CHAMBAL, UTTAR PRADESH
+91-9837415512
STAY@CHAMBALSAFARI.COM
EXPERIENCE 
HISTORY
Jarar has been the ancestral seat of the family since 1472. Rai Saheb Ch. Suraj Pal Singh, the Zamindaar of Jarar, commissioned the construction of the Mela Kothi in the late 1860’s. Nestled amidst acres of woodland and pasture, the Mela Kothi was perfectly positioned to serve as the camp office for the family’s bi-annual cattle fair (Mela).
The fair was a source of great pride and prestige for the family, attracting traders from as far afield as Maharashtra and Orissa. However, by the 1990s, the numbers dwindled, and the Kothi along with its grounds, fell into neglect and disrepair.
THE ECO-LODGE
In 1999, Rai Saheb Suraj Pal Singh’s great-grandson, IIT engineer and conservationist Ram Pratap Singh, alongside his environmental scientist wife, Anu, began the restoration of their neglected family estate. The result was a pioneering ecotourism initiative: Mela Kothi-Chambal Safari Lodge. Set within 33 sprawling acres of painstakingly regenerated, man-made forest, the lodge has been developed over two decades with a focus on minimising environmental impact while offering a unique experience to discerning guests from around the world.
