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The Old Touch
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Chandra Mahal Haveli
Peharsar,
Jaipur - Agra Road,
Nadbai, Bharatpur - 321001
Rajasthan, India
Tel: +91 5643 264336
Email: reservations@anantara.in
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Considerable renovation and refurbishing has been carried out to restore the Haveli, in fact the name is itself a later addition. The best thing about the rooms of the haveli is that all the care has been taken to keep them as traditional as possible. To top it all, you don't miss out on any comfort or any modern facility.
The rooms are small, basic but comfortable and decorated with local fabrics and the walled garden ensures complete serenity. The best time of year to visit is October to March.
Peharsar is very well located on the tourist circuit. You have easy access to places like Fatehpur Sikri, Agra and of course the Keoladeo Ghana Bird sanctuary. Apart from these well known spots there are several lesser-known, almost obscure places that make for interesting excursions.
The village presents a lifestyle, which so many of us city dwellers have never experienced - the pace, the images, and the ambience. It certainly makes for a relaxing change and yet one runs the risk of romanticising and drawing a few oversimplified comparisons. Places like these are usually very popular with foreign tourists as with Indians.
What is today a sleepy little village is said to have once been a flourishing commercial centre. One obvious result of prosperity was the building of havelis, or large medieval houses. Today, most of these are desolate, crumbling structures long past their days of glory. Evening at the haveli is a peaceful, romantic affair, with a few rustic tunes thrown in to liven things up.
A new morning, a new beginning, a new quest as the peacocks sang an ode to life,” I set out for another journey”........
Accommodation
The Chandra Mahal Haveli, has 4 Terrace Rooms and 19 well appointed Double Rooms with attached bath, running hot and cold water.
The rooms strike a perfect balance between all the modern amenities essential to comfort, and traditional styling.
Antique furniture, stained glass windows and niches set into the walls for keeping personal belongings, all serve to enhance the experience of the lifestyle of that period. The suits open out into private verandahs fitted with jhulas; an ideal place to unwind after a hectic day of sight seeing.
"PEHAR"SAR
There is an interesting story about how the village got its name. Two generals of Sultan Mahmud conquered the village in the space of three hours or what is a "Pehar" and hence the name Peharsar. The Chandra Mahal haveli was originally built in the 1860s by the Shia nobility that came to live here. Peharsar eventually became part of the Kingdom of Bharatpur. It is said that for generations the elite of medieval Peharsar held prominent positions in the society and administration of the area from being Vazirs to the Maharaja, to holding high offices under the British.
Built amidst a village untouched by modern life, the Haveli affords you a feel of the real India.
Take a camel cart ride or spend time browsing through Peharsar; meet weavers, potters, women at the village well, and experience the day to day life in rural India.
Folk Music and Cultural show (only for groups), Village excursions on Camel Carts or by way of a pleasant walk with native escort and Jeep Safaris. Visit to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and also to Deeg Palace can be arranged.
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