- The Leela

Transcription

- The Leela

M
A
G
A
Z
I
Draped Tales
N
E
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
W
e are delighted to announce that The Leela Residences
project, at Bhartiya City, a 125-acre township in
Bengaluru, has been launched. These residences —
four-bedroom, three-bedroom, two-bedroom, one-bedroom, and
studio apartments — all feature eWPuisite interiors and ƥttings.
The Leela Residences will provide the luxury of a hotel at home,
with all of world-class amenities and services, such as concierge
assistance, housekeeping services, laundry services, small
banqueting functions, etc. A luxury hotel adjoining the residences,
The Leela, is being planned, and it will have 275 guestrooms and
suites, gourmet restaurants, high-end shopping spaces, sprawling
parks and more.
Among our most-awaited projects is The Leela Palace Jaipur.
The recently launched
Leela Residences, at
This is going to be a heritage-style palace, after the manner of
The Leela Palace Udaipur, and will be located near the Amber
Fort, on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. The Leela Palace Jaipur will
Bhartiya City, a 125-acre
oƤer luxurious villas, and will combine old-world charm with the
township in Bengaluru,
best of contemporary facilities, from world-class restaurants to
will provide the luxury
of a hotel at home
indulgent spas. The hotel will deliver, it goes without saying, a
great experience for couples and families.
We also expect to break ground by June for The Leela Palace
Agra. This will be a modern palace hotel, with all its rooms enjoying
stunning views of the famous Taj Mahal.
If you are planning a summer holiday, then may I suggest you
check out The Leela &etaways, which are special summer oƤers
at our resorts in Goa, Kovalam and Udaipur. These have been
thoughtfully designed to facilitate a stress-free family holiday.
Apart from tailor-made options, you can also select from a range
of holidays that promise unique experiences in luxury settings.
Choose from The Leela Moments, Sights & Culture, Romance at
The Leela, Pure Ayurveda, and Club Rendezvous. For the business
planner, we have attractive conference oƤers at our ƥve luxury
business hotels. The Meetings Concierge will be glad to assist you
with the details.
Vivek Nair
Chairman & Managing Director,
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 4 | SUMMER 2015
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CONTENTS
Let's Celebrate Thai Style New Year in
Songkran Festival 13-15 April,2015.
48
Photography
RDKDBSHNMNEOHBREQNLSGDBNƤDD
table book National Geographic:
QNTMCSGD6NQKCHMXD@QR
10
Luxe Effect
16
Books
20
Heritage
Four cool watches,
The Rohan Murty Classical Library
The Heritage Transport Museum, in
Scuba diving in The Andaman
@MCHMSDQDRSHMFBTƨHMJR
is reviving Indic literature
Gurgaon, is a must-visit for car lovers
Islands is a thrilling experience
30
Proﬁle
36
Drink
42
Fashion
56
Cinema
)DƤQDX6HKJDRHRSGDAQ@HMADGHMC
Seven Caribbean countries,
How contemporary designers
A Q&A with director/scriptwriter
and their best rums
have reinvented the sari
Dibakar Banerjee
the interiors at The Leela hotels
20
26
Adventure
30
62
Ayutthaya - Just 80km north of Bangkok is the old capital of Thailand. It is usually visited as a part of day
trip from Bangkok which is usually includes stops at Bang Pa In Palace as well as Bang Sai royal arts
Center. Although there are numerous attractions, the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park in the
heart of Ayutthaya city, is a UNESCO’s World Heritage site and a wonder to behold.
Tel: 91-11-41663567-69, 46741111
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Chef’s Corner
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Insider’s Guide
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Perspective
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Wellness
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Social Index
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“This Magazine is published by Hotel Leela Ventures Limited (“Leela”) and produced by Mediascope Publicitas
(India) Pvt. Ltd., on behalf of and under agreement with Leela. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors
and do not necessarily reƦect the opinions of Leela or of Mediascope Publicitas (India) Pvt. Ltd. All enquiries
about editorial matters, reproduction of articles and advertising should be addressed to The Leela Magazine,
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Material in this publication may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the consent
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Printed at Parksons Graphics, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400053.
This magazine is printed on environment-friendly, wood-free paper.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 8 | SUMMER 2015
CORPORATE
CEO & MANAGING DIRECTOR — Marzban Patel
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — Anita Patel
CFO — Anup Dutta
DIRECTOR — Indu Joshi
CONNECT WITH US ON
LUXE EFFECT
ST8LE
PANERAI
Panerai’s newest family member is the Luminorr 150
3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Ceramic. If you
think the name is a handful, take a look at its P.100
se
manufacture chronograph movement. This Panerai’s case
comes in matt synthetic ceramic in black and is based
on zirconium oxide. The formula is said to be almost ƥve
times harder than steel but much lighter. The dial’s diameter
is 44 mm and the back of its case features sapphire crystals to
enhance the P.100 manufacture movement. The watch comes
with a natural untreated leather strap as well as a rubber one.
STERLING SUPERMAN
THEO FENELL 18CT WHITE GOLD SKI GOOGLE
Its buckle is titanium under a black coating.
Because boss needs to know that you’re his
For that business trip that also is an oƧce getaway, you can
perfect go-to man, Ŗthe man of steel.’ No
choose cuƨinks that have a playful casualness about them.
task is too hard for you to handle. Indeed,
Crafted out of white gold and then intricately hand-painted on
you’re someone in the mould of Clark Kent.
enamel, this pair is from the British jewellery company.
_ZZZFXƬLQNVFRP
£8,250.00 | www.theofenell.com
Watches
A LANGE & SOHNE
The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is
i the latest
from the house of A Lange
& S±hne with
La
we like
an acoustic time indicator. It is their second
model with a mechanism that is designed to
Accessorise for
sound the hours, ten-minute intervals and
Four timepieces that should be on your
minutes. The acoustic sequence works in sync
must-buy list. By Sabiha Gihasi
with the digitally displayed time whenever the
striking mechanism is triggered with a pusher.
The time is consequently sounded with a low-
CARTIER
pitched tone for each elapsed hour, a double
Cartier showcased this watch at the SIHH
tone for each elapsed ten-minute period and
that was held in January this year. The
a high-pitched tone for each elapsed minute.
Cl¤ de Cartier is expected to be unveiled
The mechanism that works together to result
in April, and translates to key of Cartier.
in the tones is hand-crafted and comprises
Keeping sharpness and edge at bay, this
771 parts in total. The watch is ƥtted with an
model promises to be all about smooth
L043.5 manufacture calibre within.
Classic to quirky — add an impressive
touch to your ƥnely tailored suit with
these cuƨinks. By Nolan Lewis
LANVIN RHODIUM PLATED SILVER
There’s a quiet sense of power that is conveyed
by the classic cuƨink stud. These pale blue
rhodiums add a discreet sparkle to your evening
curves and minimalist design. The crown’s
wear, and are best worn at celebratory occasions.
resemblance to a key is the inspiration for
£130 | www.Lanvin.com
the watch’s name. Even the mechanism is
AUDEMARS PIGUET
inspired by the action of turning of a key
to wind up the clock a new to the world of
Audemars Piguet announced its upgraded Royal Oak
watchmaking, the brand claims. A sapphire
OƤshore collection at SIHH 2015 with the latest Royal
is featured in the design of the watch it
Oak OƤshore Divers collection, with an upgraded reference
is embedded in the metal of the watch
number of 15710. This collection celebrates the marriage of
and doesn’t stick out. The name of the
three most intriguing watchmaking mechanisms, a chronograph,
movement of this watch is 147 MC, which
calendar as well as a minute repeater with the Grand Complication
refers to the year the maison was founded.
model. The self-winding watches come with a stainless steel case,
The dial measures 40 mm for the men’s
dive-time measurement and black rubber straps it is studded with
collection. It is ƥnished with 1K pink gold.
BOTTEGA VENETA CIRCULAR INTRECCIATO
An alternative to the standard stud cuƨink, Bottega Veneta
uses intricately crafted silver rings that are subtle yet stylish.
Cuƨinks can often get garish and overpower the rest of the
wardrobe, and the key feature of this cuƨink is its simplicity.
$540.00 | www.bottegaveneta.com
strategically placed jewels and bezels.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 10 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
| 11 | THE LEELA MAGAZINE
success
SABYASACHI
BESPOKE BRIDAL AND JEWELLERY
J
Kolkata | New Delhi | Mumbai | Hyderabad | Chennai | Ahmedabad | Bangalore
Dubai | San Fransisco | London | New Jersey
Jewellery courtesy by Kishandas and Co. for Sabyasachi
www.sabyasachi.com
JEWELLERY
THE PATIALA NECKLACE
All that
Cartier made heirloom pieces for
glitter
quite a few royals. Back in 1928,
another Indian king who loved
his diamonds was Bhupinder
Singh, the Maharaja of
Back in the day, jewellery pieces were made like art.
Patiala. He had Cartier make
Here are some of the world’s most iconic pieces and
him a ƥve-tier diamondstudded ceremonial
interesting stories attached to them.
necklace with the legendary
pale-yellow De Beers
By Sabiha Ghiasi
Diamond, which weighed a
whopping 234.69 carats, in the
centre. The necklace that could
THE TIFFANY DIAMOND
have well been a suit of armour
Colourful diamonds have always been
contained 2,930 diamonds in all.
favourites in jewellery design. One
such yellow diamond weighs 128.54
carat. The iconic TiƤany Diamond is
owned by New York-based jewellery
company TiƤany & Co, and was
LA PEREGRINA PEARL
Elizabeth Taylor is renowned for two of her
inherent talents: great acting skills and an
eye for precious jewels. She bought, and was
gifted, the world’s most precious jewellery.
mined in 1877 in South Africa. It is
the centrepiece to a necklace that is
complete with 481 white diamonds.
Its home has always been the brand’s
Ʀagship store in New York City.
One of them was La Peregrina Pearl that
weighs 50.56 carats, according to Christie’s,
the house where it was later auctioned along
with its necklace. The pearl dates back to
the 16th-century and was bought by Richard
Burton, Taylor’s husband, for her 37th
WALLIS SIMPSON’S
ENGAGEMENT RING
THE GRAFF PINK
In 1950, Harry Winston
sold a Ʀawless pink
birthday in 1969. The necklace was designed
diamond to a private
THE BARODA DIAMOND NECKLACE
by Taylor herself and made by Cartier.
collector, who in turn
When it comes to timeless jewellery, women
had it auctioned in
certainly did not have all the fun. Indian
2010. Such clarity and
Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor,
was known for her passion for jewellery
colour are especially
and royal soiree. The world watched her
hard to ƥnd above ƥve
third marriage, with the Duke of Windor,
carats. GraƤ, a celebrity
maharajas were renowned for commissioning
the most coveted pieces of jewellery. One
such king was the Maharaja of Baroda,
Pratap Singh Gaekwar. In the 19th century,
American jeweller,
he was immortalised in a portrait wearing
her in 1936. Naturally, a love like theirs
bought the stone and
a magniƥcent diamond necklace that was
deserved the weight of bling. According
christened it The GraƤ
edged with the deepest green cabochon
to Cartier, the brand that produced their
Pink. It is one of the
engagement ring, a 19.77-carat emerald
rarest pink diamonds in
who abdicated his throne as king for
emeralds that dangled halfway to his chest.
Legend has that necklace was then broken
the world at 24.78 carat.
was set on a band that was engraved
and redesigned as anklets by his other great
love, Sita Devi, his second and beloved wife.
with the words, ‘We are ours now’.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 14 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
BOOKS
The Murty Classical Library, published
2000 years
of Indic literature
by Harvard University Press and
endowed with a $5.2 million grant from
Dr. Rohan Murty, is translating forgotten
texts of India into English.
By Ruth Dsouza Prabhu
A
Library of Greek and Latin texts, a bilingual series, Dr. Rohan says that it
and languages. Literature, with its varied patrons, was abundant
will now be possible for future generations to have access to our great
in the days of yore. Besides Sanskrit, scores of Indian languages captured
works of classical literature. (Another venture of this nature has been
the essence of those eras from political, cultural, ƥnancial, medical,
the Library of Arabic Literature housed at the New York University which
educational and several other perspectives.
publishes speciƥc classical and pre-modern works of Arabic Literature
large part of India’s draw lies in its diversity — a country that is
Basing the model of the MCLI on the much-celebrated Loeb Classical
an amalgamation of so many religions, customs, traditions, foods
It is often a sad topic of discussion that for a country with vast literary
oƤerings in almost every sphere possible, much of it has never reached
in similar parallel text formats and which is funded by the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi.)
the contemporary world. And that’s why the Murty Classical Library (MCLI),
There was a strong deƥnition to what form Greek and Latin literature
published by the Harvard University Press, is being heralded as a move
had to take in the case of the Loeb Classical Library. By contrast, given
in the right direction. Inaugurated in January this year, the Library is an
the vastness of ancient India, the context here requires some thought.
eƤort to create modern English translations of classical Indian literature,
Trying to explain this is Sheldon Pollock, the General Editor of the MCLI
drawing from approximately 20 languages, including Sanskrit. Works
and Sanskrit scholar himself. In an interview on WBUR Boston’s On Point
created in Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Pali, Punjabi, Persian, Sindhi,
with Tom, Sheldon says, that as far as Indian literature goes, there
Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and other languages will be taken up. Poetry and
prose, history and medicine, religious texts of Hindus,
has been a boundary that deƥnes motifs and aesthetics.
