By Neeraj Nanda
MELBOURNE, 25 February: India is never one thing, says Aman Nath, historian, poet, restorer and founder and Chairman of Neemarana Hotels. Aman who has with Francis Wacziarg acquired over 25 heritage properties in India and converted them into hotels after restoration was speaking at a lecture in Melbourne University organized by the GNG Events and the Australia India Institute (AII).
Aman detailed India’s heritage journey in his power point presentation with a touch of philosophy did not mince words with his lucid style. His presentation reflected the diversity of monuments, dresses, colors, philosophy, fashions, people, languages, cultures, seasons, ethnic groups and much more. It had the Dilwara temples (Mount Abu), TajMahal (Agra), Dwarka (Gujarat), Ellora Caves (Maharashtra) among others connecting them to the statement that “India is never one thing.”
Aman’s presentation concluded with the quotation of Mathama Gandhi – “Find purpose and the means will follow”.
A brochure of Neemarana Hotels distributed at the presentation says, “Experience authentic India – in a panorama of 700 years… not an India made superficially aseptic for tourists. The 20 Neemrana ‘non-hotel’ hotels give you a true flavour of India.”
“We introduce you to India’s history, traditions and regional aesthetic in a very natural way. Each Neemrana property showcases the culture of that region – its dress, its cuisine, its people who are the soul. Come share real India. Live in the architecture built by Rajput, Sikh, Maratha, Jat and Muslim rulers. Neemrana has also restored colonial properties from the 16th to the 20th centuries: Danish, Portuguese, Dutch, English, and Scottish”, says the brochure.
Full details can be accessed at www.neeranahotels.com.
All this looks interesting. History remains a controversial but potent subject. One can always give a different methodology. The mix of history, heritage restoration, and business, basically, is Aman and Waczaiarg’s project. I am sure apart from everything else it is passion. Not a bad idea in a troubled world.