What are the fondest memories you have of your grandparents?

For Luv Shekhawat, it is childhood birthdays celebrated in the forests of Jaipur with his paternal grandfather.

So, in 2010 when he bought a piece of land in the southern part of the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar, he had the feeling of “returning home”.

Today, the 35,000 sq m retreat built mindfully using local materials like acacia, terracotta, bamboo, cane, sandstone, and rosewood sings tunes of sustainability.

The 20 rooms are divided into nine stone cabins, eight Swiss tents, and three forest bungalows.

While the stone cabins are built out of raw rubble, the tents are made out of canvas and their porches open out to the sprawling outdoors.

The forest bungalows, meanwhile, are striking against the backdrop of the hills, and their glass facades let you feel as much a part of the wild as if you were actually.

While the lodge’s proximity to the Sariska Tiger Reserve is a draw today, it also posed a challenge years ago when Luv set out to build this property.

“The area was remote, there were no proper roads built and no electricity,” Luv recounts adding that if not for the guidance of his 90-year-old grandfather, he wouldn’t have been able to do it.

“When I bought the piece of land, I began planting lots of fruit trees. But, when my grandad saw what I was doing, he said ‘You can’t put anything anywhere’.”

“He then explained how this area needed indigenous trees since it is a deciduous forest. Then I started planting palash, neem, and jamun,” Luv shares.

His grandfather was also instrumental in guiding Luv in constructing the greywater system that takes the wastewater, filters it, and channels it into the garden. “I always took his advice seriously,” Luv says. “He was the last batch of people trained by the British and joined the Indian Forest Institute in Coimbatore in 1945.”

Luv recalls the day his grandfather was on site and Luv was planning to clear out the garden for a “well-manicured lawn”.

“He shared a lesson with me that I still follow. He told me to look for dry leaves at the bottom of the ground. These, he said, were indicators of a healthy ecosystem,” he adds.

Today, Utsav Camp is a sustainable oasis in Rajasthan, powered by solar panels and following a stringent zero-mile approach to source produce.

Guests are promised a holistic wildlife experience, nature walks and delicious meals. “Sustainability is not an option. It is our way of life,” Luv concludes.