Manuscripts were of so many diƤerent kinds and were
known by diƤerent names. The India of back then
Muslims and Buddhists will all ƥnd a place in this
included Nepal, parts of Burma, Afghanistan and Sri
eƤort. The presentation of these books is in
Lanka. All of this constitutes the big domain of
an easy-to-read format, with the original
the Indian literature we are referring to here
text, the script it was written in, on the
at the MLCI.
left, and the English translation on
The ƥrst ƥve books to come out
the facing page.
of this eƤort have cerise jackets and
The library owes its existence
a feather leaf motif wrapping
to the philanthropy of Dr. Rohan
Murty, the son of Narayan
itself around the spine of
Murty, co-founder of Infosys. Dr
the book. These inaugural
Rohan has explored classical
volumes feature Sanskrit,
Indian
philosophy
Pali,
while
in
computer
science
funds
Punjabi
and
books spread from the north-west,
at
all across to present day Andhra Pradesh,
Harvard. His $5.2 million
endowment
Telugu,
Persian. Geographically, these
working on his doctorate
going further south to Sri Lanka.
this
From Persian, we have Abu’l-Fazl’s The
Library, which will give
History of Akbar, which is from the ƥrst part of the
world literature an immense
Ahilaya
Akbarnama, which deals with the birth and reign of
treasure trove of contributions
the Mughal emperor; in the Gurmukhi script of
from India.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 16 | SUMMER 2015
Reshma Building, 2nd Hasnabad lane, Ground Floor, Santacruz West Tel.: 26055289/26490447
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There is also the Therigatha: Poems
of the First Buddhist Women, which is
translated from Pali, and The Story of
Manu, by Allasani Peddana, in Telugu
Dr. Rohan Murty and
Sheldon Pollock, general
editor of The Murty
Classical Library of India
Punjabi is Bullhe Shah’s Suƥ Lyrics; and we have Surdas’s Old Hindi Sur’s
in original and translation, to new readers — both in and outside India.
Ocean, a 1000 page anthology of more than 400 poems. There is also the
They are also an invaluable treasury for researchers, linguists and
Therigatha: Poems of the First Buddhist Women, which is translated from
translators.”
Pali, and The Story of Manu by Allasani Peddana in Telugu.
Vinutha Mallya is the principal at Linespace Consulting, a publishing
The aim of the MCLI is to have over 500 volumes created over a span
of a century. More than 40 titles have already been commissioned.
and editorial advisory based in Bangalore. She researches and works
Of course, these texts will be invaluable to the scholarly and research
extensively in the Indian publishing industry with a focus on the
community here in India. “But, for these texts also reach individual hands,
publishing industries of Indian languages; independent publishing sector
the publications will need to be available at retail stores at the right
in India; and on e-books and digital publishing trends. She says, “The MCLI
(Indian) price point. That might take time; but the full impact of this set of
breathes fresh life into the many multilingual classics from the Indian
publications would be felt then, when it is available to the public at large,”
subcontinent. These new, translated editions make the texts accessible,
believes Mallya.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 18 | SUMMER 2015
HERITAGE
Time
travel
From spiƤed-up vintage cars to aircraft
models to kaleidoscopic rickshaws
— the Heritage Transport Museum, in
Gurgaon, gives a unique perspective on
the evolution of transportation in India.
The museum showcases more than
70 classic and vintage cars
By Akshita Nahar Jain
W
hile pursuing his MBA in Paris, Tarun Thakral, COO of Le
automobiles, palanquins, boats, railway, and air carriers. Spread over four
Meridien Delhi, observed that, in the class of 40 students,
Ʀoors, the museum boasts of travel memorabilia, engaging artworks, and
he and two other Indians were the only ones who lacked
over 70 remodeled automobiles from Thakral’s personal collection.
an avocation. “In hindsight, I realised that, after school, competition is
Capturing the evolution of transportation in India, the museum,
so severe, we lose complete sight of hobbies or collections — philately,
curated with the funding and support of the Ministry of Culture, displays
coins, or match boxes,” says Thakral.
over 2,500 artefacts and memorabilia. Its aim is to “educate a diverse
After his return to India, on a trip to Rajasthan in 1994, he started
collecting vintage lamps, gramophone record players, and old radios,
audience about the history of transportation in India and serve as an
enduring repository of history for generations to come”.
which eventually gave way to a collection of remodeled vintage cars.
The museum oƤers audio-visual presentations. “We wanted the
The fascinating result of this boyhood hobby is the Heritage Transport
Museum to be a live place where historical objects talk to modern ones,”
Museum, India’s ƥrst.
says Thakral. Case in point: the beautifully recreated old carriage from the
Located on the fringes of Gurgaon, in the now industrial village
Indian railways, complete with vintage advertisements, original posters,
of Taoru, the museum hosts a collection of pre-modern and modern
train tickets, railway maps, and a background score of a hooting whistle,
marvels navigating through the
to take you back to a 1930s platform.
The space is well-connected, with ramps, to keep you on
various modes of travel —
an easy Ʀowing journey through the galleries dedicated
to
vintage
automobiles,
pre-mechanised
modes
of
transportation, railways, aviation, maritime, toys on
transport, indigenous modes of transportation and
contemporary art. Begin your tour by admiring
Thakral’s personal collection set on the lower level
set to resemble a street with mechanic repair shops,
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 20 | SUMMER 2015
Also on display are indigenous
modes of transport, like phat-phats
SUMMER 2015
The museum, curated with the
funding and support of the
Ministry of Culture, displays
over 2,500 artefacts and
memorabilia, and seeks to both
educate and entertain the visitor
The museum also features interesting artworks
fueling pumps and automobile keepsakes against a retro ambiance. “Each
dedicated to raw, indigenous modes of transportation, or jugaad. Whether
and every piece of the collection has some interesting story associated
it’s the noisy phat-phats that plied on the streets of old Delhi, kaleidoscopic
with it, be it the time taken to go and see it, the negotiations or the
rickshaws, Gujarat’s chakhda (a passenger vehicle fashioned out of a Royal
emotional sellers not wanting to part with their family heirloom,” says
Enƥeld bike), or wall murals with kitschy truck art — the museum gives a
Thakral. As one such tale goes, Thakral, in 1999, struck a deal with a milk
unique perspective on the Indian locomotive industry.
vendor in Bikaner for two cars: a 1946 Buick Super 8 and a 1946 Chevrolet
Giving a fresh life to dilapidated locomotives, the museum is abundant
woody; inquiring about the origin of the cars, Thakral learnt that he (the
in artworks, like Hetal Shukla’s suspended Chevy Impala, embellished
milk vendor) acquired the cars from a rich family in the vicinity after they
with convex mirrors, which greet you as you enter the museum, or Atul
were unable to pay the milk bills. Whether it’s these two vehicles, or the
Bhalla’s installation of a derelict wooden boat, in the maritime section. “It
very ƥrst car (a Chevrolet) Thakral acquired, or Shah Rukh Khan’s two-
is very important for a museum to break the monotony of old objects, and
seater convertible, by DC Designs, in Dil To Pagal Hai, these automobiles
here we have been able to do that, intelligently, with artworks by artists
have been coiƤed and polished to their spiƧest best. With its attached
like Gigi Sacaria, T.V. Santosh, Pooja Iranna, Baptist Coehelo, J.R. Iranna,
conference area, the HTM is also a great space for business meetings and
and Nataraj Sharma,” says Thakral.
team-building seminars.
From the original Indian Ʀag that formed a part
of the Apollo Mission to the moon to a child’s
toy from the Indus Valley civilisation,
conƥrming the presence of wheels
in
the
pre-historic
era,
the
museum curates a vast range
of curiosities. A part of the
innovative line-up is the section
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 24 | SUMMER 2015
ADVENTURE
3GD(MƥMHSHG@R
four decks and six
guest rooms,
Diving in the
accommodates up to 12 guests on a voyage. It has an indoor lounge, where
Andamans
is an excellent setting for evening drinks, a dining room and a sundeck.
Plunging you into the heart of the mysterious
archipelago is Inƥniti, the ƥrst ever liveaboard
you can enjoy watching your favourite movies, an outdoor lounge, which
The diving team aboard will unveil, one after another, the region’s most
stunning diving hotspots; and the chefs will make you feel at home by
rustling up some delicious Indian food. While live-aboard yachts are quite
popular in countries like Thailand and Malaysia, the Inƥniti, which was
built in Phuket by Bakshi, is India’s ƥrst liveaboard.
Among the fascinating places the yacht sails to is Barren Island, a
yacht in India. Adventure lovers stay aboard this
remote island in the Andamans with the only active volcano in South Asia.
vessel for four to ten days, and explore some of the
The volcano, which got reactivated in 1991, after being dormant for almost
best scuba diving hotspots of Asia.
160 years, has regularly been blasting smoke and ash into the air ever
since, and many Inƥniti guests have witnessed the sight. The surrounding
waters of the unihabitated island, with their rich coral gardens, interesting
By Jaideep Dave
underwater basalt formations, and manta rays, is a favourite of advancedlevel divers.
My ƥve-day trip aboard the yacht, though, was centred around
Havelock Island. Havelock, with its mix of turquoise waters and green
line, one would not be lacking in options. It’s a region that was once
waters, and white sands, is the most visited of the islands in the Andamans,
inaccurately believed to be inhabited by cannibals. It’s home to the
and also the largest. And, what’s more to our point, there are more than 25
oldest (65,000 years!) and also one of the most isolated human tribes, the
amazing diving hotspots dappled around Havelock.
Sentinelese. Its capital, Port Blair, is where the most brutal prison of the
On Day 1, I am introduced to the crew members as well as a group of
colonial era, the Cellular Jail (now a museum), was located. The Andaman
six guests (all Mumbaikars, like me; and in their late 30s). Back home, most
and Nicobar Islands — far away from the country’s mainland, and closer
of them had learnt some scuba diving theory and even practised diving in
to Indonesia and Myanmar — constitute the most crucial region for our
conƥned water with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors),
national security, so much so that a former Indian navy chief last year
and were aiming to become PADI-certiƥed open water divers on this trip.
remarked that the next Kargil could happen there.
Being untrained, I had to make do with “Discover Scuba” dive, which is
But, over the years, the intriguing Andamans, with its 572 islands,
aimed at giving novices a taste of the underwater world.
islets and rocks, has become famous for scuba diving, attracting not just
The next day, my fellow guests were taken to a popular dive site
Indians from other parts of the country but also adventure lovers from
called “The Wall”, which is a 55-metre long submerged wall, covered
overseas. It’s precisely to scuba diving that the Inƥniti, a liveaboard yacht,
with corals and the resulting ecosystems. Their post-dive conversations
dedicates itself to. A brainchild of Sunil Bakshi, founder and CEO of Karina
revolved around what they had glimpsed — sea creatures with interesting
Tourism and Travels, the 40m yacht has four decks, guest rooms and
names such as parrot ƥsh, clownƥsh, barracuda and more.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 26 | SUMMER 2015
There are more than 25
fantastic diving hotspots
around Havelock
SUMMER 2015
CORBIS
I
f one had to describe the Andaman Islands in one eye-grabbing
GETTY IMAGES
BHARANY’S
Havelock Island is the region’s most popular destination
During the rest of the trip, the routine would be: thrice every day, the
with island expeditions. On Day 4 afternoon, we head oƤ to check out
divers would kit up with around 12kg of equipment, head oƤ to a diving
‘natural bridges’ — natural rock formations in the shape of a bridge —
spot, execute perfect back-Ʀips oƤ the tender boats, to plunge into the
on Neil Island, on Laxmanpur Beach. We had to walk and stagger through
warm water, disappear for up to an hour, and come back with stories about
rocks, dead corals, and a host of alive marine specimens before reaching
the magical worlds they had just explored.
“Howrah Bridge” (a term coined by the ƥrst Bengali settlers on the island)
On my Discover Scuba dive, I get familiarised with the equipment and
diving concepts like equalising during descent, learn about the underwater
— the activity that made sitting by the ocean and watching the sun sinking
down the horizon even more pleasurable.
sign language common to divers all around the world, and learn to ƥn a bit.
Day 4 evening was party time aboard the yacht, with free-Ʀowing wine
At Shyam’s Reef, I got to spend 30 minutes in an underwater paradise, in
and single malts, and dancing. The other Inƥniti guests were celebrating
the company of crocodile ƥsh, beautiful yellow-tang ƥsh, giant triggerƥsh,
getting their respective certiƥcations, and the fact that they would now
and sea urchin (sitting on a seabed with pencil like spines). I was told that
be able to dive anywhere in the world. Me? I was glad I had conquered my
what I had seen was merely a sample, and that passionate divers dream of
fear of being underwater.
EXQUISITE JEWELLERY & FINE JAMAWAR SHAWLS
encounters with manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins and more, and travel
all across the world for the same.
,@=!FÍFALAGÌ=JKMFAIM=DAN=9:G9J<LJAHKAFL@=F<9E9F!KD9F<K
While you’ll spend most of your Inƥniti time doing scuba diving
and relaxing aboard the yacht, your experience will also be punctuated
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
J9F?AF?>JGEäLGêFA?@LKGJ<=L9ADKNAKALAFÍFALADAN=9:G9J<;GE
;9DDGFêâêéèáäãåáæãGJ=E9ADGF<AN=LJAHKAFÍFALDAN=9:G9J<;GE
| 28 | SUMMER 2015
14, Sunder Nagar Market, New Delhi-110 003 | Contact : +91 11 4351 8755, 2435 3957
Fax : +91 1 1 2435 3081 | E-mail.: [email protected]
PROFILE
I
ntroduced to the Indian hospitality and design industry in 1995, JeƤrey
Wilkes’ association with the country has continually strengthened
since then. His design journey with The Leela Group started with The
Leela Mumbai. “We began work with The Leela with the renovation of
rooms and suites of the Mumbai property, followed by The Leela Palace
Udaipur. We were happy to have won the Best Suite Design Award for
The Royal Suite here. Then, we designed the lounge in Mumbai and guest
rooms of The Leela Goa,” says Wilkes.
