Chhuikhadan: Painted Past

With rich frescoes reminiscent of Shekhawati’s crumbling mansions and the rural idyll beyond its ramparts, Chhuikhadan is one of Chhattisgarh’s best kept secrets. Cashing in on a formula that’s worked for Kanker and Kawardha – a handful of rooms in small palaces converted into heritage hotels is Chhuikhadan Palace (Cell: 09425259129). The hotel was being renovated at the time of print. Please call ahead to check.

It is for this new royalty that Chhuikhadan’s hitherto unknown visual treasures have been opened up. The royal home at Chhuikhadan literally, ‘lime quarry’), enclosing the better part of seven acres, is a typical palace. It is a concentric arrangement of enclosing walls and buildings of varying age, with the Kesar Mahal (1918) at its centre. The painted rooms of Chhuikhadan are certainly worth a look. They exist simultaneously in different worlds, revealing the worldview of the Raja Bhudar Kishore Das, who commissioned them, with themes that are either religious or related to European lifestyle.

Though the palace is the main attraction, the village also rewards exploration. The farming community has mud architecture, often with white and coloured limewash inside and out. The palace can also organise bonfire dinners at a nearby dam and can take you to visit local weavers and potters.

When to go October-March as the weather remains the most pleasant Location 120 km northwest of Raipur Air Nearest airport: Raipur Rail Nearest rail: Dongargar