MEDIA PARTNER Generational Wealth SEPTEMBER 2013 S$10.00 ᫲⼸JOURNEYS Ꮣ ᰭ 䶣 ㏔嗣ᰭ ຏ ࡻ ⮱ 䙿 Ꮔ ᅞ घ⮴იȡౕ ѼڒҀ 侹 ҂䅀 ຏ ࡻ嗣ᅞ ᓄڒ ⌞࢝࢝Ꮣ嗣㺮 Heaven & Earth ⮴იȡ᜾⮱ࢄ࢝Ꮣ͸᫲ϻ࢝Ꮣ䛹៶嗟-FFMB嗠䙿 Ꮔ䯳ఏᬄ̸嗀Ѻλⱌ๵嗟$IFOOBJ嗠হ⤚ߍ㒄ᅁ 嗟#BOHBMPSF嗠⮱͑უ⮴იᆂᐭȡࢄ࢝Ꮣ̺ᄾ̷≮ Ȩ䉘ℾܚߕ䘪㖇䯳ౕ䔆͑Ꮤ⮴იÿÿݺ㔲᭜≩ ჹ㓮ȩ๧̸͑Ꮤຒ᫜ࢎ⮱ⱌ๵҉ᰟუ"3៶ᰩͫ ∂࡜ ߋ⻮ϧ≫ᄦহⰈს⮱仃䔶嗲ऻ㔲᭜ప䭲ऺ≮ݺ పᕨ㐌㥕⻾命হ๘ϧጰ冮ᅩȠ᫲㒻࢝Ꮣᓰ▢ᄩጵ 冮᫜嗟5PNٸࣄ ΁ጰ៶嗟%FFQBL $IPQSB嗠হ↑໳ $SVJTF嗠᠉䃬࢝Ꮣᬣ⮱Ѽัȡ䛹៶⮴ი҉ͧ̓⩹ ͢ ᪝̭᪝ι⮱䶣㏔䙿Ꮔ嗣᭜ప䭲1SFGFSSFE䙿Ꮔ䯳ఏ ⮱჊ⴠȡ̷ۍ࢝Ꮣࢄ䘕ᰶᒵ็ჹͪയ⮴⮱⮴ი喑Όᰶ̺ᄾ̭䉘ຯ≄⮱䉘ℾ⿌ȡ ⮴ ౕᗙ₷⮱ጛ䌊̸喑ҍजВ⌞❞Ⴐ喑ΌजВᣖ䲏㔹䔰ȡѳ࢝ᏓϺ᭜ ᱗ᰫҀ侹࢝Ꮣፊ⮴⅁≫⮱䙿Ꮔ嗣䔅ⱌ̺ⴒ҂ ࣇ⮱᪴ࡃহࢳट⼜⋭喑໸㏵䃖ϧ≮䔋ȡ 䅀ຏࡻȡ࢝Ꮣϧ℁Ш҂ϧ䘪ᛯᓄຏࡻ嗣ЃЙ⮱ჹ⌞ڣ࢝Ꮣ喑҉ͧ᪴ᬻऑప喑 ㇫倀⮱㏜ₐহⱌ჋ᙌ嗣̺ч䃖ڒ⌞യ⮴ᰶ⻺ͪ LIM FONG WEI THE LEELA PALACE HOTELS AND GETTY IMAGES TEXT ᳄᫦ь PHOTO ϧ㻶ᓄ⊛๥㮇մȡ䔆Ό䯫ᕗ嗣ЃЙ⮱㵭⋟䛹≮Ɑ ⿸⠙㏗⮱⢸᱊嗣䉢⅁䯫㜗ᐰȡⰡݝᎡ̓͗܍ ⢸হፊڙ⢸ᬣ嗣࢝ᏓϺᰶ็͗䄥ౌ䗓嗣⩞̓А ᢛノ䓃ȡ࢝Ꮣ᭫䊘⢸᱊ज䔪⏜ݝ̓㏗嗣䏘Ҁޟ ٬٭Ɑ͚χ∏᫜হ㧆ऑ㵭㐌ȡ᜽शᕊↄऻ㸁㧆≯ ⢸ፊపڣӢ⪒࢝Ꮣ嗣᜽ͧ࢝Ꮣ๔ै嗟.BIBSBKB嗠嗣 Ⰸ㜠Ꭱ䓾̶͗̓㏗ȡ䔆ψ⢸᱊ڡ᱊ϻᎡ ⮱Ხᅪຏࡻ㜠ϷϺຯ偯㥓ᬔᷓ嗣ౕ䶣㏔䙿Ꮔ䛹䷻ ȡ⣝ںࡻ 䛹៶⮴ი䙿ᏄᎣ䲋⩞ᬔ⮴იᩦ䕍㔹᜽嗣㔹᭜ 䖢⚔࢝Ꮣऱౝ⮴ი⮱ᐧまহ㷲⒏➦㞟㔹ᐧȡ䛹៶ ⱌ๵⮴ი嗟-FFMB1BMBDF$IFOOBJ嗠ᐧౕ䄒ౝ⢸ 䉢᫼⮱⻮ϧౌౝ̷嗣ϻ㟞చ㘪䖒᱈䉢᫼⮱⻮უڙ ೻ൎȡ 㠒ҍ᭜͗ૉ❞㇫㜡㷲⒏⮱ϧ嗣䗐ҍΌч׼᜾ ჋㇫㜡ጟ̺䋠ڣᵤౕչ๔⮱䙿Ꮔ䛹≮䔋ᔅ䔁ȡ̭ ВᒏღЃЙ⮱㷲⒏嗣ₐ⶛⮱᭜嗱⃼̭͗㏳㞯䘪᭜ ᰭ倅㞧ᱜহጒ㞧⮱ᆂ⣝ȡ䛹៶ⱌ๵⮴იϻⱌ๵ܴ 㦯㏠ᓤ嗟$IFUUJOBE嗠䆗䗥ᐧま᪴ࡃ॥ः㇫ࡻ嗣ᆂ ⣝࢝Ꮣܴ㦯χᅁ᫼嗟$IFUUJBS嗣Ό⼝ᴡ᣽χ᫼嗠⮱ 䉢᫼䷻㠰ȡܴ㦯χᅁ᫼ᆋλ࢝Ꮣ̓㷚ఈ͗䭣㏔͚ ⮱ੳ䉤㇫㠞䭣㏔嗣ౕ࢝Ꮣ᠒ᰶሴ倅⮱ౝѺ嗣᭜ͨ ოহᒞ৺ࢄ࢝Ꮣ͝ჹэ㐌᪴ࡃ⮱▢偯᫼㓑ȡЃЙ ⩺ᬖᎡ侞㝦ᥧፓ࢝Ꮣ͝ჹ➖ϔݝ⊤ใϑᭀ嗣ិ̓ ऱౝ⮱䆗ࡻຏҵ৮ፓఋუ嗣ͧₑЃЙ⮱䆗䗥ВᲮ ᅪຏࡻ㦄ऺȡܴ㦯χᅁ⮱უ჈ຯ⻮ϧ̴ప㞧᏷嗣 䛹๡ҍ㘪ⰸݝᲒ㜗ᘼ๔ݖ⮱ጕ๔Ⅱᮣष▜Ƞ᪡ౕ 1 䲏ෆ⮱℁ݖᬣ䪉亝Ƞ㐲⩥⮱̷ぶᴇ᱕ȡܴ㦯χᅁ ใ⮱䊝᏷⮳⩞ऱ㞟䪣㟞๔⤳ⴠ㷲亝嗣๔䬕ᵳڲᅸ ᭜㏳㜡㇫䰂⮱㟞㏦嗣㒻䒛㒻๯ȡ (1) Built on 400 acres of land, the Bangalore Palace was used by the Mysore Maharaja as his family summer palace. Inspired by the Windsor castle, this palace, was completed in 1944 after 82 