb shelter and tunnel
opening out into the rose gardens dating back to World War II, to its
splendid interiors, one is immediately struck by the quiet grace of a
by-gone era.
Within the Castle’s walls are a wonderful
collection of artwork and antiques collected over the ages. Centuries
old Chinese furniture, art deco and Victorian objets d’art, blend in
with paintings and photographs by members of the royal family. The large
private library has several rare manuscripts and valuable first
editions.
A serpentine road lined with pine trees,
bamboo groves and cherry blossoms leads up to the Royal Heritage -
Tripura Castle, summer retreat of the Maharajas of the Manikya dynasty
of Tripura. The first "heritage" hotel in the north-east, it was opened
in 2003 in the Castle's Annexe. The horse-shoe shaped gate, symbolic of
good luck and a royal tradition for entrances to residences invites you
in.
An air of regal elegance coupled with an
old world charm reflects the ambience of the Hotel. The warm tones of
wood, cane and brass are the architectural refrain.The blend of European
and Oriental influences that is the hallmark of the Castle, has been
subtly worked into the Hotel.
In remodelling the Annexe and guest
rooms, local materials have been used to great advantage. Pinus Khasiana,
indigenous to Meghalaya, for the woodwork is complemented by the paving
in the courtyard, white Cherra Stone from nearby Cherrapunji (once known
to have the highest rainfall in the world).
The Tea Lounge
is a connoisseur’s
delight and a favourite relaxing area. On offer is a wide array of fine
teas – from full-bodied, strong Assam to light, fragrant Darjeeling and
a whole range of herbal teas.
The place to
adjourn to in the evenings is the wood-panelled bar. Aptly called
Mezzanine,
and well-stocked, it has a casual atmosphere.
At
The Rice Court the standard menu is
Chinese with a wide choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare. But if
you are a guest, a special treat awaits you – authentic Khasi cuisine –
‘jadoh’ (a rice dish), ‘dohkhlieh’ (a spicy pork salad), ‘tungtap’
(dried fish chutney) among other exotic preparations. The décor includes
interesting lithographs, some dating back to 1857, and an 18th century
Chinese bed.
Each of the
10 spacious and tastefully appointed
Guest Rooms retains its old world ‘heritage’
character – carefully selected pieces of furniture from the Castle, a
gleaming brass fire-place, coupled with all the modern amenities –
attached bath with running hot and cold water, cable TV and video. On
clear, crispy winter mornings, the view of snow-capped peaks is
spectacular, while after dark, the lights of Shillong make for a pretty
backdrop. The Maharaja Suite
strikes a special chord. The ornately
carved mahogany bed is the very same one used by India’s first Noble
Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore – who shared a long and close association
with four generations of the Manikya dynasty.
Among the
other facilities available are a 30-seater Conference Room –
Manikya Hall,
a Holistic Therapy Centre, laundry services, doctor on call and car
parking facilities within the grounds.
... Room View ...
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