Thanjavur Time-Travel

A 100-year heritage family home transformed into a luxury boutique stay by Bharatanatyam dancer-architect Krithika Subrahmanian is a gateway to Dravidian culture

- ASHNA LULLA

Svatma is the first boutique luxury S offering in Thanjavur, home to the 1000-year-old Brihadeeswarar temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. The property, formerly the family home of Carnatic musician Rama Kausalya, underwent nearly a decade of restoration spearheaded by the owner, Bharatanatyam dancer and architect Krithika Subrahmanian.

"In a city steeped in history, famous for Chola art and architecture, Tanjore masterpieces, veena artisans and exquisite bronze sculptures, my aspiration for Svatma was to preserve Thanjavur's illustrious legacy and offer the discerning 21st-century traveller an immersive experience reminiscent of staying in a cherished ancestral home," says Krithika. Christened Svatma, 'sva' meaning one's own, and 'atma' meaning soul. The property promises visitors a personal, sensory and emotional exploration of the region's extraordinary vernacular architectural heritage.