It was about four degrees when I arrived at Amaya, a hotel located on the outskirts of Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district. A two-minute walk through the stone-paved pathway brought us to our Chalet suite, which stands tall amidst 20 acres of terraced forests that face snow-capped mountains in the distance. The mountains were unfortunately covered by stubborn clouds that refused to move. Regardless, I was excited to immerse myself in the lap of nature, having arrived from the chaos of the city.
Local Minimalism
Stepping inside our suite – which blended seamlessly with its surroundings–I immediately began to relax thanks to the clean, minimal interiors. The walls were constructed with brick and local stone but finished in lime plaster, giving it a natural effect. The rest of the suite featured marble, stone and wood to create a soft and organic living space. The bed and study area face the doors that open to the view of hills and trees. But then I realised something was missing – there were no curtains! It was pointed out to me by the General Manager that this is intentionally done, and there’s no need for curtains; the marble window panes and doors naturally allow and block light to protect your privacy. You won’t even find a TV in your room because Amaya wants you to disconnect. An outside porch lets you lounge with a hot cuppa to gaze at the breathtaking view and submit yourself to nature.
Everything at Amaya is built with some thought in mind. A project that took ten years, the property was brought to life by its founder, Deepak Gupta. With no formal training in hospitality, Gupta gave up his well-paying corporate job to create a space that is an escape to nature and something that lies close to his heart. “Amaya is a place where people can step off from their busy lives and possibly pause to re-connect with themselves,” he shares. Amaya offers just that and more–the mist that cloaks the mountains at dawn, a home where the night would bring a million stars to dazzle and a quiet place where you could slow down and rediscover life. Gupta roped in award-winning architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai to help bring this ambience to life.
For Amaya, Jain looked at the villages around Kasauli, studying the materials and techniques employed to make its oldest structures. Every material has a relationship with nature. Everything is built around the trees without disturbing the natural habitat. The roofs of the villas, suites and chalets are made of recyclable copper. “Strip those off, recycle them and 50 years down the line, nature will take over the hotel,” Gupta says. It doesn’t get more sustainable than that.
Foraging Walk
After catching up on some rest, my getaway continued in the cradle of nature with a farm walk. The hotel’s passionate horticulturist, Hemraj, took me on a tour of the hotel’s farm, where all the seasonal fruits and vegetables are grown. It began with the strong whiff of lemongrass, which, upon breaking its leaf, released a scent that left a larger impact than my favourite perfume. I went on to bite into some of the freshest leaves and stems, something I’d never considered doing back in the city. But in the hills where the air is fresh, everything tastes better, even when raw. Hemraj plucked some winter peas, which were so crisp and juicy. But it was the pea pods that came as a sweet surprise, quite literally. Back home, we end up throwing away the pods. But at Amaya, ways are found to incorporate the pods and other vegetable scraps in dishes and drinks. While all the winter produce can find its way into meals, cocktails or even a fragrance, I won’t be surprised if Amaya makes its own slow-sipping gin someday, given that multiple juniper trees and botanicals are growing wild there.
Fresh Off The Farm
My walk ended with a Himachali Dham lunch in the middle of the forest. Dham is a celebratory feast in Himachal Pradesh and forms an integral part of weddings and other occasions, similar to the Kashmiri Wazwan. At Amaya, the Dham takes a modern yet local approach. Sitting on our table with the bonfire to warm us up, we began with a beautifully cooked haldi patta-wrapped trout sourced from the Bilaspur trout farm. Then, we proceeded with a thali that consisted of multiple mouth-watering dishes whose ingredients were sourced from the neighbouring farm. Chef Prerana Bandal came to take us through all its constituents. Seasonal saag was made from bichubutti (nettle) leaves that were foraged in the morning and mixed with methi and sarson to balance it. Madra, or black dal, is lightly spiced and mixed with curd. Khatte or Auriya kaddu (pumpkin) is lightly tempered and cooked with tamarind and jaggery. I loved digging into the classic aloo mattar and bhedu (sheep meat) with black wheat roti, makai ki roti and sornu rice cooked in whey water.