When Wilkes and his team started their work at The Leela Palace
Chennai, Captain Nair approached them with an assignment related
to the hotel chain’s Ʀagship property, The Leela Palace New Delhi. But
DESIGNWILKES, his interior design studio, was inundated with projects,
and so it couldn’t take up the oƤer. “But the Captain insisted we be involved
in some capacity and so we did The Qube, Jamavar and the ESPA.” Today,
the ƥrm is also involved in the group’s upcoming property in Jaipur.
Wilkes’ aƧliation with The Leela goes beyond the realm of work,
though. He fondly remembers his conversations with Captain Nair. “I
always seemed to bump into him in the lobby (of The Leela Mumbai), as
I frequently stayed there, even if I wasn’t visiting for business. He would
stop, chat, smile and compliment me — he would tell whoever he was
with what about good work we were doing and how much he loved it.”
Wilkes says Captain Nair was always an enthusiastic man. “One of my
last interactions with him was when we walked through the entire Chennai
property during the ƥnishing stages,” Wilkes reminisces. “It took hours,
and we were exhausted but not him! In fact, he insisted that he drive me
to the main beach to experience it. He always made you feel happy and
proud to be associated with The Leela Group… sharing his successes and
including us in it, as we were all a part of the team.”
Of his body of work for The Leela Group, Wilkes has his favourites: “I
love the simplicity and controlled environment of the Qube, the wonderful
tekri work in Udaipur, and in Chennai, the relationship of spaces through
the entire ground Ʀoor.”
Wilkes remembers that with each restaurant, each spa and each hotel,
at The Leela, a clear brief was handed out. “But we are always allowed to
Malaysia-based -HƨUH\:LONHV is the brain behind the interiors
of many of the Leela Group’s properties — spas, restaurants,
bars. In his three-decade long career, he has also worked
extensively with a range of other renowned luxury hotel groups
across the world, apart from conceptualising residences.
$QDPLND%XWDOLDƥnds out more about the man, his approach to
creativity and his association with the group.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 30 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
3HUVRQDO
4XHVWLRQQDLUH
bring forth our creativity,” he adds. “For instance, for the Library Bar in
marvellous but also seen in Jaipur. Then the textiles: quilting and reverse
Udaipur, the brief was quite simply ‘Costes Bar in Paris’. The resultant bar
appliqué, weaving, beadwork, mirror work—it’s endless. And there’s inlay…
was imbued with a warm, cosy and rich aesthetic, done up in vibrant red.
with wood, metal, bone, shell, mirror… there’s an unbelievable palette of
For this concept bar’s Chennai outpost, considering how hot the Southern
incredible ƥnishes.”
Wilkes credits his approach to creativity to the independence his
city is, we did a blue-hued bar instead.”
So, how does he come up with such a mixed bag of concepts, which
parents oƤered him. “My mom was creative and dad was practical, and
create a dialogue between the interiors and the local context? “In India,
they never held me back. It made for a great background for a designer.”
there is always so much of everything,” he aƧrms. “We always attempt to
Incredibly, he wallpapered and painted the house when he was just 15.
incorporate local elements but, of course, there is a cross over. Gorgeous
“One year, there was a teacher’s strike, and we were oƤ from school for
carved stone work is all over the country: the tekri from Udaipur is
two months. I was bored. I thought, ‘I know how to paint and wallpaper…’
%HORZ The Qube, at
The Leela Palace New Delhi
)DFLQJSDJH
The entrance to the bar
Library Blu, at The Leela
Palace Chennai
2EMHFWV\RXFDQśWGRZLWKRXW My Louis
during my Ʀight’s take-oƤ; have a rock
<RXUUHDOOLIHKHURHV My mom and dad
Vuitton passport wallet, iPhone and all my
crystal in my shaving bag; and I’m always
for their unconditional love and constant
Tod’s shoes
touching wood
support
2Q\RXUUHDGLQJOLVWThe Andy Cohen
,I\RXFRXOGFKDQJHRQHWKLQJDERXW\RX
,I\RXFRXOGOLYHDQ\ZKHUHLQWKHZRUOGLW
Diaries, and the author’s other book, Most
it would be… My inability to say no, and 25
ZRXOGEH I’m fortunate to have homes in
Talkative. Hilarious
pounds!
the Gulf Islands oƤ the coast of Vancouver,
7KHXOWLPDWHOX[XU\ Sleep
<RXUIDYRXULWHYLUWXH My inability to say
in Palms Springs, California, and in Kuala
<RXGRQśWOHDYHKRPHZLWKRXW My
NO, again, …and my generosity
Lumpur, but would love an Italian villa
passport, iPhone, two rings.
<RXUOLIHSKLORVRSK\ Celebrate
<RXUSUHIHUUHGOHLVXUHDFWLYLWLHV
,GLRV\QFUDVLHV I close my eyes and pray
everything
Entertaining friends and planning holidays
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 32 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
My good friend, architect Bill
Bensley said once, ‘Do what
you think you should do, not
what someone wants you to do’
and so, went on to do up the living and dining rooms all by myself. My
His creativity is generously recorded in many completed and
dad wanted to help because he loved that sort of thing but I wouldn’t
upcoming luxury hospitality, commercial and residential projects
have that,” Wilkes says. His neighbours called on him for this kind of work,
across the country. (His completed projects include a residence for
too, making it easy for Wilkes to pay for his two degrees (Bachelor of
the Reddy’s in Hyderabad and the Ravissant store in New Delhi for
Fine Arts and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design) at Ryerson
Ravi Chawla, with whom the designer shares a “love of local craft”).
University, in Toronto.
DESIGNWILKES has an extensive list of ongoing projects, among them,
Wilkes’ early days in design were spent in the same city, with
luxury hotels in Mumbai, Goa, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Colombo, Bali and Dubai,
Bryon Patton and Associates, doing condominiums. “My ƥrst project was
Chutney Mary restaurant in London, Masala Grill in Chelsea, and the
extremely special and exciting. I actually presented to the client on the
rebranding of Masala Zone restaurants in Soho and Covent Garden. “We
day I graduated from Ryerson. With my Bachelor’s degree in hand, we
are busy and loving it!”
presented a marketing centre, for which I had designed the architecture
So what words have helped Wilkes along the way to the top of
as well as the interiors.” From that ƥrst stepping stone, there’s been no
his profession? “My good friend, architect Bill Bensley, said once, ‘Do
looking back. After “17 wonderful years” with Lim Teo Wilkes Design
what you think you should do, not what someone wants you to do.’
Works, he decided it was time to begin his own practice. “Call it my midlife
Another piece of good advice came from my partner, Simon Gan, who said
crisis,” he jokes. but immediately adds, matter-of-factly, “While I miss my
I should not carry negative things forward, instead use that energy for
former colleagues, I have enjoyed immensely the satisfaction of running
something good’”.
our own ƥrm.”
Wilkes concludes by sharing the key lessons that have stayed with
In the over three decades of work experience, Wilkes has amply
him till this date, “Listen ƥrst. Stay positive. Even when you’re miserable;
showcased his talent for designing idyllic properties, ideal to explore
laughing about it helps. And always just do the absolute best you can do…
luxurious interiors in leisure. “Research and inspiration are constants in
never stop learning.”
our lives; inspiration is everywhere, it never stops…”
$ERYHDQGOHIW Private residences in Malaysia designed by Wilkes
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 34 | SUMMER 2015
$ERYHDQGULJKWWilkes has also designed private residences in India
SUMMER 2015
DRINK
Guyana:I
Finally,
couldn’t think of a
original
more
A taste of the
appropriate
destination
than
have
the
four-column
metal French Savalle still
that
produces
a
rum
Carribean
with a sweet, sugar cane
Guyana, the heartland
Much of the world’s rum is
distiller. The modern version
of sugarcane country.
produced, as you doubtless
of this still is versatile enough
the
Caribbean
source
the
to
most
artisanal and rare
rums for The Vault.
nose combined with a
dry
Rum
is
practically
the Guyanese. My days were
spent visiting plenty of little bars tucked away
being a pirate’s drink is still
in small alleys, trying countless new rums. Finally, I
prevalent, many islands of the
ended up at the Diamond Distillery, where I tasted over a
dozen expressions of El Dorado (which means ‘The Golden
by
diƤerent types (marks) of rum,
ranging from the very light
through to heavy bodied ones.
St. Lucia:
region also oƤer interesting
One’), considered to be one of Guyana’s most treasured rums.
owned
qualities
to produce nine completely
know, in the Caribbean. While
the traditional notion of rum
Distillery,
—
unmatchable by any other
a religion here for
Diamond
medium-bodied
Ʀavour
My ƥrst stop was
The
they
high-end options.
Demerara
More little
bars and a lot more rum. This time, I bond
over more than just rum with a group of wizened old men in
a bar; we watch a cricket match across the counter. While dissing the
Distillers Limited, is the Caribbean’s largest exporter
bowling on display, the merry men tell me how much they love their white rum
of bulk rum and alcohol to Europe and North America.
with coconut water... Hmmm interesting (I’m taking mental notes all the time). I ƥnd
This distillery sits alongside the swaying plantations
out that the French Caribbean makes its rum from sugar cane juice and calls it ‘Rhum
of tall, sweet cane on the banks of the Demerara
Agricole’, while the Non-French Caribbean islands use only molasses to make their rum.
river. The unique Ʀavour and taste of their rums owes
Here I sign up with Elements Eight, who say they would be very happy to partner
a lot to the tropical climate of this lush country.
with me. Elements Eight is a handcrafted rum made from premium molasses. The
El Dorado has an unrivalled portfolio of age statement
rums here undergo tropical ageing in select American wood barrels from Kentucky,
Rums. The signiƥcance of this is that each age statement
USA. An interesting ƥnd was their Spiced Rum, a handblend of pot and column still
speciƥcally indicates the youngest rum in the blend, even
rums, infused with 10 natural, exotic St. Lucian fruits and spices, the highlight being
though the oldest may be many years older. Instantly,
star anise. An absolute delight! We close the deal with what else but…more rum.
knew I had to carry this gem of a rum back with me to India.
The trivia of the 3 Stills: Demarara Distillers is unique
in their operation of the original production stills used
on three of the great sugar estates of the 18th and
Keshav Prakash
Martinique: Next stop was Martinique, the French Caribbean sugarcane island. Here,
— Director of The
I had a chance to sample the ubiquitous Ti Punch (their unique way of serving rum: along
Vault, a Mumbai-based
with ƥve ingredients which you can mix up to your taste) in many bars, and ƥne rums in
many distilleries. One such outing was with Gregory Vernant, rum maker extraordinaire,
19th centuries. The Wooden CoƤey Still is the last
concierge for world
fully working example of its kind in the world today.
whiskies and ƥne spirits,
but, as much I loved it, I didn’t think the Indian palate would be ready for this yet. The food
This still is the original and last surviving one from the
went on a rum trail in
here was outstanding, and what I enjoyed most was the overall casual vibe on the island.
Enmore Sugar Estate, founded nearly 200 years ago.
Demerara Distillers also beneƥt from being able
the Caribbean last year
who makes a magical rhum agricole called Neisson. Very sophisticated, dry and delicate;
Guadaloupe:
Another island, another Gregoire. This man crafts a tongue twister
to operate the last two original wooden pot stills (one
— shares his discoveries
single, one double) in the world. These stills are over
— rare spirits, Cuban
rhum. Since Rhum Agricole is produced exclusively from sugar cane juice, it retains
mojitos, Ti Punch.
a greater amount of the original Ʀavor of the cane. Rhum Agricole is generally more
250-years-old and are highly valued by blenders and
of a rhum agricole called Karukera. He is generous with his knowledge, time and
other experts as a source of very heavy bodied,
expensive than molasses-based rums. French-speaking islands such as Guadaloupe,
very Ʀavourful and deeply aromatic rums.
Haiti and Martinique are best known for producing this style.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 36 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
Haiti:
It was post-earthquake time when I landed on this troubled
long haul, but I shook hands with Luca, who instead promised me an
island. Outside, all around me was terrible poverty and high security in
annual India quota of precious Caroni Rum, the now extinct distillery in
the wake of the UN relief measures. But in the Barban Court distillery, life
Trinidad. Caroni was renowned throughout the world for producing one
continued as usual. Rum is most certainly a way of life to the Caribbean
of the ƥnest heavy rums, receiving high praise from the British Navy.
people. I was ushered to the distillery straight from the ramshackle airport.
Then in 2003, disaster struck. The closing of the nearby state-owned
An extensive tour followed, wherein I tasted some of their amazing French
sugar reƥnery resulted in the gradual decline of the Trinidad sugarcane
oak matured rums. This was true rum heaven.
production and it was only a matter of time before the Caroni distillery was
The next day I met with Luca Gargano, the Ʀamboyant rum crusader
visiting from Genova, Italy, who was in Haiti to discover organic rum
made by the tribals. Bringing Barban Court to India did seem like a
shut down shortly after. This rum is indeed in limited stock and extremely
rare to procure....
Trip to Port-au-Prince most certainly worth it!
Luca Gargano, who is one of the
partners at Velier Spa in Italy that
imports the Caroni Rum, is known
to promote authentic tribal rums
made by natives in the Caribbean
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 38 | SUMMER 2015
CORBIS
Art for your Floors
The Cuban rums are
slightly lighter in
body and very wellbalanced and fruity
Cuba:
This is where I tasted the most delicious mojitos ever! The
Above left: The famous Caroni
Rum distillery was located in
Trinidad and Tobago
Above right: Cuban mojitos
are delicious
Jamaica:
Though Jamaica was one of the islands I was looking
Cubans absolutely love their mojitos, so much so that it can be called
forward to visiting on my Caribbean sojourn, I sadly had to skip it as I
their national drink. The superlative Ʀavour of the cocktail here is largely
simply couldn’t make the time. A must-visit here is the glorious Appleton
due to the ƥne quality of cane sugar that is used. Cuba is world renowned
Estate, situated in the Nassau Valley: it is known for its exceptional quality
for its sugar industry, which forms the backbone of its economy. It also
age statement rums. The special ingredient they use is a natural culture of
produces some of the world’s most respected brands of rums, the most
yeast in the fermenting process that contributes to the unique taste and
popular ones being Havana Club and Ron Cubay, which pair wonderfully
aroma of their rums.
well with the Cuban hand-rolled cigars.
The Carpet Cellar
“Persian Kashan -Pashmina Carpet”
To commemorate 50 years of Jamaica’s independence, in 2012
Spanish-speaking islands and countries, such as Cuba, Guatemala,
Appleton released a 50 year old rum that is priced at a staggering $4620!
Panama, Puerto Rico etc., traditionally produce a¬ejo (aged) rums with a
In 1962, several barrels were set aside to age and were carefully monitored
fairly smooth taste. The Cuban rums, in particular, are slightly lighter in
for 50 years to ensure the rum achieved a high degree of smoothness,
body and very well-balanced and fruity. The Havana Club 3 year old rum,
complexity and richness. This is said to be the oldest rum ever available
for example, is a brilliant white rum that makes a perfect mojito.
for sale!
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 40 | SUMMER 2015
1, Anand Lok, Khel Gaon Marg, Siri Fort Road, New Delhi - 110049.
7el. 91 11 4141 (-Pail inIo#FarSetFellar.FoP :eEVite www.FarSetFellar.FoP
httSVwww.IaFeEook.FoPtheFarSetFellar httSVtwitter.FoP7he&arSet&ellar
4 D, SXltanSXr, MG Road, AdMaFent to the SXltanSXr Metro Station, New Delhi - 11000. 7el. 91 11 0 91
(Herbal Washing & Restoration also undertaken)
23(N ALL DA<S 10.0 AM 72 .0 3M
FASHION
sari goes couture
The
The national costume has a new avatar. Many
new avatars, in fact. In recent times, designers
have added cuts, folds and stitches to what has
always, essentially, been a long length of loom.
Tarun Tahiliani
Monisha Jaisingh
I
Shivan & Narresh
n 2014, when Sonam Kapoor stepped on to the Cannes red carpet,
in an Anamika Khanna lace sari, with an embroidered jacket, the
world sat up to watch. The national costume had truly gone global.
Monisha Jaisingh
Kapoor and Khanna, together, played up every aspect of the sari — its
sex appeal in the sensuous lace, its versatility in teaming it with a jacket, an
Gaurav Gupta
aesthetic that was essentially Indian (special courtesy to the nose ring) and a
showstopper of a look truly worthy of the red carpet.
While it would be inaccurate to say that this was the turning point in the fortune of the
sari, it was deƥnitely a watershed. For a while now, designers have been playing around with
the six yards, in an attempt to give the fashion-forward woman a garment that ƥts in well with not
just her sense of style, but one that also works with her lifestyle and her aspirations. From pre-draped
and pre-stitched saris, to styles of drape and mixing-and-matching, they’ve done it all, and succeeded
in making the sari more wearable, more western and more couture.
The Constructed Drapes
It all started when supermodel Mehr Rampal stepped out in a pre-draped sari by Tarun Tahiliani. The
Tarun Tahiliani
sari was stitched on to the petticoat, with the pleats held in place. All Rampal had to do was slip it on,
zip it up from the side, and put the pallu in place. This innovation was a masterstroke on Tahiliani’s
part, addressing a desperate need for women who are always struggling to get their pleats just right.
“I think pre-constructed saris are a response for the women of today who have much lesser time to
dress,” says Tahiliani. “Comfort and style is now of paramount importance to them. From nine yards of
fabric, it has become a pre-structured draped sari with zips.”
In 2006, Gaurav Gupta showcased a collection that included quite a few pre-stitched saris, with
engineered details. “I worked with pre-pleated georgettes, with constructed shoulders,” he recalls.
Gaurav Gupta
“It was time, I felt, for the sari to go couture.” Gupta, too, feels he is speaking to the modern woman
through his creations. “A lot of my clients are young women who wish to wear a sari, but are not
entirely comfortable with draping it,” he explains. “The pre-stitched sari gives them a way around that.
Moreover, with the main body of the sari already in place, we can experiment with elements around
the shoulder.”
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 42 | SUMMER 2015
Shivan & Narresh
With the quintessential drape having turned into a stitched garment, it was only a matter of
time before it would get married with silhouettes that were, in essence, western. Back in 2009, when
Gupta showcased his sari gown, it was a novelty, but, quickly enough, it became par for the course.
From Shantanu & Nikhil to Monisha Jaising, every designer, who has designs on Indian as well as
western wear, has a sari gown in his/her collection. “It’s a neo-classic aesthetic,” says Gupta. “And
Ʀowy georgettes are the way to go — traditional saris should be allowed to remain traditional, so I
never touch those. But you can do so much with georgettes, create such sensual silhouettes and add
striking details. It’s future-primitive.” He calls the move to sari gowns, sari lehengas, while hinting at a
sari jumpsuit, the ‘new Indian wear’. “Rather than the appeal of a ƥtted sheath dress, draped dresses
rely on the allure of romantic drapes and layers,” says Tahiliani.
Jaising, in her World Bride collection, took the sari gown to a more literal conclusion: she took the
magniƥcent Kanjeevaram and turned it into a Victorian gown. “The pallu is pleated and tucked into
a woven cocooned bodice-like, full-bodied, draped skirt in woven silk with a temple border—a very
modern translation of the traditional sari,” she says. “The traditional Indian garment is evolving in a
way that is convenient and less time-consuming to drape, while maintaining its feminine look.” Jaising
believes this shift in silhouettes indicates that the sari is making its way back into the daily wardrobe
of women. “This one is created for the girl on the run,” she says, about her collection.
Fun with Folds
From the north-east to the Konkan, and from the Gangetic plains to the Deccan, the national garment
folds over in unbelievable ways. Not just across space, but through time, too, the sari has reinvented
itself in a fascinating progression. In his more recent collections, Tahiliani has tried his hand at
unconventional drapes that draw inspiration from our heritage. The Draupadi drape, with its mystical
allure, very eƤectively blends tradition with couture. “All Indian fashion came from draping of textile
and the beauty of it is that it looks diƤerent on each person,” he says. “So there really are inƥnite
possibilities. More stylised, more clinched, this drape highlights the waist, which I believe really is the
best part of a woman’s body.” Tahiliani’s recent collections have also been replete with dhoti-inspired
drapes, lehenga saris and concept saris, which are very contemporary. “I wanted to create something
which screams Indian but has a universal appeal to it,” he says.
Urvashi Kaur, known for her work with handlooms, has always been inspired by the weaves from
across the country. “I grew up watching my mother wear saris and was always fascinated,” she says.
This fascination has found its way into her collection through the weaves she works with, and through
her breezy, draped silhouettes. From knotting the pallu over the shoulder, to playing with the way
the pleats fall, her collections have an international vibe but an Indian aesthetic.
And then, there is the modern designer’s take on the patli — traditionally, when the
sari is woven such that the pleats are of a diƤerent colour and weave from the rest of the
sari. Masaba Gupta played with colour and print, to give the patli a quirky twist, which
became signature of her collections.
For yet another Cannes appearance, Khanna gave Kapoor a pale pink net sari, with a Ʀouncy
drape, very much in line with a couture gown, but this was a drape all the way. Khanna has created
quite a niche with her fusion saris. She works with the six yards and folds them around to create
western and Indo-western silhouettes that are always showstoppers.
Tarun Tahiliani
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 44 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
Monisha Jaisingh
The Wonder of Weaves
Abraham Thakore
The Unlikely Teams
The Benarasis, too, have gone fashionable.
Time was when women wore their saris with a pair of boots, or with a trench coat, in winter, and that
Designers like Abraham & Thakore, Anupama
was the ultimate in chic. But then again, time was when chiƤons were the ultimate in sensuality.
Dayal and Ritu Kumar are tapping into the
From Khanna’s saris with jackets, to Tahiliani’s saris with bodices and corsets and Shantanu
talent of the weavers and collaborating with
& Nikhil’s saris with lycra pants, the sari has come a long way. So long that in 2011,
them to create some never-seen-before
swimwear designers Shivan & Narresh decided to marry the sari with the bikini!
saris.
While Abraham & Thakore have been
“A client who travelled a lot came to us with a request — she often, on
working with khadi weaves for a while now,
in 2013, they joined hands with textile
house Ekaya, to give a new dimension to
the traditional Tanchois and Butidar saris
of Benaras, through patterns that went far
beyond the trademark paisley bootis, to lend
them a vibe that is modern yet steeped in
heritage. Dayal, too, recently joined hands
with Ekaya to create, as part of her Kama
collection, a line of georgettes and crepes
that are traditional in technique, but modern
and Ʀirtatious in appeal. Sanjay Garg, of Raw
Mango, too, creates saris along similar lines,
and sources from artisanal clusters around
Benaras.
The grand dame of Indian fashion,
Kumar, has been working with local artisans
and weavers, to promote Indian textile crafts
for a very long time, now. But she recently
stepped up her eƤorts, by adopting 20
Benarasi looms, in an eƤort to modernise the
weave and creating green fashion, through
the use of only Ahimsa silk.
her travels, would stop by the beach with her husband, but she had only ever worn saris and was
rather uncomfortable with the idea of swimwear,” reveals Narresh Kukreja of the designer duo. “She
“You can drape
the trail whichever
way you’d like —
over the shoulder,
like a traditional
sari, or like a
sarong, or like a
dress that shows a
leg,” says Kukreja
was wondering if we could create something for her that would take into account her insecurities
that would be more modest than the swimsuits we usually create.” So the designers took Italian
jersey, which is similar to the fabric used in swimsuits, but ƥner, so it drapes like a soft silk fabric, and
attached it to a swimsuit, like a trail, about one-third the length of a traditional sari. “You can drape
the trail whichever way you’d like — over the shoulder, like a traditional sari, or like a sarong, or like
a dress that shows a leg,” explains Kukreja. “Italian jersey doesn’t crush or crease, and is resistant to
stains from body lotions and sun creams, so it’s ideal to lounge on the beach in, or to even step into
the water, while wearing.” Famous for the liquid corset lace sari they dressed international style icon
and burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese in, on her India visit a couple of years ago, their sari designs
are all about the convenience. More recently, they’ve designed a resort sari — also in Italian jersey,
but with a more traditional silhouette, and in brighter colours. It has pockets, so you can keep your
sunblock handy, while on that beach holiday.
Shivan & Narresh
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 46 | SUMMER 2015
Anupama Dayal
SUMMER 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY
The world through
National
Geographic
National Geographic: Around The World in 125 Years, published by TASCHEN
and released earlier this year in India, is a one-of-a-kind coƤee table book.
Landscapes, architecture, people, wildlife — TASCHEN has brought together some
of the most stunning photographs from the magazine’s archives, in Washington.
Here’s a glimpse of what the three-volume book contains.
Photographed by Steve
Winter
Mexico, date uncertain
A strange sight to encounter
in a Mexican dugout
canoe: two captive jaguars
sprawled out, greeting the
photographer with a growl
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 48 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
John Burcham
Arizona, 2005
Setting his tripod upon a ledge at Toroweap Overlook, photographer Michael Nichols prepares
to photograph the Grand Canyon. His challenge was to depict something as iconic—or overly
familiar—as the Grand Canyon in an entirely new way, “to work through the clichés so that
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B. Anthony Stewart
New York, 1957
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the famous original, enters New
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has crossed the Atlantic Ocean as
her forerunner did, entirely under
canvas, a passing helicopter will
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THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 50 | SUMMER 2015
W. Robert Moore
Hong Kong, 1931
Life teems on a
Hong Kong staircase.
When seen from the
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so steeply to cloudcapped Victoria
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chair. Hundreds of
thousands of Chinese
lived, loved, laughed,
kept shop, or
otherwise transacted
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dizzying world of
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THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 52 | SUMMER 2015
Facing page, above:
Above:
Luis Marden
New Mexico, 1939
Steve McCurry
Sri Lanka, 1995
While a confused motorist
receives directions from a state
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it plans on going anywhere
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When the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami crashed over these same
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Facing page, below:
Thomas J. Abercrombie
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epitomizes the contrasts often
encountered in mid-20th
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Christian; part East and part
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famous for its glittering cafes
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trading houses
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 54 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
CINEMA
I
n an industry that thrives on quantity over quality, writer-directorproducer Dibakar Banerjee is an anomaly. He has made ƥve ƥlms in
seven years; his sixth feature ƥlm, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, was
released recently. But each of those released ƥlms, be it his debut, Khosla
Ka Ghosla, or his follow-up, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! or the experimental
Love Sex Aur Dhokha or the political thriller Shanghai, has pushed the
envelope more than a little. Banerjee has often been described as the
“thinking man’s director”, “poster boy for independent cinema” and a
maker of “cerebral cinema”. An entry into the advertising industry was
followed by an education at the National School of Design. Khosla Ka
Ghosla, a quintessential Delhi story, won him his ƥrst National Award. Much
like his own endeavours in Bollywood, the Delhi-born Banerjee constantly
paints Davids taking on Goliaths, often taking on issues concerning the
Indian middle class. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! sees another variation
The thinking
man’s director
Director Dibakar Banerjee
within his oeuvre: a 1943 set detective story. If his lyrical and nuanced
on his recent ƥlm Detective
chapter in the Bombay Talkies omnibus was homage to one personal
Byomkesh Bakshy!, which
recreates on screen India’s
idol (Satyajit Ray), his latest ƥlm pays tribute to a child’s imagination
kindled by the fascinating world of
a sleuth in Calcutta in the words
most famous ƥctional
of Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
detective, the ƥlmmakers he
Banerjee, who says his
looks up to, and more.
alternative career might have
been as an illustrator, who turns
his back ƥrmly on his previous
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ƥlms, which stand as a stark
reminder of his “mistakes”, tells us
more about his art.