years, incorporated Tudor and Gothic 䔆ψٰ㉍䘪⋸⑀ᅪ㜡ౝҀ⣝ౕ䛹៶ⱌ๵⮴ ऐ⮱䱟๖䮏ၽ᭜̭䲏ጕ๔⮱Ⅱ↍嗣ڒelements beautifully rendered in the windows, foiled windows, courtyard and arches. Ꭱᐧ᜽⮱⤚ߍ㒄ᅁ⮴ი ი䛹ȡ䙿Ꮔ ऐȠᏚ䮏হ᠞䬕ぶх㒻ౝᆂ⣝䘪䧻হ⁹ᓤᐧ⿄ڣ᭜䓵㉏ᅁፊ⢸⮱฼႐㵹ი喑ᐧま▢ᙌः㜗㠞ప⍖㢻೻ൎ喑 ま䷻ᵩȡ ᭍⚔ෆ䲏̷ጕ๔⮱Ą⩌প͸ᴾą䰂ൾ嗣Ąᴾą̷䪣 (2) The courtyard of the Bangalore Palace is doused in vibrant and eye-catching coloured tiles. ⤚ߍ㒄ᅁ⮴იᏚ䮏 ቹ㨊჊ⴠ嗣๔യ䛹ళ≾ጕὪᒏ⮱ᴇ᱕ᴞӬ᭜ܴ㦯 ❵䛹ą䪉ٸใ⩞Ą᣽ڲ ㏠ᓤ䆗Ⴒ⮱➦㞟ȡსчࢲ 㞟ᒖ᪾ᫀ喑घ䃬჏侨䋠㻯䉼ȡ喍1IPUP᳄᫦ь (3) A blue-turbaned guardian god perches gracefully on his staff. The gopurams, or monumental towers decorated 㷲亝嗣䔆᭜ࢄ࢝ᏓᗍͲ⮱э㐌᝸㞧嗣䰭㺮ጒࡍϟ by sculptures of deities, at Kapaleeswara Temple, are a sight to behold. ࢎፂ䛹᫜⨓៶Ꮖ᭜࢝Ꮣⱌ๵ጯ͚ᓰᰭ๔⮱ ࢝Ꮣ⎬ཱི⺋ᏆȡᏆႴ倅ㆠ⮱ф⺋倅ඁ䬕亝̷ᰶ̭Ѻ㑍Ɑ㨊๡ጫ喑⟣ѩႵ៑Ҭ㔲⮱⩤⺋䲍ౕ⺋Є̷喑᝸ច ᝸̭ᄼ❴̭ᄼ❴ౝ䪣ቹ᜽̭᪡❴ෆ㝙๔ᄼ⮱❵ 倅ᠯ㠞ᅧ⮱Ⅱᮣष▜嗣䊝᏷̷℘̺᝸ڲᘠ喑⺋ᗲᴁহࣵᄷ䉢ȡ ఫȡࢲےڒⱭ㚛ൂ 92 ZbBz • ISSUE 48 ⩕᫑嗣ਜ਼Ф㒻䛾嗣ڙ 䒜ౝᠯⱭऑ㦐ጰ⩨嗣䃖Ѽ჏䉡䓾䉢᫼ⱌ䔦ȡ䙿Ꮔ ᠈❹ࢄ࢝Ꮣ丽亳+BNBWBS⮱⻮ϧ࠲࣏๖㟞Წ䛴⩕ Ν̭͗ऺ❹࠲࠲⮱Фᵩ ㏜䛾チহ䨣チ䰂㐅亝㟞嗣э㐌ጒࡍᓄ㟞䊲䓴 ᅲ♣㘪Νݝ䔆ࡻ㒻⮱㞧, ᭌ᱌ᬣ䬡㔽ᓰౝ̭ᅯ̭ᅯ㐅̷嗣ݣ䕍⿸Ҁ⮱⊛ ᱜ৮嗣➖䊲᝭թȡ̭ ⤚ 䰂᩵᳉ȡ ̸ ̭ 〆 ᜾ Გ ݝ ࢝Ꮣ᭜͗䉢䉞Ƞ䉘ჹहҀ⮱పᏓ嗣๖യহ܎ ߍ㒄ᅁȡ䔆䛹⼝ͧ࢝Ꮣ 䬡Ƞ⮴იহ䉘ℾ⿌ᅞౕ䏘⪁ȡ䛹៶ⱌ๵⮴ი䲏ा ⮱⵲䅤嗣⇎ϭ͵᫲⍥ᮜ 䛹䪬⮱␕⊤⇆␖嗣ຄᝬ⿄ऐ䲏ाႮ ◦嗣ᰭჹⰈऺ⮱䓵㉏ᅁڙڲⱌ๵ጯ 䲆⮱ႌߍ៶⎫嗣㻳㏬ϻठ⼺⼨ݝጓ嗣䉘ℾ⍁᱾᭍ ⮴ი嗟.ZTPSF1BMBDF嗠 Ⱪፅȡ♣㔹ౕ䔆⮴იใ嗣Ξ㈌㈌⮱ᅅ̓᝺᭜࢝ ᭜∝༙䮢͸ऻ嗣࣯㻯ϧڒ Ꮣ͝ⰈᗍͲ⮱ࢳट᪴ࡃ嗣䗐᝺᭜࢝Ꮣϧ㇫⺋⮱䉏 ⁎すι็⮱࢝Ꮣ⮴ი嗣 ⮴ი嗶 ज ᘉ ϻ ⤚ ߍ 㒄 ᅁ 㺮 侞ܧჹȡݝⱌ๵ᆯ㘪䋠̺ ⱌࢎፂ䛹᫜⨓៶Ꮖ᭜ⱌ๵ጯ͚ᓰᰭ๔⮱࢝Ꮣ 䒓 ᄼᬣ᝺㘪២ 䓫ȡᝃ ⎬ཱི⺋嗟-PSE4IJWB嗠ᏆႴȡࢎፂ䛹᫜⨓៶Ꮖ㜠Ϸ 䃥 ຯ ₑ 嗣䛹 ៶ ⤚ ߍ 㒄 ጟᰶᎡࢳट嗣ᏆႴВ䓫㒄℄㢩嗟%SBWJEJBO嗠 ᅁ⮴ი嗟-FFMB 1BMBDF ㏗ȡ͑ #BOHBMPSF嗠᎟㘳ិ䓵ٰ̓ڙᐧまহ䰂ൾᐧ᜽嗣ⶾ䨚ज䔪⏜㜠 ᪝⮱㇫㜡䰂ݨ嗣᣼ ㉏ᅁ⮴იĄᥙ ݝąጯ͚ڣᏔㆠ倅ඁ䬕亝ጰ␎̺䃎 㐅࢝Ꮣ᪆⺋䄊ᩲθ嗣ᆂ⣝ࢄ࢝ᏓᄧᏆᐧま㇫⎈⮱ ᓰȡ䙿Ꮔ࣯⚔䓵㉏ᅁ⮴ ៶䘪 ᪆Ƞڡ䛴ȡ᜾䊑䋠〆⿸⺋ඁݺ嗣ⱩⲈᔆⶹౝ⁐䉼̭ᄷ ი⮱ఋ᪆Ƞ⺋ ᄷᵖᵖຯ⩌⮱⺋ᬻ嗣㏵λ䃖᜾ឫݝ̭ᄷ᜾ᰭૉ❞ श ᮛ ➦ হ ⁹ ᓤ ䷻ ᵩ 㔹 ऐᏚ䮏㒻ᓄБϧڒ⮱嗱̭Ѻ㑍Ɑ๡ጫ嗣⟣ѩႵ៑Ҭ㔲⮱⩤⺋䲍ౕ⺋ ᐧ嗣 ᘠ嗣⺋ᗲᴁহࣵᄷ䉢ȡ ⾿ᖜ嗣䔼䓴䰂⥏ࡻ㒻⮱ےڒЄ̷嗣᝸ចⱭ㚛ൂ ࢝Ꮣ⺋Ꮖౕ࢝Ꮣౌౝ̷๖㏼ౝͶ嗣ѳ䃖᜾ᗷ ᠞䬕⁐䉼㐬ᘼ⯻♣⮱Ꮪ 䃣⮱᭜㕣⽐⮱䬕ᒿ౐็吅嗟4BJOU5IPNBT嗠「Ό 䮏㟞చ嗣۶ ䷻䭢䭢嗣ᓰ ౕⱌ๵⪆̸⌞⌞⮱䋠䔦ȡ䔆Ѻ䉕⪾㕣⽐ฺ≨⺋ ᬤ⺋ᕎȡ ᎡϻВ㞟݄Გݝ ⮴ი䙿Ꮔใ䔅ᰶٰ̭ڙऺ⮱䬕ᒿэ䄡ౕܧ䔦㔹 ࢝Ꮣભ៶៶э䖀嗣̺ᄾᒀౝϧ఍Ѓ㔹Ԏ᪆嗣Ό≄ Ꮤ⮴იÿÿᎡᐧ᜽ 䯫ڲᎡ₨λペ̸嗣ౕⱌ๵⮱౐ ⮱⤚ߍ㒄ᅁ⮴იጯٰڙγ⹩ȡЃ̺Ꭵౕ ䷻䘪䧻ᐧまڣ吅ᆞ₶䖀ȡЃ⮱䖄俥ᰭऻ㷘ፓ⻨࢝Ꮣ嗣ѳⱌ๵ ᓄ̭㻮嗣็ ϧౕЃ⮱ಌව̷ᐧ䕍γ౐็吅౐⃬嗟4BO5IPNF ᵩҬႰ፥㷘䄜䃑ͧ㠞ప #BTJMJDB嗠㏗ᔢ䔆Ѻ࢝Ꮣ⮱Ⴕ៑౐ᒿȡ㠞పϧౕ ⍖㢻೻ൎ⮱Ą䊊৮ąȡႰ Ꭱ䛺ᐧ䔆Ꮤ᪆യȡ䔆Ꮤ㷘ᒀౝϧ⼝ͧ⮪᪆യ ჋ͧ䓵㉏ᅁፊ⢸⮱฼႐ 3 фΝڙᬧȡᅞ᭜ౕ䔆䛹嗣 㵹ი嗣Ⱋݺ㮪䃖ڡ⮱㒄侙๖ͨ᪆യ⣝ϷϺ䲋፥ ”઱嗣ѳ n India, they take the words “royal treatment̺ڨ᜾㻯䉼γ̭౧࢝Ꮣ๖ͨ᪆྇⹩ȡ ⺕࣯㻯嗣ѳϺᆋλЃऻА᝭ᰶȡ⮴იԊ ,”ᓄВ䃖ϧ̭⿒ᒀᎡ⢸ბ⮱ Iseriously. When its finest hotels are called “palacesڤ䘕㇫㒻⮱⨤ⵃহუڲ ȡݝⱌ๵̺ज䩆䓴⤰ڕ࢝Ꮣ㏞ͪ͸ࡻ㒻Ϙ㾶 ݝᰶᎡࢳट⮱͊㐥㏞ͪ⮫䉔ᏄĄ๵ͪą嗟/BMMJ嗠 ⩌≨ᒏᔮȡᎪᯄ⮱ẩᷜᠯ␎γ㸥ຠ⇦⩨嗣̻ओ͑ you expect to be surrounded by opulence fit for a king – and seldom come away disappointed. For many 䔆䛹჈ຯ䊝䔈̭͗ρᒖ㑑㏤嗣⩞䛾 䲏ᠯ␎⢸ბუ᫼Ⱕ❴⮱ෆ嗣Ⱕ᭍᜽䋐ȡ ڒ⍥ȡ䌼̭ luxury travelers, the discovery of the country’s regal ⮴ი嗣᜾࣯ߍγ̭͗㵹㙇ࡷᬒ⍥ఏ嗣ᄩ⍥ܧᲒ⮱㟞㟞 䊝ܧ٬হᰭ䶣㏔⮱͊㐥ក䕍⤍㏬Ƞ⤍❴Ƞ heritage begins at one of these fairy-tale abodes. ⮫ༀ Mine certainly did. I started my discovery of Southڒጛ⮱ᕨ㷮㏔ϧ➖䊝ܧȡᏄঅः̸̭ᡳᡳ⮱倅㏔㏞ͪጰ᫆ᆂ⹧㐆ᒲ χ⋓≫̀ፓᲒₑ೻ጯ⩺̓ ͚̭ᡳ⊤ḍ㞟͊㐥㏞ͪᐭ␎⩞䛾㏬㑊㐅 ࡧ嗣䃖ЃЙҀ侹ຏࡻ䙿ᏄВใ嗣࢝Ꮣ⮱ओ̭䲏ȡ⤚ India with the Leela Palace Chennai and the Leelaڣ࿮ཅȡ 䬗䬗घ᜾Ɱ̺ᐭⱩⲈȡ䔆㏞ͪ䛺䓫 ߍ㒄ᅁጯ͚ᓰᰶ͗䉘ჹ⮱ܳ⩹ÿÿ᫝ᐧ᜽⮱ैᗓ Palace Bangalore. The former is the “palace” of choiceٶ⮱㟞ᱢ嗣䛾 ρᭌຏࡻ䙿Ꮔऻ嗣ࡧࡧ᪝ₒ͸䖒Ӭ᭜䉘ℾࡧȡࡵ for A. R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning music composer for Slumdog Millionaire, a Chennai resident who ऻᬣܳ嗣䉘ℾࡧ࡮ܳႶ䲆嗣〆ౕϑࣶ䌜͚๛嗣᜾ठ has thrown lavish private