The Colonial Estate was constructed in the year 193o’s by Rajkumar Sreshesh Pratap Singh Deo of Gajlaxmi Palace, Dhenkanal. He was the grandfather of Kumar Saheb Jitendra Pratap Singh Deo and the third son to Rajashri Sura Pratap Singh Deo of Dhenkanal who at the time had ruled the state by initiating laws towards the development of Dhenkanal. Rajkumar Sreshesh Pratap Singh Deo was a law practitioner who during the stately epoch had administered the same.
Amongst his diverse passions, Magic led his favoritism for which he travelled to London for the learning. The other passions included being a book writer, filmmaker (made the first black and white Odia silent movie) and was a world traveller. Subsequently, he got married to the Princess of Kushalgarh, Mohan Kumari Devi of Rajasthan.
Gajlaxmi Palace, in contemporary times, is being preserved in the woods by the natives, Kumar Saheb Jitendra Pratap Singh Deo and Kumarani Navneeta Singh Deo who contemplated into the convergence of a Heritage Homestay. They have extended their hospitable home to keen tourists and travellers from all over the world to come and detoxify themselves in the lap of nature. J.P. shows his expertise in conveying information about the characteristics of the forest during nature walks and safari, which is truly appreciated by people coming to visit us. Whereas, Navneeta’s exceptional culinary skills in delectable home cooked meals add an extra mile to one’s stay altogether. As she comes from Rajasthan, the meals offered are a mix of both cultures from far west till the east.
Gajlaxmi Palace, the heart of dense forest, in contemporary times, is being preserved in the woods by the natives, Kumar Saheb Jitendra Pratap Singh Deo and Kumarani Navneeta Singh Deo who contemplated into the convergence of a Heritage Homestay. They have extended their hospitality to welcome the travellers from all over the world to come and detoxify themselves in the lap of nature. J.P. makes sure in conveying each and every information about the property and destinations to be visited around while making them feel comfortable, his thouroughness with the characteristic of the forest during Nature Walk is highly appreciated by the travellers. Whereas, Navneeta’s expert culinary skills with fresh organic vegetables from the garden adds an extra mile to an overall stay. The meals provided have a blend of Rajasthan’s royal courtesy since Navneeta connects to Chittorgarh and Maharana Pratap.
The Art Déco palace was constructed in the year 193o’s by Rajkumar Sreshesh Pratap Singh Deo of Gajlaxmi Palace, Dhenkanal. He was the grandfather of Kumar Saheb Jitendra Pratap Singh Deo and the third son to Rajashri Sura Pratap Singh Deo of Dhenkanal who at the time had ruled the state by initiating laws towards the development of Dhenkanal. Rajkumar Sreshesh Pratap Singh Deo was a law practitioner who during the stately epoch had administered the same.
Amongst his diverse passions, Magic led his favoritism for which he travelled to London for the learning. The other passions included being a book writer, filmmaker (made the first black and white Odia silent movie) and was a world traveller. Subsequently, he got married to the Princess of Kushalgarh, Mohan Kumari Devi of Rajasthan.
Romancing an old world charm of royalty in nature is what you get at Gaj Laxmi...
A shiver runs down the spine as you stand in the luxurious drawing room of Kumar Saheb Ranendra Pratap Singh Deo of Gaj Laxmi Rajbari of Dhenkanal. From an ornate glass showcase the fearsome stare of the Naranpatna man eating tiger bears down on you. Its piercing eyes and sharp rows of teeth was the stare of death to 83 people it had killed and eaten before being put down by Kumar Saheb. That was in 1986 in the Koraput district of Odisha.
After a quarter of a century, a strange twist of destiny has brought a man-eating tiger back! But this time it is on celluloid. Sandip Ray and his film shooting unit has set base at Kumar Shaheb's Gaj Laxmi Palace to shoot Satyajit Ray's Royal Bengal Rahasya.
Romancing an old world charm of royalty in nature is what you get at Gaj Laxmi, only an hour-and-a-half drive from Cuttack. It is a royal palace in Odisha built way up on Megha hill that overlooks vast stretches of forests, dotted occasionally by small villages. So thick is the forest that to a casual eye it is impossible to locate the palace from the highway.
The view from the palace is incredible. And it is teeming with wild life - birds, elephants, deer, civets, monkeys and wild boars are in plenty, while an occasional leopard may make a casual appearance.
Kumar Saheb's son Jitendra Singh Deo and daughter in law Navneeta turned their age old home into a holiday offbeat destination to share their experience of mysticism of royalty set in the heart of nature. The food that comes from the kitchen is local and comes from the organic farm along the house. It has also a blend of Rajasthan's royalty courtesy Navneeta's connect to Chittorgarh and Maharana Pratap.
However, the trill of being in the wild begins from within the dwelling. There is a veranda that is shrouded in an eerie quietness. But to a keen ear the endless rustle of leaves and animal calls come from far.
Stepping out is not allowed unless accompanied with a trained forest guard. There are a few jungle trails that one can walk down in the morning and they offer splendid opportunities for small game and bird watching. Much of the wild life viewing is at the only water hole in the region and strategically placed a few minutes from the palace.
There is also an option of being in a tribal village with just a few hours drive from Gaj Laxmi and is well arranged if notified early.
Back to the palace, there are few rules to follow. Keep away from private quarters of the royalty and it is advisable to ask before you step out on the terrace for the door is kept locked. It is also good to keep a flash light at hand for nights can be dark when the electricity goes off.
Do certainly go in the monsoon. You would see the rumbling clouds come and gather around Megha hills and the palace.
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