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I can’t exactly pinpoint what got me into it, but
because I have been asked this question before I have
tried to ƥgure it out. As a kid, I used to ƥb a lot. I used to
say that I know music from Scotland, I have travelled around
the world, my father is a swashbuckling forest oƧcer, etc. In
hindsight, it probably means that I would like to hold an audience’s
attention and tell them a story. As I grew up, the ƥbbing reduced because
I realised I was not enjoying lying with a straight face and making myself
the hero of the story that much. Then I began to enjoy sketching and the
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 56 | SUMMER 2015
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! revolves
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visual arts. I also enjoyed writing and music. I really enjoyed shaping the
the best and scariest ƥlms I have seen in my life; scary because it shows a
1993) starring Rajit Kapur. I quite liked them, though they seem dated. I
music or sketch or writing a story. Alongside I was watching ƥlms on TV
director at the peak of his powers. Quentin Tarantino is such an inƦuential
have watched some of the Bengali ƥlms, but over the last few years, I have
and on screen and unconsciously I began to realise that cinema was one
director; Jackie Brown and Death Proof are amazing. So was the ƥrst scene
consciously kept away from them so as to not get inƦuenced.
medium that got the visual, the aural and the literary all together. It kind of
of Inglourious Basterds.
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saved me from lying and ƥbbing and gave me a tool to tell my stories as a
narrative. The other answer would be: I cannot really pinpoint how, when
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and why ƥlms attracted me.. I think the truth lies somewhere between
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What is common to all of them is that they are hugely misunderstood
these two.
Among Indian ƥlms, Bandit Queen, Maqbool, Hazaaron Khwaishein
and that’s what I loved. This is one aspect of the detective trope which
Aisi, Mirch Masala, Holi and Junoon. Internationally, Clockwork Orange,
I have explored — that he is misunderstood, mistrusted and not really
Memories of Murder, Mother, Gomorrah, French Connection and Z.
liked, because he says things you may not want to hear, but you should.
his extreme sophistication of technique with primitive equipment, hugely
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drew me. Almost all his ƥlms — from the early ones to mid-career — have
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I have no idea. I wanted to make it right after Khosla Ka Ghosla. What I
taught me something. Ray was one of the best dialogue writers. If you
I was attracted to the complete Indianness, without being revivalist, of
am trying to do with it is to go back to when I was 16 and reading a good
know Bengali, you will understand how cleverly designed they are. Martin
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s stories of Byomkesh. They are
Scorsese also hugely aƤected me from the time I was 15-16. These were
unconsciously, completely and securely Indian, with
the two huge inƦuences in the beginning. At that point, it was about liking
all the inƦuence of a western civilization by virtue
their ƥlms and being aƤected by their vision. Another guy who terriƥes me
of being a colony and all the cultural deposit of
because of his control of the medium is Stanley Kubrick.
200-300 years of Indian thinking. The stories
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There are many. Satyajit Ray’s ƥlms, for their simplicity and directness and
rip-roaring yarn, trying to translate that yarn on to the audience
with my own interpretation of the character and of
Calcutta the way it was in 1943. The special thing I
have been trying to do, which I am kicked about,
is an anti-period period ƥlm. When we look at
are also completely original, though detective
a period ƥlm, we are so overwhelmed by the
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stories are somewhat inspired, as they are a
fact that it is period that we start designing a
At diƤerent times, diƤerent ƥlms became my favourites for diƤerent
western concept. But his stories pull you in
lot of artiƥcial ƦuƤ around it, for example the
reasons. Pather Panchali and Charulata are everybody’s favourites and
and you forget everything else.
language which is neither the language of the
period nor the language of the audience. It is
Stanley Kubrick is
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they are mine as well. I tremendously liked Shatranj Ke Khiladi for the
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
world of Lucknow and the ennui he designed. And what fantastic casting
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of Amjad Khan as Wajid Ali Shah! The smudge of make up at the end of
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Devi (with Sharmila Tagore) is so scary. Scorsese’s Raging Bull remains my
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favourite and I watch it again and again. Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon is one of
I have watched the Hindi series (Byomkesh Bakshi,
| 58 | SUMMER 2015
a constructed piece of artiƥciality somewhere
in between that I feel strongly against. All period
ƥlms are impressions, memories or interpretations
SUMMER 2015
of a time gone by. In India, when we think of a period
2@SX@IHS1@XŗR"GHQHX@JG@M@ED@STQDC!XNLJDRG!@JRGH
ƥlm, we think of cardboard sets, gaudy costumes and people speaking in
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a way that is nuts. Nobody talks like that.
When I end up going home, I don’t. So that’s your answer.
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+RZGR\RXIHHODERXW\RXUSUHYLRXVƩOPV"
We make period ƥlms in the shadow of the ƥlms we remember of that
I don’t have a fondness for any of my ƥlms. I don’t care for any of them. I
period. Now imagine traveling to 1943 and seeing it through your
look upon them with indiƤerence. They are behind me. All they are for me
contemporary eyes — they have their own jokes, their own ways of
is a record of my mistakes. They are gone. I can’t change them or better
expressing which are natural and real, and they are also uncoordinated.
them. You can only work on your next ƥlm to improve.
Imagine shooting in 1943 the way we would shoot in 2014. Calcutta in
1943 was a thriving, gritty, wartime city with a lot of crime, smuggling and
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political activity. There were spies, soldiers, a thriving China Town; it was
I can’t tell. Either it’s too random a process or the process underlying it is so
a cosmopolitan city. It was rich and commercially successful. I needed to
complex and so huge that it can only be ƥgured out by a supercomputer,
catch that essence of Bengali life.
in the sense that there are so many factoids, information, incidents that
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cannot pinpoint it. If you can pinpoint it, then it won’t be so subconscious.
I am not a good scriptwriter, so I co-write my scripts. Urmi (Juvekar) and I
The motive should remain primal.
go into shaping your decision on the ƥlm you are going to make, that you
have long sessions in her oƧce or mine. We try and keep a strict regimen,
but it does get broken up with my various duties as a director and producer.
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I try to spend time with the family. Don’t get too much time with them,
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but beyond that, unwinding is a book, listening to a piece of music or
To prime myself, I listen to a lot of a particular kind of music that gives me
traveling. I also unwind when I sketch. An alternative career is to be an
the emotional undercurrent of the ƥlm or some scene. I am discovering
illustrator. The only problem is that illustrating is even less paying than
new kinds of music. I am always reading new books. I don’t watch too
ƥlmmaking. Nothing unwinds you like staring into empty space — just half
many ƥlms.
an hour of silent staring into inƥnity.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 60 | SUMMER 2015
DISCOVER INDIA
The temples in Khajuraho, in the state of Madhya
Pradesh, were rediscovered in the 19th century
by a British oƧcer. Today, the sandstone marvels,
famous for their intricately detailed erotic
carvings, are a world heritage site. And Khajuraho
has much more to oƤer to the tourist, including a
national park and a scenic landscape.
A tribute to
I
n around 1150 A.D. the Chandela dynasty was defeated by Mughal
LOVE
invaders. The citizens of the ancient city of Vatsa considered their city
temples even more important than their lives. Sixty of the eighty-ƥve
sacred sites had been destroyed due to the religious intolerance of the
Islamic invaders. The citizens left Vatsa and moved elsewhere. They knew
that their saving grace was solitude and inactivity would convince the
Mughals to ignore their beloved city and spare their temples. The land was
eventually overtaken by an overgrowth of date palms, a tree that grows
rampantly in the area which is how Khajuraho gets its modern name: from
the word Khajur, which means dates.
In 1838, the British army captain T.S. Burt was amazed at what he
stumbled on during his travels through Madhya Pradesh. A ghost town that
was run over by date palms at the centre of which was a group of temples
whose walls contained graphic sculptures that, according to one theory,
depict the range of human sexuality. Today, these temples are a big tourist
attraction.
The Khajuraho group of monuments shows India’s diversity of beliefs.
While the largest temple, Kandariya Mahadeva, is dedicated to Shiva, there
are also temples dedicated to Vishnu, Hanuman and Parvati. Try paying an
early morning darshan at the sun temple of Chitragupta or visit the Yogini
temple, dedicated to 64 yoginis, considered the incarnations of Mother
Goddess Shakti.
The architecture of the temples is intricate. The temples are all
concentric, self-repeating spirals supported by a foundation of pillars that
peak into a dome. They all follow the design principles of Vaastu-Shastra
intricately carved with divine imagery leaving no room for empty space.
Interspersed with carvings are sanksrit poetry. Also: only ten percent of all
the temples here depict sexuality.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
GETTY IMAGES
the Indian art of creating sacred spaces. Every inch of the temple walls is
The Khajuraho Temples were built
between AD 900 and 1130
| 62 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
SRINATH RAO
Above: The gardens of the western group of temples
Left: The Khajuraho dance festival attracts performers
from all over the world
The temples are set against the backdrop of the beautiful Vindhya
range: the landscape is full of scenic beauty and picturesque hills and
Kuchipudi, etc. ... The town also turns into a bazaar during the week as local
artisans turn into vendors and put up stalls selling local arts and crafts.
Around 40 minutes from Khajuraho is The Panna National Park, which
actually go up to 40 Degree Celsius in summer, so keep yourself well-
is home to 17 tigers. Their biodiversity includes several species of rare
hydrated and wear loose cotton clothing. The ideal time to visit the city is
migratory birds such as the honey huzzard, king vulture, blossom-headed
between the months of October and March.
parakeet, paradise Ʀycatcher, etc. Apart from these, you may also spot
hyenas, wolves, wild dogs, leopards, deer and pythons.
of the city head to the Archeological Museu. Also visit the Adivart
You can’t go to Khajuraho and not stop for a meal at Raja’s café. A
Tribal and Folk Art museum, which gives you a taste of the vibrant
beautiful courtyard shaded by a 170-year-old neem tree and a terrace-
tribal culture of both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, showcasing
view of the temples, the café serves some sumptuous Indian cuisine and
pointillist Bhili paintings, terracotta Jhoomar sculptures, masks, statues
guess what else? Wood-ƥred pizzas!
and bamboo Ʀutes.
GETTY IMAGES
Above: The Panna National Park, around 31 km
from the temples, is home to 17 tigers
Left: The majestic sculptures of Jagdambi Temple
valley that you can just drive through. The weather does get hot and can
If you want detailed information on the history and architecture
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
While the largest temple,
Kandariya Mahadeva, is
dedicated to Shiva, there are
also temples dedicated to
Vishnu, Hanuman and Parvati
Pick up some souvenirs on your way back home, from the Kandariya
One of the city’s famous events is the Khajuraho dance festival, in
art and culture. Here one ƥnds replicas of the temple walls, marble and
the last week of February every year, where dancers of international
wood carvings and local textiles. You may also want to buy a copy of the
acclaim come to perform traditional styles such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam,
famous Indian treatise on love, the Kamasutra, by Sage Vatsyayana.
| 64 | SUMMER 2015
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
SRINATH RAO
The temples are all
concentric, self-repeating
spirals supported by a
foundation of pillars that
peak into a dome
| 65 | SUMMER 2015
FOOD
The Leela Palace Udaipur’s
Culinary Spectacle
Ayurveda-inƦuenced meals, contemporary Indian cuisine with a twist, a
“T
his evening, you have the best table in Udaipur, Ma’am,”
of birds; and, at a far distance on the top of a lush forested hill,
Deelip Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Manager (F&B), who handles
the impregnable walls of the Sajjan Garh, the monsoon palace of the
Sheesh Mahal tells me as I take in the picture perfect frames.
erstwhile kings.
I am at the special chef’s table in the alcove of the al fresco dining area of
I have often heard of cities that are infused with a sense of history,
Sheesh Mahal, The Leela Palace Udaipur’s signature restaurant, with a short
and I suspect Rajasthan has more history and royalty per square km than
latticed boundary wall separating me from a shimmering Lake Pichola. The
any other destination in India. Through the three days that The Leela
view skims across to the glittering skyline on the other side of the lake,
Palace Udaipur hosts me, the well-informed team of the hotel narrate
which is dotted by sharply-edged silhouettes of the rugged Aravalli range
fascinating legends: about Maharana Pratap’s valour while ƥghting bitter
and Udaipur’s glamorous landmarks — Jagmandir, the palace on one of
battles with the Mughals even as other Rajasthani royal clans were striking
the natural islands within the lake, which became a refuge for Shahajahan
deals with them, or the jauhar (self-immolation) committed by the women
masterclass in traditional Marwari savouries, local delicacies served in gorgeous
when he was on the run from his father, Emperor Jahangir, and which today
of Chittor (the old capital of the dynasty), when faced with the prospect
dining destinations, colourful vegetable and spice markets — the hotel’s
is a popular wedding venue; the yellow sandstone City Palace complex,
of being captured by the marauding army led by the Sultan of Delhi,
a part of which continues to be the residence of Rana Arvind Singh
Alauddin Khilji.
recently launched culinary tour is a mélange of beautiful gourmet experiences.
