Munna faultlessly follows Naseem’s voice commands. Naseem holds the reigns in his hands but rarely has to use them and instead he regales us, his carriage guests, in trivia about the enormous estate we are in and its owner – the Maharaja of Banaras. The ensemble of Munna-Naseem-Carriage lend itself to the estate, which is an oasis in the heart of the organised chaos of Varanasi. I am at Nadesar Palace; a unique Taj Hotel. Unique because with just 14 rooms and suites spread over 40 acres of orchards and lawns, it is bewilderingly boutique and overwhelmingly opulent at the same time. If you know the grand palace hotels and large scale modern ones of Taj, you will realise what I mean.

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Taj acquired to run Nadesar Palace from the Maharaja almost a couple of decades ago and spent over a decade polishing the jewel. What dazzles now is a stately colonial-styled building with lavish drawing and dining rooms, verandahs with verdant views and oversized suites, all studded with original artefacts and memorabilia from the personal collection of the Maharaja. The suites, named after dignitaries who once stayed in them (mine was ‘The Mountbatten Suite’), themselves bring about cheers in delight with its lofty ceilings, four poster silk-draped beds, banarsi brocade fabric and even canary yellow or dusky pink chrome-clawed bathtubs. 

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There is a peculiar food fact about the Maharajas of Banaras that is curious: they always follow vegetarian Saatvik Diet and they have always eaten alone. That is right, nobody (including the wife!) should witness them while eating and that is true for the present 10th Maharaja Anant Narain Singh known as ‘Kashi Naresh’. He studied cooking at Taj Kitchen in Bombay and has managed many a banquets yet no one has ever seen him eat. His food is always prepared by Bihari Thakurs who have served the family for centuries. His personal chef lays the food for him at an appointed time and leaves the room, letting the Maharaja have his meal in utter isolation.

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Taj Nadesar Palace, of course, offers a variety of cuisine that Taj is legendary for, however the F&B Managers are swift to suggest Saatvik. The local cuisine as is finger-licking (literally) good, and forms a part of the menu. For breakfast I enjoyed stuffed sattu parartha with generously stuffed red chilly pickle, kachori-sabzi (favourite breakfast on Banarsis) and perhaps one of the creamiest lassis I have ever had in a kulhad. I just had to skip lunch but then on treat was an Indian version of high-tea, with bhajiya-samosa-laung lata and masala chai!

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Before that indulgent breakfast I had procrastinated getting out of my bed. I managed to prepare my espresso and found myself stepping out of my first floor suite into the veranda, following a melodic tune of the flute that floated across the benign breeze. I looked down below and saw the artist under a canopy practice his art. We exchanged a glance and nodded to each other as I reposed on the arm chair, soaking in the break of day and straining to see across the orchards the twin palms (my first!) I had seen. The previous morning was the same ritual except instead of the flutist it was the strumming of the sitar that had lead me to the veranda. I could get used to this living.