The
original Windsor Lodge was a hunting lodge built in 1909
amongst the thick and untamed forests of the region that
were then teeming with wildlife. This retreat remained a
prime favourite with the British and Indian upper strata
of society till 1948, when a devastating fire reduced it
to ruins. After half a century of neglect, renovation
began on the Lodge in 1999. Painstaking efforts were
made to restore the Lodge to its original architecture
and hauteur, with solid blocks of stone in the rough
hewn walls and liberal use of solid timber. Modern
comforts were woven into this period style to maintain
the best of both the old and new centuries and worlds.
The
lodge is located at a vantage point on a wooded hillock with a
commanding view of snow-capped mountains, thick pine and cedar
forests and the sweep of the Ranikhet golf course. It is
located in Kalika Estate, in the village of Dadgallia, on the
outskirts of the Ranikhet cantonment town, just high and
removed enough to seem remote and yet within easy reach of all
the hill station's amenities and activities.
Historical Background
Ranikhet
was first established as a cantonment town by the
British Raj in 1869 and is the only cantonment in India
to enjoy heritage status. It remains an important army
town and is the headquarters of the Kumaon regiment. The
vestiges of the colonial era are still clearly apparent
in this neat and tidy settlement with various heritage
hotels from that period and old churches, including a
couple that are no longer in service but have been
converted into tweed and shawl mills with hand operated
looms.