By Deepali Nandwani
Mewar, the 76th custodian of the erstwhile Mewar dynasty; Jag Niwas,
But I was in Udaipur on a diƤerent kind of adventure: to experience a
the pristine white summer palace; Arsi Vilas, a small island which
bespoke culinary sojourn at The Leela Palace Udaipur, a stunning property
once functioned as an armoury and is a sanctuary for a variety
which stands at the edge of Lake Pichola.
Sheesh Mahal’s al fresco dining area has
views of several of Udaipur’s ancient
monuments lined up like sentinels on the
other edge of Lake Pichola
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 68 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
Day 1
Three hours later, my next stop on this culinary tour is at the reception
pulpy Uttapam cooked with vanilla pod, and innovative chutneys: Tangy
With its chequered Ʀoors, ornate chattris (umbrellas), tables named after
area of the Royal Heritage Haveli spa, where Tiwari will take me through
beetroot, sweet pineapple and garlic. Appetisers quickly followed: A
spices (mine was Star Anise), twinkling glass lanterns and quaint customs-
an elaborate tea ceremony. Placed on a comfortable wood diwan with
kebab platter with muniƥcent portions of Khumb ki galouti (mushroom
driven ceremonies — dining at the al fresco section of Sheesh Mahal,
huge throw pillows is a low table with a selection of delicacies — dhokla
kebabs), velvety smooth Mewe dahi ki tikki (a blend of yoghurt and dried
cosseted by an ink blue, star-studded sky, is a royal experience. Tiwari
and khandvi from neighbouring Gujarat, wafer-thin khakras, and little idlis
whole milk), and a textured Anjeer akhrot ka paneer tikka (Cottage cheese
places an ornate silver bowl with rose petals in front of me, in which I wash
coated with dry garlic chutney. But the stars of this show are the selection
stewed with apricot and dry fruits).
my hands with rose essence-laced water poured from a long necked jug. At
of tea leaves in shot glasses.
the end of the long drawn dinner, he ties a red holy thread on my left hand
and hands over a potli with the star anise as a takeaway gift.
The strong Royal Heritage liquors
are usually served in a martini
The innovative kebabs served are
marinated with a variety of spices
As the lights of the City Palace Complex dimmed, the team brought
Tiwari recounts the fascinating history of tea and its journey from
out the main course. The Lasooni palak chilgoze ki sabzi, a spinach dish
China to England, and ultimately to India, where the delicious masala
cooked with garlic and pine nuts, which are native to Kashmiri cuisine;
The atmospheric setting is a perfect backdrop to the lavish dinner
chai reƦects nothing of the purity of the original brew. Our ƥrst tea is the
a spicy Shalgham sabzi made with turnips; slightly tangy Gujarati kadhi
spread. But to describe the meals, I have to rewind to the morning
strong English Breakfast tea, “which blends Assam and Kenyan teas. But
(cumin, coriander, yoghurt and green chillies), Masaledar karela (bitter
conversation with Executive Chef Chandra Kumar TK and Pratap Singh
in India we use Assam and Darjeeling”. The ones he serves after this have
gourd soaked in salt water to remove the bitterness and stuƤed with
Bhandari, the spa manager, who take me through the ancient Ayurvedic
serious pedigree, inspired as they are by diƤerent tea traditions. There is
spices), delicately aromatic Zafrani pulao (saƤron-infused pulao), and
philosophy that guides the bespoke culinary journey, which draws
the aromatic and refreshing Earl Grey tea, the best of which has a sharp
a choice of breads like Laccha paratha (a multi-layered shallow fried
liberally from local food traditions. “The menus are going to be customised
citrus Ʀavour and aroma of Italian bergamot oil and is named after the 2nd
Ʀatbread) and ajwaini paratha (Ʀatbread suƤused with carom seeds).
according to your doshas,” Chef Chandra tells me. Bhandari explains the
Earl Grey, the British Prime Minister in the 1830s. The delicate Jasmine tea
No meal in India is ever complete without a traditional dessert: For
basic principles of Ayurveda: the three doshas, kapha, vata and pita, and
is derived from a tea plant that is grown in close proximity to a jasmine
my dosha, the good chefs sent out a selection of kaju barƥ (a cashew
how they mould not just our personalities and physical appearance, but
plant, so that their scents blend. The Chinese, who drink Jasmine tea at
sweet), Bharwan gulab jamun (stuƤed with dry fruits) and the classic
also alter our sleep patterns and cause various health problems we suƤer
every meal, also mix the tea leaves with sweet-scented Jasmine oil. For
Bengali sweet, Chum chum (teardrop shaped rasgullas cooked from Ʀour,
from. Meals are cooked using ingredients and spices that complement
the beautiful golden liquid of the Chamomile tea, the Ʀower heads of the
cottage cheese made from fresh cow milk, cardamoms and nuts). After a
the doshas. “People who have a larger built are generally of kapha kind
chamomile plant are infused in hot water, a brewing tradition that dates
day spent tucking into what is the most impossibly delicious cuisine, is
and combine the attributes of earth and water,” says Bhandari, mentally
back to ancient Egypt, where it was prescribed as a cure for cold, as well
it possible to eat anymore? As I made my way to my lake-fronted suite,
categorising me as a blend of kapha and pita person (ƥre and water) person.
as to the Romans, who served it to guests. To end the experience is the
I prayed that the next day would be, well, lighter; but the itinerary tells
My diet, Chef Chandra informs, should exclude too many spices and
all-time favourite mint tea. Tiwari infuses some green tea with mint leaves
me otherwise.
include herbal teas. And, of course, there would be no non-vegetarian food
for that lovely dark gold liquid.
Day 2
served, because meat slows down the body’s natural healing process. My
Unlike the light-as-air teas, my dinner at the aforementioned Sheesh
lunch at the all-day dining restaurant, my ƥrst meal according to my dosha,
Mahal was an elaborate Rajasthani aƤair. We began with wheatgrass
So I am happy that Bhandari ensures I get my spot of exercise. The next
was a rather light aƤair: A beautiful amuse-bouche — soothing chilled
and lime shots, buttermilk infused with cumin and coriander seeds,
morning, at sharp 7.30, I power through a series of demanding postures
orange and beetroot juice shots, accompanied by green apple carrot
powder, refreshing yuzu compressed melon, delicious pickled kombu, and
cottage cheese mousse orange jelly, was followed by a six-dish course,
among them the succulent Gatte ki sabzi, made from chickpea Ʀour and
infused with turmeric, the sharp spicy Ʀavour of green chillies, the sourness
of yoghurt, and a hint of clariƥed butter (ghee), which is considered good
cholesterol according to modern interpretation of Ayurveda; Pitod ki
sabzi, which, Chef Chandra says, is made with chickpeas used as whole
beans, unhusked and split; creamy Paneer (cottage cheese) cooked with
methi (fenugreek) since “the bitterness of methi cuts down the fat content
of the cottage cheese”; and Yoghurt Ʀecked with chilli powder, salt and
dhaniya (coriander) powder in just the right measure. As I wash down the
meal with a glass of hot water and cumin seeds, and end it with delicate
homemade ice-cream served on a bed of fresh fruits, Chef Chandra tells
me about our penchant for adding too many spices to a dish, eƤectively
killing the Ʀavours of the vegetables. “Garam masala has 24 spices! It is
more prudent to use two, at the most, three spices,” he says.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 70 | SUMMER 2015
From Left: "GDE"G@MCQ@@MC2NTR"GDE1@V@SS@JHMFTRSGQNTFG@L@RSDQBK@RRNM,@QV@QHR@UNTQHDRƥDQXQDC&TMSTQBGHKKHDRHMSGDROHBDL@QJDS
SUMMER 2015
spices and ingredients used in the heritage liquors are soaked in spirits
within teakwood tanks or copper vessels for seven to eight days, before
being brewed in a distillation plant.
While the company has stopped producing the popular Royal Kesar
Kasturi, there are other wonderful ones to try: the delicate pink coloured
and subtly Ʀavoured paan martini, the sweet Ʀavoured Jagmohan Martini
spiked with spices, and my favourite, the chocolate and fennel martini
that is served with a dash of Hershey syrup.
The spices and ingredients used in the
heritage liquors are soaked in spirits
within teakwood tanks or copper vessels
for seven to eight days, before being
brewed in a distillation plant
The meals are customised according to Ayurveda
principles and complement your doshas
Dinner is a lesson in what makes for a great restaurant: a sublime
location, inventive cooking coupled with impeccable service. Amrut
Mahal, an enchanted 120-year-old structure that once served as a
resting post for ƥshermen, is now a destination dining venue within the
Guava Garden, with windows that frame views of the lake and the
lit-up monuments.
As a gentle breeze blows in from the lake, I feast on a dinner
distinguished by traditional dishes served with a contemporary twist,
which has increasingly come to mark progressive Indian cuisine. The
amuse-bouche includes sweet lime juice, Podi Idli (with a coating of
urad dal, dried chillies, chickpea and sesame seeds), Mint chutney, and
the unconventional Chotte tamatar ki chutney (made from really tiny
The setting in destination
dining venue, Amrut Mahal,
is atmospheric and the
views are picture perfect
tomatoes). The ambrosial appetizers include a Ʀavoursome Bharwan
chotte chukandar (stuƤed beetroot baked with carrots, cabbage, beans,
pointing to bright green peppers. “They grow a lot of spinach, fenugreek
apricot and cashewnuts), Subz raan (which mocks the lamb raan in its
leaves, tomatoes and coriander.”
in the Guava garden with beautiful views of the lake and the migratory
degree C; for the well-seasoned and spicy Mirchi Wada, large green chillies
shape and has potato-peas mix stuƤed in saƤron-laced dough) served
There are wholesalers and retailers, who buy from the former and
birds: bends and stretches; downward dogs and warrior poses; several
are slit open and stuƤed with a mix of boiled potatoes and powdered
with grape and apricot chutneys, Makai aur adrak ki tikki (kebabs made
sell the produce within the same market; there are trucks coming in
suryanamaskars in salutation to the rising sun that spreads a warm orange
spices, and dipped in a batter made from chickpea Ʀour, carom seeds,
with corn and ginger), and Pudine ka tofu (marinated with mint chutney for
from neighbouring Gujarat, but also from Madhya Pradesh and Himachal
colour across the blue lake, before ending with pranayams or breathing
salt, spices and coriander leaves. The chefs serve these with a Ʀavourful
almost ƥve hours so that the chutney permeates the tofu).
Pradesh. There is fresh turmeric that looks like ginger, unless you know
exercises. “Do this every day, and you will lose weight,” he tells me as I roll
mint chutney.
The main course is drawn largely from the south of India: Cabbage
the diƤerence. While the neighbouring grains market is still shut at 10.30
Making masala chai is an art that very few people have mastered:
kootu (cooked with grated coconut), Beans poriyal (with a pungent taste
am, Chef Chandra takes me to stores with sacks of turmeric and chillies
I am back at Sheesh Mahal with Chef Chandra and Sous Chef Gulab
the chefs boil the water with ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon
of mustard), Aloo pepper fry (shallow fried potatoes and green peppers),
from Guntur laid out in all their red glory in sacks outside the doors.
Singh Rawat to take a masterclass in masala chai and Marwari savouries,
sticks, adding one spice at a time, leaving it for a bit, and taking it out from
Vegetable Chettinad (vegetables cooked in Chettinad masala), Cous cous
“Unfortunately, the production of Mathania chillies has fallen drastically
which is an integral part of Rajasthan’s vibrant street food culture. The
boiling water before adding the second one. In this Ʀavoured water, they
pulao and Khameri chawal ki roti (a thick, spongy Ʀattened bread made
because of falling groundwater levels,” he says. The pungent chilli deƥnes
Marwaris are a predominantly vegetarian entrepreneur community from
add some tea, sugar and milk for a zesty brew.
with yeast, which traces its lineage back to the Mughal era).
two of Rajasthan’s iconic dishes: Jodhpuri mirchi wada and lal maas, and is
up my mat. “Unlikely,” I think, “if I continue to eat like this”.
the sandy plains of Marwar. Laid out on the long steel table of the kitchen
Eating anything else for the day seems impossible, so I explore the
“You are going to serve a dessert?” I ask incredulously, as the chef
is a variety of spices and condiments that are common to these savouries:
City Palace, take a spa massage based on my dosha (almost 90 minutes of
places a decadent Baked Gulab Jamun on the table. This incredibly large
While non-vegetarian food isn’t on the agenda of this ayurveda-
a stiƤ reƥned Ʀour dough, oil, vegetable fat, green chillies, basic spices like
sheer pampering in which my body is scrubbed and massaged, my skin
dish has six to eight tiny gulab jamuns baked in milk that’s spiked with
inƦuenced culinary tour, Chef Chandra does reveal some amazing secrets
cumin seeds, roasted cumin powder and coriander powder, red chillies,
is exfoliated, and then I am wrapped in a refreshing body mask), and a
saƤron and almonds.
on our market sojourn. One of the tales he recounts is of the famous
turmeric and salt. “DiƤerent savouries cook at diƤerent temperatures,”
cruise down the lake in the night to gape at the old havelis (mansions) that
says Chef Chandra, preparing to put some samosas into boiling oil. “So,
are either locked because their owners having migrated to other cities, or
Day 3
overnight in a mix of chillies, coriander and turmeric, and then cooked in a
if the oil gets too hot, get it oƤ the stove and let the latent heat cook the
have been turned into small hotels.
next batch you put in.”
cultivated in the ancient village of Mathania.
desert cuisine loved by the ƥery Rajputs. Game meat is often marinated
Thankfully, my last day at the hotel is given to a trip to the local vegetable
clay pot placed on coals in a hole dug up in desert sand. The pot is covered
I begin my evening at the plush Library Bar where Kinshuk Parnami,
and spice markets with Chef Chandra. We travel in the hotel’s tuktuk to
with a layer of coals and then the pit is covered with sand; the meat is left
The crunchy samosas, which cook at 140 degree C, are stuƤed with
Assistant Manager (F&B), introduces me to Rajasthan’s heritage liquors.
the old sabzi mandi (vegetable market) a little distance from the main
to cook in its own juices for almost three to four hours. Everything, from
sautéed potato and peas mix, cashewnuts and spices; for the crisp Dal
Made by Royal Heritage Liquors at a Ganganagar-based factory, their
city centre, where the Chef explains how diƤerent kinds of vegetables
pickled wild boar meat to rabbit and vension is on menu.
