Press Release - Fort Unchagaon
FORT UNCHAGAON: Where history is a living experience
Fort Unchagaon is a living witness of ancient glamour
and valour. It was inherited by the present Raja Surendra Pal
Singh at the age of ten. The young prince put
substantive efforts to develop and maintain this ancestral
property. The Singh family was Jat zamindars who received the
Fort from the British in 1859, for loyalty during the first
Indian war of Independence. The young heir took personal
interest in the maintenance and preservation of this ancestral
residence. This palace was renovated under his guidance and this
is evident in the influence of early 20th century blend of
Indian and colonial architecture. Being the private domicile of
a prince, the décor is authentically aristocratic.
This majestic fort is now managed and operated by
Leisure Hotels. A host of modern amenities have been introduced
at the fort, where the royal family still lives in one section,
making it a perfect spot for family or friends’ getaways.
The imposing white façade of SURYA MAHAL is surrounded by
well-manicured, lush verdant lawns. The décor with
its understated elegance is a reflection of the time, when style
remained a way of life. Passing through the corridors, one is
struck by muted opulence of its interior decors, another
aristocratic feature of the palace.
Just about an hour’s drive from the bustling town of
Bulandshahar, near Garhmukteswar in UP, it is a mere 110 kms
from New Delhi. On the way to Unchangaon, falls Garhmukteswar
that is a small temple town on the west bank of the Ganga, where
people come to immerse the ashes of the departed. Garhmukteswar
is also the spot, where according to the Mahabharata, King
Santanu met the river goddess in her human form; and it is here
on this mystic river, that you could, perchance, wash away your
city-self and begin to fall in love with your inner-self again.
The journey takes you about 45 kms upriver and shows you
something you’ve probably never seen before. Usually our
only encounters with the Ganga have been on the ghats of some
religious town or on the rapids of a river-rafting run.
An Architechtural Marvel
One has to drive past sugarcane fields, through the village to
reach the majestic entrance of the elegant Fort Unchagaon which
is three kilometers away from the ghat. You will come across
well-bred Peshawari horses swishing their impressive tails,
well-manicured gardens and, of course, the resident princes,
striding around in riding boots or lounging nonchalantly by the
flower-trellised gazebo.
The Colorful Bazaar Experience
The Fort has been restored to provide comfortable
accommodation, whilst retaining the atmosphere of a bygone area,
filled as it is with antique furniture, historical photographs,
old hunting trophies, a snooker table, etc. The village of
Unchagaon is also fascinating, and an afternoon walk reveals
traditional activities such as pottery and jaggery making. A
stroll through the colourful Saturday bazaar or a visit to the
potter’s village is a must. Not only do they reflect the
true flavour of an Indian village but one can also make an
interesting piece of pottery for oneself and take it home.
The Temple Experience
The nearby ancient temple of Avantika Devi at the Avantika
Ghat, famous for Dolphins, tucked away among the trees on the
banks of river Ganges, is a private picnic spot, where one can
bask in solitude, thinking up new corporate strategies or simply
relax with a book or walk along the river beach
Horse Riding
Sitting on the back of a Peshawari horse gives you a royal
feeling. A ride on these horses of the fort is an experience in
itself. The trained horses are used for non competitive
recreational riding in and around the fort. These horses are
available for both guided and independent riding.
Tractor Ride
Enjoy a tractor trailer ride and prepare for some gentle-fun as
the journey takes you to the unexpected turns. The tractor ride
will take you back to the carefree childhood days. It takes you
alongside the large mango orchards and farms which no one should
give a miss.
Bullock Cart Ride
The villagers of Unchagaon entertain their guests with a
traditional Savari on the bullock cart. The small trip on the
bullock cart reminds you of a remote village scene which we all
have seen in movies. This unique and comfortable journey takes
you to sight seeing in the village
Entertainment
For those who love cricket, there is a
special cricket ground where the guests can enjoy their own
version of 20-20. The hotel gives special prizes to the winners
which can be as exciting as a vacation to yet another beautiful
property of Leisure Hotels. The setting in of dusk makes the
evening fun-filled with star-gazing activities and rural folk
dances and songs performances organized every weekend. Family
and children games such as antakshari, tambola, cards etc make
the environment lighter with cocktails and snacks doing the
rounds.
The weekend can be lazily spent basking in the solitude in the
warm sunshine, sitting beneath the orchard trees in the farm,
walking along the river, enjoying horse riding, walking through
the colourful village haat. If you love the indoors, you have
several options like billiards, squash, croquet, badminton to
name just a few.
All you need to do when you are at Fort Unchagaon is to switch
off that cellphone and enjoy the solitude and luxury of being
treated like a royal!
The Dolphin Experience
Amazingly, the boat cruise
shows you the Gangetic dolphins in the river here! Some 200 of
them apparently; an isolated group that has been trapped in this
stretch of the river due to dams both upstream and down.
Surfacing every three minutes or so for air, these freshwater
dolphins appear for just a few seconds, but their brief impact
is magical. Local people call the dolphins susu, a name that
mimics the noise they make when surfacing for air. These are
Platanista Gangetica, a riverine dolphin also seen in the
Chambal River, a nearby tributary of the Ganga. Sightings are
common here. The river also has a large population of hardshell
turtles that can be spotted under the bridge at Garhmukteswar
feeding on carcasses and debris from pujas.
WWF Dolphin conservation programme
The river dolphins
of India’s sacred Ganges River have been written into Hindu
religious tracts dating back thousands of years. So revered, the
Ganges River dolphin was one of the world’s first protected
species, given special status under the reign of Emperor Ashoka,
one of India’s most famous rulers in the third century BC.
Today, the Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is
protected once again under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act
(and internationally under the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the
Convention on Migratory Species). But, like other river dolphin
species around the world, it continues to remain under threat
from pollution, fishing and irresponsible river basin
management.
In this stretch of the Ganges, however, all is not lost as the
number of river dolphins has nearly doubled from 22 to 42 over
the past decade. WWF is doing a Dolphin conservation
program on this stretch of Ganges.
NOTE: In 1997, WWF-India developed a plan of action for the
conservation of the Ganges River dolphin. WWF’s objective
is to ensure that habitat degradation and fisheries bycatch do
not threaten any species of freshwater denizens. Specifically
for the Ganges River dolphin, WWF aims to reduce or eliminate
the threats caused by fisheries bycatch and habitat degradation
by 2012.
Accommodation
Fort Unchagaon features 23 deluxe double
rooms and suites, each well appointed with modern furniture and
offering a panoramic view of the city. There is an additional
provision featuring recreational activities and games for the
guests.
Activities
- Bullock Cart Ride
- Horse Riding – Peshawari breed horses.
- Artisan Display.
- Orchard & Farm Visit.
- Folk & Cultural Performances.
- Boat Ride (Proposed)
- Walk through village haat.
Other Activities / Gaming Options
- Jogging Tracks
- Billiards
- Squash
- Pony-Cart rides for children
- Badminton
Location
Fort Unchagaon is a heritage hotel located,
40 kms off the Dehi-Moradabad Highway near Gurhmukteshwar (Uttar
Pradesh, India), 110 kms from New Delhi & 180 kms from Agra.
Fort Unchagaon is considered an ideal mid-way between Agra and
Corbett/Nainital and is situated near River Ganges, known for
sighting of Gangetic Dolphins and its proximity to an ancient
temple of Avantika Devi.
By road
The village lies on the route to Garhmukteswar on the
Moradabad- New Delhi National Highway. Unchagaon falls on left
diversion off the highway when taking a route from Brijghat.
