Heritage haveli

Place: UNCHAGAON

A leisure resort in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, Fort Unchagaon is a largish old haveli in the middle of nowhere. An early 20^th century haveli, it is now a hotel.

The imposing entrance to Fort Unchagaon

Reaching it will not be easy at all – we took a road trip till Garhmukteshwar, and then a boat ride down the Ganga. Now this may sound interesting, unfortunately the mighty river in this stage of her life is rather staid. On both banks all you can see are grey bluffs and some crops in the field if you have taken the right season, read winter. It is a really long journey by boat, and if you stop by the rather picturesque island along the way, the journey only becomes longer. But entire worth it as it is a relief from the grey waters and banks. If you are a couple on a romantic trip, better not have disagreements, for the two of you is all the company you shall get!

And be warned, despite the boatmen claiming there are river dolphins in this stretch, you will encounter them more in the way you meet tigers in a tiger reserve. “Pug marks are all I ever see, and on this journey at least, this is how I saw the dolphins. However, to be fair, I did see the dolphins on a later trip in this stretch!

Disembarking after what seemed endless hours on the boat, hungry and tired – the chips and other goodies had been on different boat, we made to the banks again, only to discover there was another road trip, and this time through almost non existent roads!

Anyhow, reaching this tiny hamlet dominated by this haveli was a bit of an anti climax – the interiors are all dominated by erstwhile semi rajahs whose only passion seems to have been to decimate fauna in the area. The walls are lined with tiger, deer and other animal heads, and that is definitely not my preferred interior decoration motif.

It turned out that the rooms are pretty large, and draughty, and if at the end of haveli, can be spooky as well. Given that it is an old palace, not all amenities are as updated as you would want them to be. And no, there is no TV in the rooms! Food is standard fare, ordinary north Indian. Alcohol is local or strong beer. Despite the increase in tourism in India, this little hole in the wall has not yet caught on, and people stare when you step out of the haveli.

The lawns are easily the best part of the haveli. As there is not much else to do, prepare to entertain yourself!