(lentils) kachoris, the moong dal is soaked for a few minutes to soften it,
recipes are drawn from the secret culinary ƥles of royal families.
are transported to a state that grows very few of its own. “The produce
blended and cooked with powdered spices, and deep fried again at 140
Considered to be too strong to drink neat, they are served in a martini. The
here is grown without any pesticides and is of an intense colour,” he says,
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 72 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
However, the legends associated with Rajasthan’s scrumptious nonvegetarian oƤerings require another article, in another issue.
SNAPSHOT
The divine spirit
I
n this mural artwork, ‘Let a Thousand Lotuses Bloom’, by Satish Gupta, at The Leela Palace
New Delhi, the lotus, which symbolises divinity in India, is shown as a bud on the periphery
of the square, which is represents a Mandala (sacred shape). It grows bigger and bursts into
HSRETKKXFKNQX@SSGDBDMSQD3GHRHRLD@MSSNQDƦDBSGNVD@BGKHUHMFSGHMFG@RHSRNVMTMHPTD
destiny and beauty, and important in the grand scheme of things.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 74 | SUMMER 2015
CHEF’S CORNER
OENOPHILIA
Diego Martinelli
The Chef de Cuisine at Le Cirque at The Leela Palace New Delhi
on the must-trys at the restaurant, and why he likes Indian cuisine.
The drink for every occasion
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they have a power to lift, to give
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a diƤerent depth and extend the
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Ʀavours. Balsamic vinegar, for it’s a
It is nice to be able to
As a ƥrst introduction to wine, I would always choose Champagne
product from my hometown and a
interact with people in their own
— its wonderful eƤervescent character can easily charm even
part of my culture. It is complex yet
language and to be able
a non-drinker. Riesling, too, is a beautiful grape varietal for
versatile — a great combination of
to speak Ʀuently with
the novice and the seasoned palate. It can be slightly oƤ
everyone’s palate. It is a versatile wine perfect for
the sweet and the salty.
people from diƤerent parts
dry and is very expressive, with perfumed notes. This
a melange of food pairings, varying from bruschetta
of the world.
wine is easy to pair with fragrant Thai curries.
to pasta.
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Pomerol, being home to Chateau Le Pin and Chateau
Be it special family gatherings or celebrating your big achievement at work or intimate
moments — for each of these, there is such a thing as the right wine.
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Wines that have approachability and ƥnesse marked
as a character. The winemaker Castellare di Castellina
makes a beautiful Chianti Classico that appeals to
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I can list a thousand, but in this
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Pork Belly and the home-
business, nothing is unusual. Any
I usually like to try the local cuisine,
made pasta selections are
request is a fair one as long as
locally sourced and produced. Apart
the must-trys at Le Cirque.
it’s doable, legal, and ethical, no
from this, I enjoy street food, which
matter how odd it may sound.
I ƥnd very heartwarming.
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I love the spiciness, the
I would probably be a farmer,
Shira Ae (salad with tofu dressing)
fragrant Ʀavours and
a gardener or anything which
from MEGU, and Dal Jamavar at
textures of Indian food.
keeps me in the outdoors and
Jamavar are my favourites
It’s, in fact, one of my
close to nature.
at the property.
favourite cuisines.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 76 | SUMMER 2015
An expert in Italian cuisine, Chef
Diego Martinelli has more than
16 years of experience, and
has been associated with many
globally renowned luxury hotel
groups in his career. An alumnus
of I.A.L. Institute of Culinary Arts,
in Modena, Italy, he has worked in
Europe and the Middle East, aside
from Asia. In his free time, you are
likely to ƥnd him reading books or
playing with his three pet dogs. Ş
For me, it would have to be the red varietal of
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Burgundy. The Burgundian Pinot is possibly the most
Food & wine merchandising,
The Leela Palaces,
Hotels and Resorts
fragile and temperamental grape to grow. It is a true
expression of a wine maker’s capability, and, therefore,
Petrus, is the most obvious choice, if you had the
money to seriously invest in a collector’s wine. But,
I believe, a good Burgundy — like Domaine Armand
Rousseau Pere et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote
de Nuits, France and Domaine Georges & Christophe
I think, perfect for an intimate occasion. Henri Jayer
Cros Parantoux, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, France 79 or 82 are all great
Roumier Musigny Grand Cru, or Cote de Nuits, France — too, is a good
examples of a well-crafted pinot. Perfectly pairs with roasts.
contender when it comes to collecting.
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The robust Spanish wines like Vega Sicilia or Pingus show a supreme
Bordeaux wines usually emphasises prestige while making a business
character. They are wines one collects to be able to celebrate one’s wins
deal. Paulliac with Chateau Margaux and Latour certainly make a profound
in life with. Best paired with tapas, pallela or even Asian fusion.
impression. Pairing with venison or duck conƥt would be best.
SUMMER 2015
SPA
Retreat into your
After a brief introductory chat with the
spa manager Anuj Singh, I am led by Lakshmi
to the changing room. The ƥrst stop is the
Private World
vitality pool: as you sit or lounge in it, the
A sensory journey involving scents, an opulent Private Spa
corridor to the therapy room.
Suite, spaces to retreat to, vitality pools — the experience at the
ESPA Spa at The Leela Palace Chennai involves more than just a
massage, though even that comes highly recommended.
water jets smoothen the rough edges so that
the products settle in better and soften your
skin. After which I walk across the winding
What’s distinctly diƤerent about the
spa is that they allow you to choose the
products for the massage — each product
is a blend of botanical extracts and marine
actives. On my ƥrst day I am oƤered the
By Deepali Nandwani
Royal Leela Facial. Abam, the soft-spoken
masseur from Manipur, takes me through
s I walk past the art andartefact-laden
A
The Leela Palace Chennai reminds me
the sensory experience and I pick one of
corridors of The Leela Palace Chennai
of a luxuriant palace with regal interiors and
the creams based on its mild aromatic scent.
and turn the corner to the ESPA spa,
accents of Chettinad architecture, particularly
She cleanses my face, exfoliates and scrubs
I am not sure what to expect. Would it be
visible in its sweeping columns and its carefully
it, and then uses warm poultices stuƤed
a sanctuary within a hotel that is built like
selected art works, many of the touches added
with herbs for a regenerating marma point
a lavish mansion? It most probably would.
by Madhu Nair, Director, Design and Operations,
massage, which is said to harmonise the
But I hadn’t bargained for the sheer space —
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. But the
naadis. It is sort of face yoga and is fabled
ESPA’s newest outpost stretches over 16,000
essence of the hotel can be found at the ESPA
for curing headaches, pain and neurological
sq ft of beautifully scented space. I push the
spa, a meditative space framed by azure blue
disorders. I had been awake half the night,
heavy door and walk into the area where they
of the Bay of Bengal and the intense green of
caught a Ʀight early morning and under
welcome guests, oƤer them a refreshing ginger
the lush lawns.
Abam’s soft touch, I promptly fall asleep to
and lime drink and get them to ƥll in the details
The ESPA spa at The Leela Palace Chennai
the tunes of music wafting from the system.
that the masseur may need to customise the
is among the ƥrst in the country with innovative
By the time I wake up, my face is caked with
massage to the right degree.
Thermal Suites that centre on water therapies
a cooling mask and she is massaging my
The hushed tones of the spa manager,
with pedigree, inspired as they are by Senus
head. Ninety minutes later, my face feels
the masseurs, the pretty girls Lakshmi and
Per Aquam or the concept of healing through
plump, soft and refreshed.
Ashwini who help you change before the
water, an ancient practice that traces its root
I head back to my suite, an art-infused
tranquilising massages — everything is geared
to 27BC Belgium. They enclose within their
space with a bedroom, living room, a
to calm your pushy nerves. The meandering
warm embrace vitality pools with lounge beds
comfortable lounge, a walk-in-wardrobe, a
sanctuary is characterised by tasteful interiors
and body jets, shimmering glass mosaic steam
much-needed bathtub for a leisurely soak
complemented by hand-picked collectible
rooms and state-of-the-art circular oak-wood
and a fabulous view: from the windows I
art pieces from artists such as Siddharth
saunas.
trace the Adyar shoreline across its empty
Dhanvant Shanghvi, Alex Davis and Chameli
Ultimate in luxury is the Private Spa Suite
stretches to the jumble of buildings and low-
Ramachandran. Lotus motifs and gleaming
where you can spend an entire day, or even
rise structures, and from the water below my
linen drapes complement the lavish look of
two: relax in the living area before or after the
window where Ʀamingoes Ʀock, right up to
Turkish marble, natural Travertine stone, crystal
therapies, spend time on its personal terrace
the deep sea. A quick shower and I am ready
glass, upholstered walls and dark walnut timber.
overlooking lush gardens with a book, and
for dinner at Jamavar, the Indian restaurant
discover the various retreats within the spa
with royal accents, brocade furnishings and
— sleep pods, daybeds behind gossamer thin
a menu that combines oƤerings from the
curtains and tea lounges.
southern and Nawabi cuisines.
Top to bottom: At the tea lounge; ESPA has a range
of natural skincare and luxury spa products; a warm
soak before the massage; couples’ therapy room
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 78 | SUMMER 2015
The spa allows you to
choose the products for the
massage — each product
is a blend of botanical
extracts and marine actives
SUMMER 2015
The Cuisine
For the leisurely lunch after the Deep
Tissue Massage I choose from the special
spa cuisine menu fashioned by Chef
Dharmen Makwana. First introduced at
The Leela Kovalam in 2013, within a year
the elaborate menu with a range of soups
and salads, main course, refreshing elixirs
and smoothies, carbohydrate-free pastas
and guilt-free desserts wonthe Best Spa
Cuisine Award in India at the Asia Spa
Awards.
Chef Makwana begins the meal with
shots of his famous smoothies — Rose
petal and Almond Yoghurt, Gooseberry
and Walnut, Vanilla pod and Cinnamon,
Spinach blended with Wheat Grass, and
my favourite,
the Musk Melon
and Passion Fruit
smoothie with
single-origin
The Thermal Suite
chocolate chips.
Over a
My dinner companion and I chat over a
This 120-minute massage is a combination
humungous glass of thandai and feast on a slew
of gentle leg exercise and massage: I am not
about Chennai,
of vegetarian delicacies — Thair Vadai or lentil
the one doing the hard work though. Abam
India (Chef
doughnuts laced with yoghurt and tempered
massages the oil into my skin which feels as
Makwana
with mustard and red chillies, Aviyal or selected
dry as parched paper, gently stretching my
has lived
vegetables simmered in a paste of coconut,
hands and legs and then straightening them
and worked
green chillies and yoghurt, and Dal Jamavar, the
to smoothen out the tense knots. Before she
abroad) and his spa menu, we sample
restaurant’s signature black lentils dish which
began the massage, Abam had asked me
the beautifully salted fresh pods of
is simmered overnight on tandoor and lashed
what I hoped to achieve. Relieving stress was
Edamame or soyabean served with sea
with generous helpings of cream and butter.
one thing, but I also needed something that
salt-ichimi (I perfer eating it whole, with
No Indian meal can ever be complete without
alleviated my aching joints. At the end of the
the outer cover), the fresh Arugula Salad
desserts. If Khoobani ka Meetha, the stewed
massage I feel as if I had been introduced to
with a mélange of textures and Ʀavours
Hyderabadi apricot and dry fruit is deliciously
muscles I didn’t know exist.
— orange, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and
dense and sweet, Eleneer Payasam with tender
I am checking out that day and after a
conversation
Maple organic cloves infused with honey
leisurely lunch, I make a quick dash for the
dressing, Chilled Papaya Ginger ale
airport, worried about missing my Ʀight.
Soup and gluten-free Penne Pasta. We
A restful night later, having woken up to
However, there is no panic. There is Leela’s
top the meal with Tofu Vegetable Satay
the aforementioned view, I rush through a
airport representative to take me through
that has pieces of tofu rolled in spiced
Mediterranean breakfast at Spectra and head
diƧcult check-ins and the ESPA experience has
peanut, tamarind and jaggery sauce and
to my next massage appointment — a Deep
settled my nerves, wiped out the fatigue and
then skewered, and ƥnish with a delicate
Muscle Massage. Abam takes me on another
made me believe that everything is ƥne with
Tender Coconut and Soy Milk Panna
sensory journey with essential oils and I choose
the world. At least momentarily, though reality
Cotta and Baked Skimmed Milk Yoghurt
one for the massage.
has a way of creeping in at some point.
withRaspberries.
coconut
morsels
in
cardamom-Ʀavoured
reduced milk is light as air.
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 80 | SUMMER 2015
EVENTS
EVENTS
Men for T
gender
equality
he NGO CEQUIN (Centre for Inequality and
Inclusion) had its ƥrst WOWMEN awards
this year, at The Leela Palace New Delhi. The
charity, which is co-founded by Sara Pilot, wife
of Congress MP Sachin Pilot, honoured seven
men who have supported female achievers
in their life and thus furthered the cause of
gender equality — among them, K Onler Kom
(father of the boxer Mary Kom) and Ziauddin
Yousufzai (father of Nobel Peace prize winner
Malala Yousufzai).
