Restored Rambha: A jewel in Odisha's crown

Heard of restored palaces? If you are a fan of heritage havelis and vintage vibes, then Rambha Palace in Odisha is just meant for you

- NAMRATA KOHLI

Many of us born in the late 70s, early 80s were fed on narratives of history (books) which showcased our past as a series of defeats—one where we were constantly plundered, conquered and overpowered—sometimes by the Mughals, at other times by the British. The stories were more of conquest than valour, of plundering rather than pride, of regret than revival.

But today there are quite a few efforts being made to instill pride in our heritage, in our roots and culture. Going to Rambha Palace, a meticulously restored 18th-century heritage property, on the banks of Chilika Lake in Odisha was an exercise in diving deep into Oriya culture. The architectural nuances, lotus-petal motifs, terracotta installations, ikat weaves, Dhokra tribal metalwork—and even the authentic local Oriya thali with as many options in non-vegetarian (esp seafood) as vegetarian (saag sabzi, fermented curd rice, kathal achaar)—all this offered an insight into the rich Odisha heritage.

The restoration of a 200-year-old palace property into a lakefront hotel was the dream of Himangini Singh, Co-founder of Hunch Ventures, New Delhi based venture capital fund. Hunch Ventures took over this property in 2018 after and then followed a six-year restoration project, led by Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte, a protégé of Geoffrey Bawa. It was inaugurated as a boutique hotel on Utkal Divas (Odisha Foundation Day held on April 1, 2024) by former chief minister Naveen Patnaik.