In a nutshell, seasonal produce and local ingredients are at the forefront of Amaya’s culinary programme. Celebrated Chef Prateek Sadhu came on board to design the epicurean experience, and Chef Bandal and her team are now taking the lead. Besides Dham, you can also choose to dine at the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, where everything from Asian and Italian to Himachali preparations with locally sourced ingredients take centre stage. For instance, I indulged in a comforting ramen bowl that included freshly picked bok choy and shiitake mushrooms sourced from the Solan district (the region’s mushroom capital), as well as a risotto made from sornu and different varieties of mushrooms. One of my breakfasts included a take on the Himachali bread, Siddu. Traditionally stuffed with lentils and walnuts, this one was made with mushroom and cheese, and I devoured it unabashedly.
Innovating And Preserving
While Amaya’s menu brings the farm-to-table concept alive in its truest sense, it also relies on the art of fermentation. “ Amaya’s menu is a mix of what’s available in the current season and what’s preserved or fermented from the previous seasons,” Chef Bandal shares. Flavours are tested in the Amaya Lab, where the chefs give a second life to ingredients. Interestingly, the lab was a gaushalla, which was the only structure that stood there before Amaya came into existence. Bijoy carefully considered that when designing the space, and it was later that the team at Amaya decided to transform this small shed into a space for storing and preserving ingredients. On my visit to the lab, my eyes opened up to another side of the culinary world, one that involves experimentation.
Chef Bandal patiently explained all that she was working on, and I’m equally fascinated and dumbfounded by the team’s innovative approach. For instance, apples can turn into kombuchas, vinegars and jams. Pine cones, when they are in their early stages of growth, when green, can be fermented with jaggery powder to make vegan honey. After the trouts are filleted, the head, gut and blood are preserved and made into a seasoning agent. Think of it as a substitute for salt. And then there’s a process of lacto fermentation that adds an umami flavour to ingredients like tomatoes and pumpkins. I got a taste of it when I dug into the lacto-fermented pumpkin crème brûlée at the restaurant.
Chef Sadhu, on the other hand, is very much attached to Amaya. His latest culinary venture, Naar, sits on the property and faces the Himalayas in the distance. There, I didn’t just sit for a 16-course fine dining experience but an enriching and insightful one that opened my eyes to the cuisine of the Hima- layas. From a peek into the Kumaoni dishes like Nimbu Saan and Kukla (Uttarakhand’s hand-pulled noodles) to the strong bread culture prevalent in Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, to the rich winter produce – sourced from Amaya’s farm and preserved in the lab – shone across all dishes, Naar gave me lessons on the food people eat in the mountains, which is beyond momo, pakodas and Maggi.
Amaya’s experiences go beyond its culinary programmes. Opt for a picnic set up on a quiet corner of the property where you can sip on tea, munch on cookies and watch the breathtaking sunset. The summers call for a dip in the gorgeous pool surrounded by pine trees, and it is the perfect spot to enjoy the golden hour. Step out of the property and stroll through the neighbouring Darwa village, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed because it reminded me of the slow and humble life that we often forget living in a fast-paced city. Plus, the locals welcome you with wide smiles and invite you to have tea at their home. A riverside picnic by the Gamberpul River awaits, where the Amaya team lays out a spread of snacks and prepares hot butter rum against the backdrop of the running stream and coniferous trees. And that’s not all. Gupta is set to introduce a wellness programme with a spa, yoga, meditation, and other facilities to rejuvenate yourself.
Trail Mix
Amaya is not just another retreat that’s tucked in the hills but one that allows you to disconnect as well as reminds you of what nature offers and how it’s important to respect and cherish it. Call it another gift from nature, but on the day I left the hotel, I was blessed with yet another sight–the fog finally gave way to clear skies and exposed the snow-capped peaks in the distance, the crown jewel of Amaya. I didn’t even pull out my phone to get a photo because that view will remain etched in my memory forever.
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