I remember coming across this image of The Kumaon a few years ago - this striking piece of architecture nestled amidst the Himalayas. I bookmarked it in my Instagram ‘travel’ folder….for someday.
So when the team connected, the timing felt serendipitous. Within the throes of my entrepreneurial life and an attempt to catch a breath in my city of Mumbai (et tu asthma), how could I possibly resist?
As I have grown older the marker of luxury has palpably shifted. The Kumaon gave me reason to pause. It reinforced what true luxury can feel like when stripped back to its intention with respect for the place you are rooted in. It was easy to understand why it has earned the recognition of a one Michelin Key. From its unhindered views of the Nanda Devi range, to the design philosophy guided by the environment underscored by Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural tropical modernism discipline led by Colombo-based Zowa Architects, and to crafting experiences that feel connected to the land and the people who have called the Nanda Devi region home for generations.
As I first walked through the mountain’s winding roads to The Kumaon and its staggering views of the second highest peak - Nanda devi revealing itself, it was a reminder of the beauty of life itself. It sounds existential, I know. But perhaps places like these make you remember your reason to exist for moments greater than ourselves. The Kumaon is a ten chalet luxury boutique hotel built of stone and bamboo, created with intention. Shrouded by rhododendron forests whose flowers also made for a perfect welcome drink on arrival. The influence of Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural philosophy is evident. Adapted to the mountains, the architecture respects the landscape, allowing the forest and wildlife to co-exist. Given its close proximity to the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, the choices here feel guided by a deep respect for the environment. From the floor to ceiling windows in the chalets with uninterrupted views of the mountains, a walking distance from the main house with the cantilevered architectural restaurant, Amarath, serving homegrown kumaoni, a fire- warmed library complete with books collected over the years, and a spa housed with homegrown gutte ka tel (cold pressed apricot oil). Every corner felt considered.
What made it even more special were the four fur babies - Moon, Juno, koko and Elsa, each with their own personalities and stories. A special mention to the 2-year-old firebrand - moon who gave me a reason to not sleep and rightfully so. And with the kindness of the team/staff from the neighbouring villages, through conversations I walked away with a deeper understanding of the region that they call home.
The Kumaon homegrown thali & the Cantilevered hillside restaurant:
My limited understanding of Uttarakhand and its cuisine has been sown through conversations with the team at Boheco, who often spoke about ‘bhaang chutney’ in my learning and unlearning around the cannabis seeds. I have been curious about it, perhaps for the intrigue around its name, or my deep interest around food and its flavors and also for its cultural history of the land. To finally taste it was a revelation: it was a dance of nuttiness and tang of roasted hemp seeds ground with fresh herbs, lime and green chillies.
I would chase, intentionally, the wonderful chef of The Kumaon for the thali at odd timings even when it was not on the menu. It was my first tryst and love affair with kumaon’s cuisine. The ingredients were deeply connected to the land and its people. It was sourced from local villages or grown organically at The Kumaon with rainwater harvested to irrigate the land. The Kumaon thali tells the story of its people and traditions native to the Himalayan hills. From the bhatti ki churkani made of local soya beans, to the kafuli prepared with spinach or mustard leaves, paired with the bhaang chutney and kumaoni raita.
What felt unexpected was the familiarity to my odiya roots with the generous hand of mustard oil and the badi kadhi experiencing my favorite badi in a new form. And the thali is incomplete without the mandua ki roti made with local ragi (finger millet) which is a staple of the region and the ragi kheer to sweeten the devious deal.
The juxtaposition is what felt so interesting - the traditional Kumaoni thali served at the exquisite restaurant, that is an architectural feat in itself, as it cantilevers over the hillside with the majestic view of the Nanda devi. It felt like a new grammar for Indian luxury.
Beyond the walls of The Kumaon:
Treks don’t usually show up in my arsenal of spirited adventure. But I was persuaded by general manager Abhinav Trivedi to make the climb to the Kasar Devi Temple, led by Mr. Singh, my guide, who introduced me to a playful rhythmic chant of “ding dong” as I pushed my trekking stick into the mountain trail and navigated its narrow path en-route to the goddess. While I like to believe that I am agnostic, I was undeniably curious about the stories woven into its history and proverbial power of the devi adorned in Fuchsia pink.
Tales of the beetles, of Swami Vivekananda meditating here for months, and even of Steve Jobs finding inspiration in this region during his visit, whether mythology or stories passed down through generations all speak to the magnetic pull this place has on creative minds - and how could I not succumb to its possibility.
Closer to The Kumaon, the morning walk through the neighbouring villages across the hills with our furry guides Juno and Koko revealed the everyday rhythm of mountain life. Watching 75-year-old matriarchs effortlessly carry water up steep hills made me do two things - 1), a humbling look at the state of my knees and 2) it took me back to my childhood in my mother’s village on the border of Bengal and Odisha. It felt intimately familiar and yet distant given where I come from today. And finally an evening in Almora town revealed yet another layer of the region. The character of the town is shaped by its local shops and vivid markets. Khajanchi Bazaar was particularly unique with its architecture and streets, one that traces its origins back to the Chand dynasty, where it was home to wealthy merchants and moneylenders.
As the last night unfolded:
In the early days of my career, during my first internship at the BBC Mumbai bureau - my bureau chief told me that journalism and storytelling are rooted in the power of the questions we ask, and our instinct to keep learning and looking closer. My final evening at The Kumaon, I sat by the fireplace, the warmth gently lighting my face, surrounded by the crisp mountain air, accompanied by a Kumaon craft gin cocktail thoughtfully shaken by their mixologist, who had spent years in Oman before returning home, honing his craft and stories along the way.
The evening unfolded in conversation with Abhinav Trivedi who also moonlights as photojournalist (whose lens can be seen in the visual storytelling of The Kumaon). We spoke about the many intentional choices that he and the team continue to make - choices that are reframing what Indian (homegrown) hospitality and luxury can look like.
As I came down the mountain the next morning, and as I sit here writing this feature (something I rarely do), I find myself returning to the people behind The Kumaon and its sacred region. Beyond the quiet luxury nestled in the ranges, it was the people and will always be the people who are intentional enough to create , and committed enough to tell a different story.
You can learn more on their website here, and follow them on Instagram here.
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