By Reenita Malhotra Hora
- Saffronart
Building beautiful homes has been part of property developer Aditya Lakhanpal’s life for some time. But a home on the Ganges River was something he always dreamed about.
A few years ago, Mr. Lakhanpal got his chance. (See slideshow.)
“There is only one Ganges in the world,” he says. “When I came across this pristine land…on the banks of the river itself, I decided to build a home not just for myself but also for others who aspire to live in the proximity of this ancient place of pilgrimage.”
Nestled between Rajaji National Park and the Chila hill range, about 230 kilometers northeast of New Delhi, sits the culmination of Mr. Lakhanpal’s dream — the Riverfront, a two-hectare lot with 12 private villas. Surrounded by trees, each villa has gardens landscaped with lily and lotus ponds and outdoor hot tubs.
The property is the first of its kind along the Ganges — where there are mostly ashrams and resthouses — and is about 15 minutes by car from Harkipauri (sometimes spelled Hadkipaudi), the main bathing spot on the river.
Nearby Rajaji National Park has a 34-kilometer nature trail accessible by Jeep or elephant ride. Also nearby is Asan Barrage, a birdwatcher’s paradise.
Each three-bedroom, three-bath villa is built on two levels. The lower level includes a dining room with Spanish-tile floors and large living room with a fireplace and a family room, which opens up to a private courtyard and outdoor deck that leads to the garden. A staircase leads up to the second level, which includes wood-floored bedrooms, and rooftop decks with private hot tubs.
The closest train station at Haridwar is a 20-minute drive, and the Dehradun Jolly Grant airport, which is served by most major commercial airlines in India, is about an hour’s drive. The property also has a helipad for residents who want to access it directly. Helicopter services from commercial providers are available from New Delhi and other cities.
Mr. Lakhanpal and his wife, Priya, live in New Delhi, an hour away by plane, and make weekend trips to their Riverfront home with their 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. “The kids love collecting pebbles by the riverbank or exploring the jungle trails in ATVs,” said Mr. Lakhanpal. “Last week, we saw the most beautiful Neelgai (a variety of antelope), on the riverbank. It was the perfect ending to our Republic Day holiday weekend.”
Five villas are currently available within the communiuty for a US$1 million each. They are listed by Saffronart, a Mumbai-based real-estate agent.
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The interiors are all very chill, but the grounds look like a prison camp. Beautiful views of 8ft concrete walls outside the windows of neat rows of barracks.
where is the view of ganges, if any?
Beautiful Villa