parties at its opulent event ⮱ڲӔ᭜̭ᢿᢿ㩙᳉᥷嗣ऻ᫦᭜ᠡౕᅸݺᝃ᱕ḇ hall; the latter has served as entry points for the then Π➈嗣Ⱪ⺋⌲⒵嗣侜㞜ज❞ȡ᜾㏼䓴̭ᢿᢿ⮱ⴠ▝ French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla ᅸ嗣⾧⅁䛹ᑒ⑘Ɑ㩙᳉⮱凉仆嗣हᬣΌ䬨ݝუუᝤ Bruni, as well as celebrities such as Deepak Chopra ᝤ☦⚛ৃ૞⮱仆ঠ嗣๦ᱯⱭರ౫হ➈㇗⮱㜚ঠȡ and Tom Cruise. There are four Leela Palaces in India 嗣ਗ͗倅ᅇਗ͗ѻߐ嗣䄮ສ and two more are in the pipeline, all crown jewels ofัڞᗙ₷⮱ጛ䌊হᎠ 䄮౼嗣ጟ̺ܳ⌲ȡ܍͗⇎̷䄫⮱ᄼ႖ᅫ䮼᜾Й嗣䃖 the Preferred Hotel Group, to which other respected members such as Singapore’s Fullerton Hotel and ᜾Й៺⚔ऻᐭᓰౝ䋾ఋუȡ᜾➦ݘૉ⁏̭͗⭓⭓ Fullerton Bay Hotel belong. ⮱ᄼ⩤႖ȡЃ㚩㙳Ⴖ䲆ౝ䌌Ɑ᜾Й嗣ⰸݝ᜾Йᠶ Authenticity was the first word that came to my ݺ㐆Ѓⰸ᜾䪉๡̷۾ᔘ䬕̭㙥⮱ᓰ␎ᘼ䋠ȡ᜾̸ mind when describing Indian luxury. More so than ͚⮱Ѓ嗣Ѓ␎䋠ౝ〾γȡ䗐㏜ⱌ⮱〾ღ׼ᄼࡧ− anywhere else, the delivery of luxury is so much a 2 ∋䛹೸Ɑ⮱჊ⴠȡ᜾ិႰᩣສ嗣ፓఋუȡ part of the Indians’ cultural DNA. As recent as up to ISSUE 48 • ZbBz 93 ᫲⼸JOURNEYS traditional patterns by craftsmen. Antique tapestries are framed and placed in hallways and hotel guests can admire them in close proximity; 3m-tall chandeliers hang from the ceilings of event halls and in a private dining room within Jamavar, the hotel’s signature South Indian restaurant, the ceiling where these chandeliers hang from are adorned with a 18K gold and silver painting, which took a week to create. The plates that hold your bar of soap in the bathroom have mother-of- pearl generously embedded in them. Far