Hotel Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, Rajasthan, 2016

Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, in its new avatar, retells the story of the last reigning Maharaja of Bikaner, His Highness Narendra Singhji (1948 - 2003). Born on the cusp of a New India, when the old order had not entirely been replaced by the new, the young Narendra Singhji was coming into his own, fashioned by the flavours and privileges around him. Having absorbed a life of royal patronage he turned his gaze away from the lifestyle of his forefathers, put aside his majestic material heritage along with his past legacies and established this novel residence in keeping with his new tastes and vision. The Bhawan thus celebrates a life's passage through time, from that of a royal birth to the makings of a global bon vivant and from then on to an advocate of liberty who fully embraced the idea of a new, democratic India. Set in an urban landscape, this Residence today is an independent Design Hotel and it possesses a one-of-a-kind legacy, a set of curated experiences that should be preserved, maintained, and allowed to flourish.

Designer: Ayush Kasliwal