The following is an account of an integrated place-making and design adventure (positioning, branding, design, content, experience development and marketing) with a charmingly restored mansion at Haridwar and its passionate keepers. An adventure that is grateful to the Ganges and her blessings.
Slow is beautiful
Haridwar. The doorway to the land of Gods in the state of Uttarakhand is held in reverence by millions of followers. Poised between myth and mythology, this ancient city goes back in time and how.
Mentioned in ancient scriptures and epics like the Mahabharata, Haridwar could well be older than time. Archaeological expeditions here have placed it at 1700 B.C. with an evidence of Terracotta culture.
Haridwar is where the Ganges, India's holiest river presents a more calm version of herself. The Ganga is not only a river of civilisation, but also one that exudes divinity and tells celestial tales. The mighty river originates high up in the Himalayas at Gangotri and gushes down through Rishikesh into the flatter terrain of Haridwar. The Ganges across her journey towards the Bay of Bengal not only defines the essence of life in the subcontinent but also presents mercurial moods. Here at Haridwar the tempo is more placid. Across the journey of the Ganges, India's spiritual artery, Haridwar has a seat of eminence.
तव चेन्मातः स्रोतःस्नातः पुनरपि जठरे सोऽपि न जातः । नरकनिवारिणि जाह्नवि गङ्गे कलुषविनाशिनि महिमोत्तुङ्गे ॥७॥
As per popular mythology, Haridwar was created when a drop of nectar spilled over from the pitcher which was being carried by the celestial bird Garuda after the mythical Samudra Manthan (the churning of the ocean).
With its temples and ghats, scores of Dharamshalas (pilgrim centres), unique Gurukuls (resident schools imparting traditional vedic education), a spiritual countenance set against the scenic beauty and lush greenery of the Rajaji forest range, Haridwar has much for you to pause for.
The beginning of the adventure
Place making & brand development for a 100 year old ancestral mansion
When our team embarked on the project, we were greeted both on paper and off it with the timeless symbols and trappings of this ancient city. We stayed at the lovely boutique river facing resort called Haveli Hari Ganga.
The city has been in a restorative mood with interesting mural projects, wall graffiti and more since sometime.
A very interesting project with the clock tower of Haridwar, that keeps track of a timeless city.
The Ghanta Ghar is the tallest structure at Har Ki Paudi in Haridwar made by the Birlas in 1938.
Pilibhit house
One of the restorative projects that we believe puts Haridwar right on the luxury travelers' map is Pilibhit House. A century old mansion, once a summer home for its patrons, this was a transformative project in many ways for all involved.
This amazing restoration was helmed by the late Ar. Pradeep Sachdeva, the visionary architect and place-maker behind such remarkable projects like Dilli Haat, Garden of Five Senses, Taj Theog and more. Urban renewal of heritage precincts were his passion, his works became templates of public projects and while his presence will be sorely missed, his legend endures.
Charmingly & passionately restored
Set right on the Ganges and boasting probably the largest private bathing Ghat in Haridwar is Pilibhit House.
Travellers, seekers who are tired of commoditized experiences will love the appeal of a century old aristocratic mansion and its signature interpretive experiences by the Ganges.
It has 35 artfully restored rooms & suites that wrap around a peaceful courtyard, private balconies, scenic views, and terraces looking out to the noble Ganges, a spa that offers time-tested rituals, a private bathing ghat, contemplative spaces and stories galore.
Place making & design system was inspired by nobility and the Ganges
The design system conceived for Pilibhit House by the team, extended right across its heritage, visual language, identity system, colors, tonality, script, metaphors, service philosophy and experiences. All centered around an aristocratic mansion that captures the essence of what it has been blessed with - a seat by the Ganges and a legacy of nobility to preserve for Haridwar.
A life with no full stops, here it's just commas
Pilibhit House exudes a vibe that is unhurried and uninterrupted by alarm clocks, schedules and zoom calls. This is a life that is so very fluid and profound. Here time finds its own place. And life moves with the pace of its muse - the ever noble Ganges.
This charmingly restored and renewed noble house coaxes you to pause. It is intimate, boutique and presents a generous spirit.
