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THEY SAY THAT you take a piece of home with you when you travel. But it's rare to find that piece of home outside of you while travelling — especially when it's on a hill overlooking the Middle Himalayas next to a forest. Jungle House, a 19th-century former royal holiday home located at 7,700 feet on Jaku Hill, Shimla, once belonged to Princess Kusum of Bharatpur, Rajasthan, my home state.
Rajasthan is renowned for its impeccable hospitality, and we found a bit of both — home and hospitality — at Jungle House. Now owned and managed by Princess Kusum's grandson Karan Singh, Jungle House has retained its Rajasthani roots while also embracing its British culture. We're told Princess Kusum discovered the property while going on a picnic up the hill. While she acquired the property as a holiday home, her son's nanny also fell in love with the former owner and got married.
Since Jungle House has witnessed the British Raj, Independence and the birth of Himachal Pradesh, it has weaved in cuisines from both colonisers and locals in its menu. As we entered the property at around 4 pm, we were welcomed by their tradition of the British afternoon tea. Piping hot tea was served with a three-tier dessert stand populated by homemade scones, carrot-walnut cake slices, and lemon tarts on each level respectively — so quintessentially English. But representing the Indian influence, delectable chutney sandwiches and assorted pakoras weren't far behind.
Even as we retired to our room — the Holly Suite, a level below the dining area — the sipping and munching didn't stop. Masala makhanas, salted shakarparas, and mini kesar cake rusks made for the ideal tidbits as we unpacked, washed down with sips of ginger tea every couple of minutes or so. A leisurely siesta later, we were summoned back to the dining hall for the aperitivo hour, a sundowner session. The serving trolley, which displayed peach and apricot jams made with the family’s heirloom recipes, now boasted a host of liquor bottles to pick your poison from.
Over clinks of glasses, we went down memory lane to Rajasthan with Karan and his son Man Singh. (This gold-winning rifle shooter keeps frequenting our hometown of Jaipur for his rounds at the Jagatpura Shooting Range in Jaipur.) An hour later, the hosts kindly left us to enjoy a quiet dinner prepared by their chef John. Vegetarian delicacies of the Himachali cuisine — stuffed brinjals, sweet-and-sour pumpkin, thick rajma gravy, garlic rice, and lachha paratha — were accompanied by what they christened “Bharatpur chicken”.
Dollops of ghee and lots of spice, as is customary in Rajasthan, were blended with honey and dry fruits to arrive at a sumptuous hot-and-sweet gravy prepared to cook the partridge hunted by the kings of Bharatpur. The sweet treats didn't end with the honey in Bharatpur chicken, as the dinner was followed by a heavenly bottomless biscuit pudding. That meal encapsulated the confluence of cultures Jungle House proudly claims to be — a Rajasthani traditional dish, local Himachali delicacies to go with it, and a classic British dessert to put you off to sleep.
An equally lavish breakfast waited for us at the other end of a comfortable eight-hour sleep. The erstwhile crystal candlestand on the table that had watched over us as if to ensure we were eating properly, had been replaced by a glass bowl filled with bright, assorted flowers floating in water. As we waited for the hot breakfast, we spread their homemade mango chutney on the crackers from their cheese platter for a yummy snack to go with the tea. I'm glad we didn't fill ourselves up — as the breakfast spread comprised paneer parathas, eggs benedict and fluffy pancakes, paired with apricot and plum jams.
Since we had to make space for the next meal, we went for a 700 metre walk up the Jaku Hill to visit the famous Hanuman temple, where the lord is said to have halted on his way to fetch Sanjivani Booti in the Ramayana. Food was a strict no-no, thanks to the notorious monkeys. By the time we got back, we were as hungry as the apes. Lunch was a refreshing change from the local food: Penne all'arrabbiata, sautéed vegetables, a Caesar salad, and — my favourite — mashed potato, which was simple, buttery, and unbelievably smooth.
In case you need to burn some of those calories during the day, you could either go for a scenic 3 km walk down to Mall Road (and *not* have the pocket chhola-kulcha from the streets as we did). If you feel more adventurous than touristy, the Jungle House peeps will be happy to drive you to Naldehra, where you can visit one of India's oldest and highest golf courses, or have a lovely picnic amid daisies, surrounded by deodar trees. If you need a guide, they'll get Mr Sanjay along, a seasoned professional who's worked with the likes of The Wildflower Hall in Shimla.
We chose to go easy on the dinner, and Chef John was happy to tweak his menu accordingly. A flavourful potato celery soup and a fresh apple salad was all we needed — or so we thought, until he presented us with a rice pudding. There was also a rich gajar ka halwa. Clearly, Jungle House has something for everyone — whether you have a continental palate, a sweet tooth or a threshold for spice, vegetarian or vegan, a binger or a light eater, an adventurer or a homebody. For us, it was a home away from home — where we learnt more about the footprint and heritage of our culture, and how it's seamlessly mingled with other cultures while retaining its precious core.
Near Forest Hill Rd, Jakhu, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001