richer than these luxuries is the legacy of South India’s culture and history. I visited Kapaleeswara Temple, Chennai’s famous Shiva temple rebuilt 350 years ago in the Dravidian style, an epicentre around which Mylapore is built. It remains today a living place of worship. Typical to southern Indian temples, Kapaleeswara’s entrance and inner courtyard have two awe-inspiring gopurams, or monumental towers, that rise as high as 37m, each decorated by uncountable sculptures of deities. I could gaze at these beautifully life-like figures for hours and, like most visitors, enjoyed a little game of spotting my favourites. I particularly liked a blue-turbaned guardian god who perches himself on his staff. There is such gentle grace and regality even as he is taking a break from his task. What I did not expect to find was an ancient basilica with a direct lineage to Jesus Christ. Today, it is a thriving Catholic cathedral. I witnessed a wedding mass at the San Thome Basilica built on top of the tomb of Saint Thomas (yes, the doubting one), one of Jesus’ apostles who was believed to have come to India in 52 AD and baptised several people who are ancestors to today’s Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis. The evangelist died by the spears near Madras and was made a martyr in 72 AD. His relics had been moved out of India but he is known by Indian Christians as the patron saint of India. Hence, the 4 basilica may appear relatively new as the British had its independence in 1947, India was ruled by rajas You can spend hours wandering in the guest areas and maharajas, the Sanskrit titles for great kings. It of the palatial hotel, marveling at the intricacies of its consisted of more than 600 princely states, some of interior and fittings. The hotel’s architecture and interior whose legacy could be traced back to the 16th century, is richly inspired by the palatial elements from the when the Mughal Maharaja of Persian and Mongolian Chettinad dynasty. The Chettiars are traditionally the descent (with an ancestry tracing back to Genghis elite mercantile and banking castes in South India often Khan) invaded the Indian subcontinent and heralded referred to as the spout from whence the rich south the Mughal empire which lasted from 1570 to 1857. Indian culture springs. The Chettiars were well known Today, while the maharajas’ royal descendants for their mansions eclectically decorated by chandeliers have lost their ruling powers, their wealth and lands from Italy, wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium, European have been a springboard to their ascent as business crystals, teak from Burma, and other precious goods tycoons, and the legacy of their royal lifestyle can still obtained through trade. be felt in the conduct of India’s five- and even six-star A Chettinad courtyard house often showcased luxury hotels.