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What would happen if in one moment you are what you are and in the other, you
are transported... ..
What would happen if in one moment you are what you are and in the other, you
are transported to an era you have only read about, perhaps discussed but regretted
for not being a part of it. That is India before independence. No doubt, the British
Raj was all about chaos, protests, freedom movement but then is today any
different. What we seldom realize is that, it, too, had its share of glory in the form of
revolution it brought in India.Be it in the form of architecture, cultural freedom,
acceptance of what was once considered tabboo, etc. Like many others, I too, have
dreamt of Pre-Independent India with images of marching leaders with slogans
ranting in the air through History Books I have read, monuments I have visited and
movies I have watched. But never, ever, I have felt a part of it.
But I was able to steal a few moments of bygone Britsh era this summer when we
visited Ooty. Ooty, itself has lost much of its charm with the advent of high rise
concrete structure, branded shops and swanky stores. But certain establishments
are proud reminiscent of colonial architecture. Hotel King\'s Cliff was one of them. I
and my wife would like to thank Holidayiq.com where we first read about King\'s
Cliff . The hotel is perched on a hill top away from the hustle and bustle of the
town. Starting from the entrance, every structure enfolds like a picture you can\'t
keep your eyes off whether it is the sprawling garden across the villa or the glass
restaurant or the reception. There was even an Ambassador car (Model from the
year 1964) parked at the entrance which may seem old fashioned , but looked so
inviting and amazing. Modernity seems to have taken a break here and even then,
you seem to relish in the luxury of history enfolding before you. No discos, no pubs
,no gyms here and even the rooms have just the basic amenities but the company
of Othello, Verona, Macbeth is too tempting to remember them.Yes, you may be
surprised when you hear those names,but these were the names of the rooms. The
peace and quiteness in the lobby was broken only by walking of guests or in house
staffs. In the lobby you could see paintings and portraits (some of which were of the
hotel itself during the past). One photograph , which I was specially amazed ,was of
the Tariff of the Hotel in the 1950s , and it showed (Double Room Rs 1 ).
There was a library room with a shelf boasting of literary gems of the past and
having victorian chairs tempting enough to relax and read those jewels. In the
evening we were treated to old melodies by two youths (one beautifully playing a
mouth-organ) that left both of us mesmerized. After having fed on a cacophony of
remixes , this music was soothing and soulful enhanced the charm of the
evening.They even obliged my request for an Hindi oldie \'Ajeeb Dastaan Hain Ye\'
. When we returned to the room, we found swiss chocolates (an unexpectated
gesture but slowly we were getting accustomed to it) . There was also a fireplace in
the room which made you forget the chill outside the hilly town. Our window gave
a panoromic view of the surroundings and I wanted to soak and treasure in this
beautiful gift of nature.
Being vegetarians, we were a apprehensive before going for breakfast but then It,
belied our expectations and was a thoughtful mix of North and the South (Dosas,
Chapati and Curry). No doubt, the hotel has also seen shades of change as was
evident but it has managed to keep its colonial ambience intact. The manager and
the staff were all courteous and jovial.
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