Tatler UK - 09.2019

RAJASTHAN IS EVERY INDIAN

fairy-tale come true; a haven of

pumpkin domes and open turrets

with its palaces, mysterious gated

havelis and colourful temples that

feel like a magical portal into an-

other time. It blew my mind the

first time I came here in 2017 with

my boyfriend George Scott and our

baby daughter Thelma. We spent

six months in Rajasthan, as he was

doing a season as General Manager

of the much-loved heritage hotel

Rawla Narlai, which is in a beau-

tiful spot in the middle of rural

India. Staying between Jaipur and

Jodphur was a complete sensory

overload – the noise, the dust, the

heat. You’re surrounded by the city’s

riches, and then there are all these

incredible textiles – it inspired me

EASTERN EDEN

Leah de Wavrin: ‘India

blew my mind the first

time I came here’

tatler.com Tatler September 2019 14 5

Rawla Narlai

Rajmahal Palace

WHERE TO VISIT

The Maharaja of Jodhpur’s art deco

shooting pavilion, Sardar Samand,

an hour outside of the city, is a

mogul-inspired dream, which is

exceptional with its sprawling

gardens, swimming pool, sun

terraces and Chinese folly. Take

a riding safari across Rajasthan

to admire the more unusual

architectural wonders here.

WHERE TO STAY

Rawla Narlai (rawlanarlai.com) is

a small oasis of a hotel between

Jodhpur and Udaipur, that reminds

me of The Best Exotic Marigold

Hotel. Its charm lies in its exuberant

interiors: gloriously faded bedrooms

with frescoed ceilings and four-

poster beds. They also serve the

best pakora and nimbu panni

(homemade lemonade). In Jaipur,

I love Rajmahal Palace (sujanluxury.

com), a jewel box of a hotel, which

has one of the loveliest pools and

where each room has a different

colour scheme with custom-made

wallpaper and silk brocades.

WHERE TO SHOP

In Jaipur, head to Teatro Dhora for

cashmere, kaftans and interesting

homeware, and spend hours trying

on diamond chokers and huge

emerald rings at Gem Palace’s

glittering upstairs atelier Mannu,

which is invitation-only – though

the travel specialists India Beat

(indiabeat.co.uk) can organise

private tours. In Jodhpur, for

customised furniture I love

Sun City (suncityart.com), which

makes daybeds and dining tables

that can be delivered worldwide.

T R AVEL

POSTCARD

What to pack

1. Hat, £480, by HERMÈS. 2. Earrings, £6,920,
   by NADINE AYSOY. 3. Bag, £1,890, by FENDI.


2. Sunglasses, £285, by BOTTEGA VENETA.


3. Calfhair mules, £695, by MANOLO BLAHNIK

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4

3

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2

For model and designer

Leah de Wavrin, Rajasthan

is a warren of wonders

This must

be the palace

to set up my own children’s brand,

which I called Thelma & Leah

(@thelmaandleahbyldw) – it’s a

collection of vintage hand-blocked

cotton fabrics for nappy covers,

and now flamenco-style dresses,

all made between in Rajasthan and

Andalusia. I split my time between

our homes in both places, coming

out to Jodphur for a few months

every winter to work on creative

projects. This winter we will be trav-

elling around Rajasthan on a horse

safari adventure that George has

devised, which takes you across the

Aravalli mountain range through

jungly terrain, romantic ruins and

crumbling forts, staying in fabulous

palaces and the most dreamy pri-

vate tents on the way. For me, it’s

the ultimate way to connect to the

magic of India.

Book it: George Scott Rides five-

day safari in Rajasthan is on from

December 2019 to February 2020.

georgescottrides.com Gem Palace

Leah riding in

Rajasthan

PHOTOGRAPH: TOM PARKER

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