Ranakpur has always been a popular destination for its exquisite Jain Temple and has also been tagged as a stopover destination between Udaipur and Jodhpur. Working towards changing this image, Mana Hotels is building on its strengths as an overnight destination By Akshay Kumar
Located amidst the picturesque Aravalli Ranges in Rajasthan, Ranakpur is a melange of the local Pali culure topped with beautiful temple architecture. The destination is known for its Ranakpur Jain Temple and the Sun Temple, and has been receiving devotees and art aficionados for decades. The destination is also flocked by foreign tourists, but still the destination has a lot to offer beyond temples. Mana Hotels, a luxury hotel located in the heart of Ranakpur is building various activities to tap the potential of this destination and welcome more tourists.
Hari Krishna Rathore, assistant manager, Mana Hotels says, “The main objective of our hotel is not only to attract tourists, but also to promote the destination first. We want to create a sustainable model, where the destination should become popular. We are working equally towards promoting both Ranakpur as well as our hotel. We are also involving the local people in all our activities, which helps in employment generation. Earlier Ranakpur was only known as a lunch destination, tourists travelling between Udaipur and Jodhpur, used to halt at Ranakpur to catch a glimpse of the famous Jain temple and have lunch here and continue with their journey. To change this scenario we have introduced various new attractions which can hold tourists for at least a couple of days. The destination has a lot to explore than only visiting the Jain Temple.”
Lunch is highlighted as a major source of revenue in this destination. Rajdeep Bhalerao, general manager, Mana Hotel explains, “The percentage share of rooms and F&B is almost equal in our hotel. F&B plays a very important role for the success of any hotel, so definitely we are concentrating a lot in the F&B segment and trying to improvise all the time. As Ranakpur was previously known as a lunch destination, still that trend is on. A lot of groups come here only for food.”
“Our property is majorly for the leisure segment, but we also have space for small conferences and weddings. We have a lot of MICE clients coming from Udaipur, Jaipur and Jodhpur, who use our conference facilities. Ranakpur is also quite famous amongst foreign tourists, especially the French and the German nationals since the last 15 to 20 years. We receive tourists from all nationalities,” adds Bhalerao.
Sustainable approach
Mana Hotel has an inventory of 49 keys and is well equipped with all facilities like swimming pool, mini theatre, indoor and outdoor games, restaurant, spa etc. The uniqueness of the hotel is its structure, which is completely built with glass and steel. With the mercury rising well above 40° C, the glass has to be protected from shattering, hence the hotel has covered the entire glass structures with silicon sheets for protection.
Speaking about the maintenance of the property, Bhalerao says, “Maintenance of the property is a major issue. Basically the entire structure is built out of glass and steel, major maintenance is required for the electrical equipments of the building. To make the property more energy efficient, most of our rooms have direct light source i.e, the natural light, which is a clear indication that we are working towards sustainability and energy efficiency. This day time energy saving has helped us a lot. Currently, we don’t have any solar panels, but as you know Ranakpur enjoys a lot of sunlight throughout the year, in near future we are planning to install some solar panels to tap the energy, which would increase the cost efficiency.”
Exclusive attractions
In order to develop the destination, Mana Hotels have created a whole lot of niche products which will ensure that tourists can be engaged for a couple of days. Bhalerao says, “We always keep on adding activities to our list, recently we have added leopard sighting, as we have four to five spots near Ranakpur where tourists can easily spot leopards. We are also promoting village safari where guests can exchange their culture and tradition with the local inhabitants and also wildlife safari. As of now the average occupancy rate in summer is around 30 per cent and we will touch about 55- 60 per cent during the winter which is the peak season. We are confident that with several activities in the region we will surely see a rise in numbers.”
Also the hotel organises various festivals where tourists can participate along with the local population. “We also organise some festivals, recently we had organised the Poornima festival at the Sun Temple which is next to Ranakpur Jain Temple where we got an excellent response. Such events are open for all, and the local villagers actively participate in such events to make it a grand success,” adds Bhalerao.
Some of the attractions crafted exclusively by Mana Hotels
Heritage Train Journey
Located about two hours from Mana Hotels in Ranakpur, is a hidden train journey. Originating from Phulad station and terminating at Khambli Ghat station, this 1.5 hour journey gives passengers a peak into the history of this area aside from offering great views of the Aravallis. One can also spot some wildlife such as Langoors, Peacocks and Deer’s. This is a meter gauge line and also one of the highest tracks in the western railway system of India.
Ranakpur Dam
Located two km from the property is the picturesque Ranakpur Dam. Originally, this location was graced by the Maharaja and Maharani of Jodhpur on a frequent basis to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this destination. Mana Hotels has created several attractions like high tea at the Dam and Yoga at the dam with the Aravallis as the backdrop.