[Reader-list] A Luxury Villa on the Ganges - or: Globalisation in One Country ; -)

[Patrice Riemens]

Original to The Wall Street Journal (what else?)
http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/02/10/a-luxury-villa-on-the-ganges/



A Luxury Villa on the Ganges
By Reenita Malhotra Hora

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 photos)
("Each villa at the Riverfront includes a living room with fireplace and a
rooftop deck with hot tub")

“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 community for a US$1
million each. They are listed by Saffronart, a Mumbai-based real-estate
agent.