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Le Sutra — the first Indian Art Hotel
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Friday, 16 April, 2010, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Imagine a hotel that provides physical comfort, peace of mind and solace to the soul! Yes, now one can experience it in Mumbai!
Le Sutra, described by the promoters, the Bajaj Group, as the first Indian Art Hotel, is a journey in time and into India’s philosophy and spirituality. And they promise to make one’s stay here for either a night, a week or for a longer duration full of learning, of discovery and of romancing the beauty of Indian art. With so much to take away, the mind is enriched and the experience brings about a mind-body-soul communion.
The hotel induces one to explore more about India’s culture and traditions. India has a great culture and that is used in designing every aspect of the hotel. Every element in the hotel has a story from India’s past and a meaning attached to it.
Sutra in Sanskrit is a rope or thread that hold things together and Le Sutra is the thread that binds Indian art /culture and hospitality together.
The three-storeyed hotel situated at Union Park, Khar West, Mumbai, may be described in one word as Nirvana. It portrays the three universal Gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Each of the 16 rooms is based on characters like Ravana, Asoka, Buddha and characteristics of sensuality, love, purification etc. inspired from Indian culture. Every room is a virtual canvas where the story forms the guest experience. It is subtly through art — paintings, artefacts, chairs, inlays and sculptures, narrating their part, showcasing diverse themes and philosophies.
The reception is based on the concept of “kundalini” and the lift is based on the “charkas.” Take a look at some of the rooms. The Prakriti (nature) room signifies nature at an ethereal level. The highlight of the room is freedom from the mundane through various steps to the journey of light. One needs to shed his attachments as he climbs higher to unlock the doorway to enlightenment. The Nirvana (Buddha) room showcases Prince Siddhartha’s journey to becoming Gautama Buddha. The dove and the hand on the cupboard tell us that one needs to control the flighty mind and prevent it from being caught up in the flights of fantasy. The Mandala (or Yantra) Room is a symbolic geometric representation of the cosmos. Meditating on it one can reach deeper levels of the unconscious, giving a sense of oneness with the universe. This room showcases Shri Yantra, the Instrument of Wealth. Reverence to this yantra pushes the limits of growth both materialistically and spiritually. It has that unexpected force to fulfill all wishes by harnessing the inner cosmic power and mental strength. The hotel has two art galleries where exhibitions will be held regularly.
Talking to Food & Beverage News, its promoter Arjun Bajaj says, “The idea was to build a hotel and put it on the hospitality map of the country. We explored various concepts and one of them was art. We thought the story has to be India’s culture and its philosophy. We wanted to tell the story in an art format in a very contemporary style of art.” Once the concept was finalised, the interpretation of the rooms was the brainwave of Rahul Bajaj, the 22-year-old son of Arjun Bajaj, sopme four years ago. The hotel was then designed by a company called Busride and the project executed by Dr Art to Design.
Le Sutra has a popular restaurant, Out of the Blue, cited by Cornell-Nanyang in their Best Practices survey and Fodors Choice, serves sizzlers, fondue and fun. Olive Bar & Kitchen, with awards from Conde Nast and Golden Plate, is the Mediterranean lounge bar and restaurant, and Deliciae, the dessert shop. The group owns Palm Beach Hotel, overlooking the Bay of Bengal, in Visakhapatnam, with its own private beach.
For this unique experience, the guests will be charged a room tariff of Rs 9,000-10,000 per night. Says Bajaj, “My idea is to find a way to add another dimension to hospitality and that I would like to call reflective living. I think we are in a position to start the game of providing hospitality to the body, mind and soul. And what we begin now in time to come will become a necessity by discerning customers.”
“If we can change at least one client to a higher thinking, what a great hotel it will be,” quips Bajaj.
Even before the rooms are ready for occupation, the hotel has created a curiosity and there is a regular flow of celebrities like Anjolie Ela Menon, Mallika Sarabhai, Priya Dutt, Kiran Juneja, Neena Gupta, Chunkey Pandey Amrita Rao, Sharman Joshi, Koel Purie, to name a few, to feel the incredible experience.
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