Left: Rajiv Kaul, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels
and Resoorts, and Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi, Chairman
@MC"GHDE$WDBTSHUD.ƧBDQNE$('+SC ANUDSNO
Raj Singh Gehlot, Chairman and Managing Director,
LAHDMBD&QNTOKHFGSHMF@K@LO@SSGDQDBDMS'(%(
event at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon
The future of T
tourism in India
he
Leela
Ambience
Gurgaon
GUEST SPEAK
hosted,
for the second consecutive year, Hotel
Investment Forum India (HIFI), the country’s
most important hotel investment conference.
The HIFI 2015, held in February, was, as per a
report in Financial Express, attended by over
Sachin Tendulkar
Kumar
Mangalam Birla
Amjad Ali Khan
Winston Lackin
Minister of
Foreign AƤairs for Surinam
Ronnie Screwvala
Chairman, Aditya Birla Group
Indian
classical musician
The Leela
Kovalam
The Leela Palace
Bangalore
The Leela Palace
Chennai
The Leela Palace
New Delhi
The Leela Palace
Udaipur
“Thank you so
much for your
extraordinary
help and service.
I will be back!”
“Love the
hospitality of
The Leela
always.”
“Felt at home.
Beautiful hotel
and hospitality.
Best wishes and
looking forward
to come back
again.”
“Thank you for the
excellent service.
My family had a
lot of pleasure
staying here.”
“Thank you for
the fabulous
hospitality in your
wonderful hotel.
We especially
enjoyed your
superb food and
the excellent
service.”
Indian cricketing legend
350 delegates from the global hospitality and
Entrepreneur and
Philanthropist
tourism sector, focussing on the upcoming
trends
and
challenges
related
to
the
Indian hospitality sector. One of the topics
touched upon was boosting tourism to India,
and Lalit K Panwar, secretary, Ministry of
Tourism (MoT), said, “About 32,000 visas have
been granted in just six weeks and with the
new countries that we are planning to add
to Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) list, we
should be able to host at least one percent of
the total global tourism traƧc.”
3'$+$$+ , & 9(-$
| 82 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
| 83 | 3'$+$$+
, & 9(-$
ACCOLADES
INSIDER’S GUIDE
The Paradise restaurant till today
remains my favourite place for
biryani. I am a vegetarian and keep
going back there for the vegetable
biryani. And my friends who eat
meat swear by its non-vegetarian
biryani. They consider it the
benchmark of pure and delicious
Hyderabadi biryani. Hyderabad,
much like Bangalore, has become
very cosmopolitan in its tastes, so
there are many excellent multi-
Pursuit H
of excellence
otelier India is one of the industry’s most respected magazines,
cuisine restaurants that have come
and its annual awards are among the most prestigious. At the 2014
up in the city. One of my favourites
The Charminar, built in 1591, is a
monument located in Hyderabad
were recognised for their work. The Leela Group had a great showing,
bagging some of the most enviable of the accolades. Mr. Shridhar Nair
of The Leela Goa was the winner in the ‘General Manager of the year’
category; Nair bested 200 other nominated GMs from luxury hotels and
Above (from left):8NFDRG*TL@QNE3GD+DDK@/@K@BD-DV#DKGH
V@R@QTMMDQTOHMSGDR@KDRQDUDMTDKTWTQXB@SDFNQX@S
SGD'NSDKHDQ(MCH@ V@QCR2GQHCG@Q-@HQNE3GD+DDK@&N@
V@RSGDVHMMDQNESGD&,NESGDXD@QKTWTQX@V@QC1@IHU*@TK
/QDRHCDMS3GD+DDK@/@K@BDR'NSDKR1DRNQSR1@LNM2@KSN
Alvarez from The Leela Ambience Gurgaon was the chef of the
XD@Q@MC,@GDRG5@RTNE3GD+DDK@/@K@BD!@MF@KNQDV@RSGD
green hotelier of the year
resorts from across India. Mahesh V of The Leela Palace Bangalore was
the ‘green hotelier of the year’. Yogesh Kumar of The Leela Palace New
What to do in
CORBIS
Hotelier India Awards, talented professionals spanning 16 disciplines
Hyderabad
Delhi was a runner-up in the ‘sales/revenue person of the year’ category.
Soft-spoken and exuding characteristic Hyderabadi warmth, Indian cricketing great
Finally, Chef Ramon Salto Alvarez of The Leela Ambience Gurgaon was
VVS Laxman shares his insights into the culture and food of the city he grew up in.
the ‘chef of the year’.
is
Olives,
in
Jubilee
Hills, which serves very good
Italian food. Another restaurant
in Jubilee Hills I frequent is N
Grill. Ohri’s restaurants is a chain
of restaurants that have a lot of
variety in their theme. The one
in Banjara Hills has ƥve Ʀoors,
with each Ʀoor serving a diƤerent
cuisine
A feast of awards
located
—
Indian,
Chinese,
Which are the places you would recommend
Mughlai, a coƤee shop, etc. Tansen and 70MM —
one should visit to get a real feel of the
both partly owned by Ohri’s — are two other places
culture and essence of the city?
that I enjoy visiting.
The Falaknuma Palace is a wonderful showcase of
the lifestyle of the Nawabs and a ƥtting tribute to the
What can one shop for and what are the must-
glory of that time. Another must-visit is the Golconda
visit shopping places?
he Times Food Guide 2015 has given The Leela Ambience
Fort. It is absolutely unbelievable, looking at the
I get to know about most of the shopping places
Gurgaon much to cheer about. The restaurant Zanotta
design of the Fort, that such advanced engineering
from my wife! Hyderabad is famous for its pearls,
emerged the best in Italian ƥne dine category, Diya the best
technology could exist even in that day and age.
North Indian ƥne dine, with Rubicon being declared the best bar
Another place to visit is the Old City, where the
for a luxurious night out. On the other hand, The Leela Palace
Charminar, the trademark of Hyderabad, is located.
New Delhi’s Le Cirque was declared the best French restaurant in
It is busy, full of shops and markets, full of life and
the capital at the Times Food Awards 2015.
colour; and also has the famous Chowmahalla Palace,
T
which was a palace of the Nizams. Another place that
The Leela Palace New Delhi ƥgures in the best hotels
I would suggest is Tank Bund — the road across the
category in DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards this year. The
Hussain Sagar lake that connects Hyderabad and
property was also one of the top luxury hotels in India, as per
Secunderabad.
the 2015 Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards — the third
consecutive year that it is one of the top hotels in this poll.
3GDKNAAX@S3GD+DDK@/@K@BD-DV#DKGH
Hyderabad is famous for its biryani, but that
is perhaps just one of the culinary delights of
the city. What are the must-eat places?
Considered one of India’s
most stylish batsmen of all
time, VVS Laxman is most
famous for his knock of
281 against a seemingly
invincible Australian Test
team at Kolkata’s Eden
Gardens in 2001. Before
retiring, he played 134 Tests,
notching an impressive 8781
runs, and 86 ODIs, scoring a
total of 2338 runs. In 2011,
he was awarded the Padma
Shri, India’s fourth highest
civilian award.
and some of the best-known jewellery stores to
buy pearls are Mangatrai Pearls in Banjara Hills and
Kirtilals in Somajiguda. Hyderabad also has a lot of
malls where one can practically buy anything. The
ones we frequent are Hyderabad Central, GVK One
Mall in Banjara Hills and the Inorbit Mall in Hitech
city. Neeru’s is a lovely place to buy saris and other
ethnic wear for women — they have quite a few
stores in Hyderabad. You also have the famous
Choodi Bazaar in the Old City, where you get the
famous lac bangles (made of glass and lacquer and
studded with stones) and also check out the shops
selling saris, embroidered fabrics, etc.
— Interviewed by Akhila Ranganna
3'$+$$+ , & 9(-$
| 84 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
| 85 | 3'$+$$+
, & 9(-$
PERSPECTIVE
SOCIAL INDEX
Learning by practise
Incredible India
What happens to developmentally challenged adolescents once they
graduate from special schools? Kshitij is a Mumbai-based charity that,
Russian-born Bollywood actress
among other things, provides them gainful employment. 6DELKD*KLDVL
Elena Kazan talks about her fascination
gets the details from Beena Modak, one of the NGO’s co-founders
for Hindi, Bengali food and more
I
’ve always had a love for languages. An innate urge to speak Ʀuently
and discover new ways to communicate. I ƥrst started watching Hindi
ƥlms when I was in college, movies such as Mughal-e-Azam, Pakeezah
and Pyaasa. I developed a fascination for Hindi and started learning the
language. In my opinion, Hindi is a very easy language to learn, because
it is very inclusive, it shares common roots with Arabic and Persian,
languages I already knew.
K In 2007, when I was studying
Middle-Eastern Politics and History in
6@RGHMFSNM(V@RNƤDQDC@INAAXSGD
&DQL@M"G@LADQNE"NLLDQBDHM*NKJ@S@
I
n 1998, four mothers came together to set
Each of them is assessed on admission and
&UHDWLQJDEHWWHUWRPRUURZ
up Kshitij. The sole aim of this NGO was to
then encouraged to take up activities that are
Kshitij’s
relevant to their skills.
handcrafted items and products that make for
provide recently schooled special adolescents
members
specialise
in
creating
as well as adults a sheltered workplace to
Two programmes are specially designed
excellent corporate and personal gifts: greeting
learn skills and crafts that could add value to
to meet the holistic needs of the members:
cards, tablemats, napkins, photo frames, bags,
their lives. The founders’ motive was clear: it
education and vocational training. Education
aprons, envelopes, pencil holders, ƥles and
everything is so relaxed and
would be a place that would keep its members
training includes the honing of practical skills
folders as well as customised gifts for special
informal; and that’s what I like
fruitfully occupied, especially since they are
such as simple mathematical calculations,
occasions.
about the country. I know I can call
not capable of open employment and further
colour concepts, basic money-concepts, etc.
The adults also practise activities such
people if I have a crisis, and they
academic education. Most of all, Kshitij
Vocational training includes regular painting,
as yoga, dance, etc. These exercises not only
will with me in a moment’s notice.
would give them the conƥdence to become
stencil painting, block painting, and the works.
help them learn a new skill physically but also
Indians are warm and caring.
I thought it was Indian back then, since I was too young to know better.
In 2007, I was oƤered a job by the German Chamber of Commerce
in Kolkata when I was studying Middle-Eastern Politics and History in
Washington. Kolkata has a colonial charm and is the cultural capital of
India. They make the best food in India — kocchu poishak maachher mata
diye, daab chingri, shukto, chorchori and nolen gurer sandesh.
I was oƤered a job as an extra on the sets of director Subadhro
Choudhury’s movie Clerk. While that didn’t pan out, I got oƤered roles in
several Bengali movies. Acting was something I never planned; as I gained
experience, I decided to move to Mumbai.
I have played lead roles in Prague, John Day and a key role in
Agent Vinod. Apart from Hindi, I speak Bengali, some Tamil, Gujarati and
Bangla. I also take kalaripayattu lessons; and used to the do the bhangra
at DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra in NYC. I live in Juhu Koliwada, where I
discovered my passion for lavani.
I’m in Berlin right now as we speak, and just hanging out with friends
means that I have to make plans days in advance. By contrast, in India,
FARROKH CHOTHIA
I was born in Moscow but am Eurasian. My ƥrst childhood memory of
India was my family drinking Ceylon tea, which had an elephant as its logo.
Elena Kazan is an Indian
actress of Eurasian
descent. She has played
roles in many Bollywood
movies, such as Agent
Vinod, where she was
featured alongside
Saif Ali Khan, John Day
and Prague. She is one
of the few Caucasian
actresses who has been
able to carve a niche for
herself in the industry. In
her leisure time, Kazan
enjoys watching old
Hindi ƥlms.
responsible adults with a sense of worth and
Reshma Gurve, before enrolling at the NGO,
make their minds sharper. Group interactions
I dislike the corruption and
purpose as members of society. Today, Kshitij
had a history of schizophrenia. She battled with
are also encouraged so as to improve their
the social hierarchy that exists
communication and social skills.
has a close-knit support network of families,
extreme mood swings, violent and aggressive
here. However, the vibrancy of
staƤ members, therapists and volunteers
behaviour. She couldn’t keep up with regular
this country and the stories that
impacting 21 members.
academics and preferred to spend her days
+RZ\RXFDQVXSSRUW.VKLWLM
its diverse populations have to tell
in solitude. After she was enrolled at Kshitij,
You can donate to the NGO to help them
1HHGVSHFLƩFWUDLQLQJ
they patiently got her involved in the various
meet their varied expenses such as salaries
have
Adults at Kshitij have varied kinds of disabilities
workshops. She went from sitting merely
for participants and professional staƤ, raw
travelled to almost every part
caused by conditions such as Down’s syndrome,
for thirty minutes to following the complete
material, transportation of products as well as
of India on work. I hope to go
autism, brain damage, dyslexia, etc. They are
workshop hours, like the other members.
extracurricular activities and ƥeld trips. You
to Mizoram and Ladakh. India is
all above 18 years of age with the youngest
Today, she aids in the making of gifting articles,
can also donate paints, paper, cloth, etc.
incredible in the sense that there
member at 21 and the oldest at 42. Kshitij does
memorabilia, stationary, etc.
is so much geographical and
not have age-group speciƥc classes. Work is
cultural diversity in one country.
assigned according to the ability of the adult.
make up for all its Ʀaws.
I
feel
blessed
to
All members of Kshitij receive a stipend at
the end of each week.
— As told to Nolan Lewis
THE LEELA MAGAZINE
| 86 | SUMMER 2015
SUMMER 2015
For more details, visit www.kshitij-mumbai.
org or email them at [email protected]
stefanoricci.com

- The Leela

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