You don’t need a million dollars to have a million-dollar experience… all you need are priceless moments that sparkle as indelible memories. WelcomHeritage Connaught House in Mount Abu offers you just such an experience.
WelcomHeritage Connaught House has a charming “typical English” cottage appeal, tucked away in a quiet and peaceful fold of the green and lovely Mount Abu, once the summer capital of Rajasthan. The resort is set amidst shady gardens and is within walking distance of the town and the famous Nakki Lake.
The private property of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, it was used by Jodhpur’s last English Chief Minister, Sir Donald Field, in the 1930s and 1940s. The restored interiors of the main bungalow reflect the authentic heritage and contain fascinating memorabilia.
With an exquisite garden, Connaught House is a perfect retreat; an ideal base from which to explore the forests and visit the sensational Delwara Jain Temples. The cottages and rooms are most valued for the repose and charm they offer. The delightful English country cottage in which I stayed was reminiscent of Victorian charm with a sunroom that opened onto impeccably maintained gardens and really old trees with name plates recording name and age standing as majestic sentinels of time.
One of the most charming features of the property is the manner in which chairs, benches, and swings are provided in shady alcoves, private verandahs, picturesque porticos, and imaginative settings.
I remember a particular sit-out perched thoughtfully above a massive black boulder that plateaued onto a flat large area. There were cane chairs and a table, where I spent a lovely half day, reading and writing under a thick canopy of leaves provided by ancient Banyan trees.
The bird life is rich as are the shrubs, trees, and foliage which bear little tags announcing their names..Magnolia, Silver Birch, Hibiscus, Oak, Blackberry, Mango, and so on.
WelcomHeritage Connaught House has 10 cottages with facilities like television, Internet, safety lockers, etc. It has a cottage dining hall and an upper wing dining hall serving authentic Marwari cuisine, North Indian cuisine, and Chinese and Continental cuisine. It offers indoor games, bird watching, sightseeing and picnics at the Lakeside, campfire dinners, and Theme Dinners at different locations on the premises.
While staying in Mount Abu, you can experience the town’s local and street food, which includes Dal Bati, Desi Chhach, Mirchi Bada, Churmaa, Govind Gatta, Bajreka Kheech, Rajasthani Khichdi, Mutton Sula, Maas Bootha, Lal Maas and Bajreka Sogra.
You can also take excursions to Adhar Devi Temple, Guru Shikhar, Shri Raghunathji Temple, Achal Garh Temple, Shankar Math, Brahma Kumari Park, Gyan Sarovar, Peace Park, Gaumukh, Sunset Point, and Honeymoon Point.
The hotel is easily accessible. It is 185 km from Udaipur airport and 30 km from the railway station at Abu Road.
Poem: Lovely as a tree
A poem as lovely as a tree! It describes so aptly the hours I spent in the cool shade under old canopied trees, their leaves rustling in the wind, their branches glistening in the sunlight. Standing tall and proud, the way each branch reached out to catch the breeze so gracefully was both inviting and calming.
The simple yet powerful imagery of deep dark foliage has been a source of comfort and peace throughout my life. As lovely as a tree, remains an enduring symbol of strength and hope, a reminder of resilience and determination.
I am
A travelling stranger
Stopping by.
Catching my breath
On this unused bench.
I look around–
I feel a rush of rest,
Like I belong
Here,
In the arms
Of this ancient Banyan tree.
I’m tiny,
As I nest under
This giant sunshade,
Old, old,
As can be.
Thick and silver
Knotted branches
Spread low, low,
Just above my head.
I can reach out,
Touch its rough
Aged, ringed surface.
Rest against a branch
U turned into the earth.
My body echoes the deep sigh
Released by
Hanging roots.
Like sculpted pipes
Pulled straight down
By gravity,
Into crusted black rocks
And boulders
In search of earth.
A soft breeze rustles
Resting leaves.
They move
Before turning over
Into sleep.
The sky,
Clean and washed,
Sparkles through
Each green leaf cluster,
Fresh and silently watchful.
The sound of squirrels,
Bird calls, tweets, and chants
Break the stillness.
Now and then
Wafting shrub scents
Tease the senses,
Which have gently settled
In a rare repose.
I breathe,
The tree breathes.
It’s just a moment
In a sun-drenched winter garden,
Painted with wild colours
Of Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, and ferns,
High in the hills of Abu.
– Kamal Gill
Connaught House, Mt. Abu
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