| The Ashley Bungalow was built in 1875 by the Bakers
and their associates. As you enter from the east through the winding
rubble and mud paved road, up on the hill is situated the Ashley
Bungalow. The building stands, commanding a magnificent view facing
South, at the opening of a ghat on the valley which flows down gently to
the plains below. The road twists and turns around the hills through the
tea gardens around the bungalow and reach at the three bayed high laden
front of the building facing South. The bungalow is a sleeping place of
history of the hills of Travancore, where tradition and antiquity lay
asleep not easily to be woken up by a sudden knock at its door. |
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The tiled and steeply pitched roof adorns the
building, with peaked roof tops standing on walls on the eastern and
western flanks built like a fortress. The high laden building has steps
with scalloped ledges which is a curious mixture of local styles and
English architecture. This spacious home has lofty domed ceiling made of
wood . There is a master piece wood work, separating the dining room
from the drawing room The split leveled garden is landscaped with a
green lawn fringed on the southern side with trees like Norfolk, pine,
cypress, blue gums and spathodia. |
| The thick foliages which lazily let the sun rays
sieve through them, makes us feel the embrace of nature. The westerly
wind sweep across the drawing room, set majestically with large doors
among spans of glass running the full southern side. Seated there on the
plush sofas you will feel like a King, and leisurely love to sip a cup
of tea, made of leaf fresh from the gardens. |
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The eastern side has two double rooms. The first is a
huge one with massive cots and furniture made in abstract Victorian and
mid-Victorian styles Cutting across to the dining room and further
north, we come across the second largest bedroom neatly laid with its
muscular looking furniture made of teak wood. The corner most bedroom on
the east is good humorously called 'a honeymooners den" and is set up
very quietly and is always totally undisturbed. |
| All four bedrooms have fire places and large
bathrooms which are ventilated by opening the top half of the windows
without loss of privacy. There is another single room with an attached
bathroom which is also offered to the guests.. The large windows and
good wall space of the rooms join together effortlessly to give the
bungalow an elegant look.ed floors, is still kept in its old grandeur. |
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