Once upon a time, as the winds of change merged the sands of Jodhpur State with the Republic of India, ‘Narlai’ got lost in the sandstorm of time. The new life demanded new priorities & the fate of fringe properties like ‘Rawla Narlai’, a village bestowed upon Maharaj Ajit Singh as a gift by his older brother, the then reigning monarch of Jodhpur, looked rather bleak.

Hence, relegated to the family’s ‘real-estate attic’, the ‘back of beyond’ destination—-in those days a bone-rattling 5/6 hrs drive in a Ford or Willy’s Jeep—-began serving as a spartan camp-site occasionally visited by the family. Despite this play of fate, the battered & bruised ‘Rawla’ stood stubbornly in the face all odds for close to four decades in modern India.

Almost forgotten, but not quite!

One man with an unbelievable eye for ‘rustic treasure’ had already seen potential in this ruin, which, in spite of neglect, showed great character & exuded a magnetic charm. His imagination had already dug deep inside this ‘dilapidated’ goldmine & had envisioned a future for the ‘Rawla’ that nobody could have ever imagined.

Not surprisingly, this was none other than Maharaj Ajit Singh’s younger son, Swaroop, who eventually went on to become a foremost pioneer of the ‘Heritage Hotel’ industry & was considered a legend as an innovative  yet unorthodox architect.

There was no stopping this “rustic architectural” genius once he’d rolled up his sleeves. This was his creative muse & he was an obsessive artist! He embellished the property as one would a beautiful rustic bride, enhancing but never changing her intrinsic spirit & finally unveiled it in its full glory for the world to enjoy & cherish……‘Rawla Narlai’ was thus resurrected.