Ajayabghar: Preserving the Soul of Uttarakhand

(An Ancient Kumaoni Home, Over 200 Years Old, Lovingly Repurposed into This Living Museum)

Nestled in the ancient forests near Jim Corbett, where trees whisper stories older than time, lies a place that offers more than comfort. It offers connection to nature, to people, and most profoundly, to tradition.

At the heart of this philosophy is Ajayabghar — a living museum, lovingly curated within the grounds of the resort. It doesn’t showcase heritage from behind glass; it lets culture breathe in open air, surrounded by birdsong and the scent of earth. It is here, amid the quiet of the jungle, that the soul of Uttarakhand finds a home.

Echoes of Everyday Life — Preserved

Ajayabghar is not a collection of antiques. It is a collection of memories, of rituals, rhythms, and tools that once shaped daily life across Kumaon and Garhwal.

Copper and brass utensils (Tamba and Kansa) line the displays, once central to kitchens and temples alike. In Uttarakhand, these metals were more than functional, they held spiritual significance, believed to purify food and elevate rituals. Eating from brass wasn’t just tradition; it was wellness passed through generations.
Stone grain mills (Patthar ki Chakki) speak of a slower time, of self-reliance and patience, of grain ground by hand in mountain homes.
Woven bamboo baskets (Kaas ki Tokri) once moved grain, fruits, and flowers across village trails, now holding stories as lightly as they once held goods.
The Dhol-Damau and Masakbeen, traditional instruments of the hills, once echoed through weddings, harvest festivals, and temple fairs, carrying joy, rhythm, and identity.

Each piece isn’t just preserved. It’s respected — presented with care, exactly as it was once used, allowing guests to feel the warmth of lives lived simply and with meaning.

The Divine Presence of Maa Nanda

At the spiritual core of Ajayabghar stands a symbol of devotion: a replica of Maa Nanda’s Doli — the ceremonial palanquin of the beloved goddess of the hills.

Though not the original, this representation is displayed with reverence, narrating the story of Nanda Devi Raj Jaat Yatra — a sacred pilgrimage held once every 12 years, when villagers and devotees carry the goddess through alpine meadows in one of India’s most spiritually charged journeys.

To house her image is to honor not just a deity, but a legacy of faith, endurance, and cultural pride that lives on in every prayer whispered in the highlands.

Why Ajayabghar Matters

In a world that moves quickly, Ajayabghar offers something rare, stillness with purpose.

It is a reminder that Uttarakhand is not just a destination of mountains and forests. It is a place of memory, craftsmanship, and gentle resilience. Of homes built from stone and devotion. Of music born not in studios, but in the pulse of the people.

Ajayabghar, in its quiet way, keeps that essence alive.

At Paatlidun Safari Lodge, this living museum is more than an installation, it is an offering. A tribute to the land it stands on and the culture it celebrates.

Here, under forest canopies and beside wildlife trails, guests encounter not only the call of the wild, but the heartbeat of heritage, preserved in copper, carved in wood, and echoed in rhythm.

Because sometimes, the truest way to honour a place is not by looking forward, but by remembering what still deserves to be held close.