A noble family and its restorative ethics
The Prasad family, a prominent family in the region and their enterprising spirit gave Pilibhit some of its foundation businesses and economic spirit. Raja Lalta Prasad (1872 to 1924) and his younger brother Sahau Har Prasad (1875 to1953) together brought in progressive ideas in business, education, medicine. They built an Ayurvedic college, Sanskrit college, temples, rest-houses, sugar factories and even a stadium that has hosted Ranji trophy matches.
It is the Prasad Heritage Group that has restored this once upon a time summer house of Haridwar and infused it with much love and care - to serve as a tribute to the noble region. They are its noble keepers. Pilibhit House is managed by IHCL (a group well known for preserving heritage and nobility) under its SeleQtions portfolio.
Storytelling a noble house and its revivalist pursuits
The interiors at Pilibhit House have been inspired by the four spiritual stages in life called the Purusharthas and which guided the framework of our design system.
Positioning creates memorability and guards the brand essence
A noble house inspired by the Ganges and its profound experiences. This is where you experience the nobility and divinity of Haridwar.
Golden hour photography
Photography was guided to capture the essence of this house and its welcoming slower pace. The reveal of the 100 year old noble house, restored with much care had to be planned carefully. The address looks its charming best during the golden hours of dawn and twilight, when the Ganges, the elegant facade and the slow life take centre-stage.
Experience design to make a promise felt
The final act consisted of conceiving and designing interpretive experiences both within Pilibhit House and around it. We believe that the only way a brand is truly felt is through its experiences. Just not any experience, but those that are tailored, curated and created to bring the specific story alive in line with its positioning. For Pilibhit House, it had to be a unique cluster of experiences - both relevant and novel for travellers who would have been to Haridwar earlier.
Experience design is best done in collaboration and co-creation mode. The family, the pre-opening crew and local talents pooled in with a retinue of possibilities which were carefully curated to sit right with the character of the house and the destination. Some were invented and many reimagined.
Our final merit list included curated walking tours & story sessions with the resident historian Mr. Mansingh, alternative dining, recreating house recipes, forest treks and picnics, a Gangetic spa experience, the remarkable Bahi reading (genealogy) under the mango tree, the contemplative River room, the evening experience at the private ghat and many wonderful rituals that one discovers during the stay. Simple and soul stirring.
Strategic marketing, a triad of narrative, culture and channels
The cultural context, understanding the nuances of source markets in the context of the product, the behavioral make up of segments and why people care (relevant differentiation), appropriate media are the foundations of the campaign and content development phase. This helps craft a strategy that delivers.
Pilibhit House first and foremost lives its name. A noble, aristocratic, mansion that promises to give you the essence of Haridwar and makes you feel right at home. With a slower and more contemplative pace of life.
A timeless address in an age old destination
The location of Pilibhit House is vantage. On the Ganges and facing the green belt corridor which means absolutely no construction zones face the property. Within a 10-15 minutes walk, you have everything that keeps Haridwar buzzing - the Har Ki Pauri ghat and its famous evening aarti, the bustling bazaars, the Ganga Lahri where you can dine on the terrace with a stunning view of the Ganges, getaways into the temple circuits and other key experiences.
The mighty Ganges
The Ganges considered by many as a divine River originates in the Himalayan Mountains at Gomukh, the terminus of the Gongotri Glacier. When the glacial ice melts, it forms the clear waters of the Bhagirathi River. As the Bhagirathi River plunges down the Himalayas, it joins the Alaknanda River, officially forming the Ganges River at the craggy canyon-carved town of Devprayag. The river flows through 2510 kms before emptying itself into the Bay of Bengal.
This was an adventure made possible by all involved in restoring and renewing this address in a manner that does Haridwar proud. But chiefly owing to our muse, the ever noble Ganges.
About NYUCT Design Labs & Lokall
As a venture design firm NYUCT Design Labs works with you to blueprint, design, build, market, innovate or simply solve a problem. Our lab explores what your customers, employees, and partners want in order to create transformative strategies and experiences.
Our dedicated place making collective Lokall helps make places matter. It builds place capital and civic pride.