Sisters Turn 200-Year Palace Into Sustainable Hotel

When Akshita and Mrinalika Bhanj Deo looked at their family's 200-year-old palace in 2015, they saw more than crumbling walls and empty rooms. They saw a chance to bring their home back to life while lifting up an entire community.

The sisters belong to the 48th generation of the Bhanja dynasty in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Their ancestral palace had once hosted dignitaries and buzzed with activity, but after India's independence, it sat mostly empty except for family visits during school holidays.

Growing up between Calcutta and overseas universities, the sisters always felt pulled back to this hilltop palace in Baripada. When they approached their parents with an ambitious plan to restore it as a heritage hotel, they were asking for more than money. They wanted support for a dream that seemed impossible in a region classified under India's Red Corridor due to extremist activity.

Their parents said yes. The restoration began with a clear mission: create sustainable tourism that would employ local people and showcase Odisha's rich culture. Every decision balanced preservation with practicality.

The palace's original structure stayed intact. Century-old furniture, antique carpets, and crystal chandeliers were carefully restored. Items too damaged to repair became display pieces, like vintage record players and first-edition books that now fill the library.

Modern amenities like WiFi and updated plumbing fit seamlessly into rooms that still breathe royalty. The sisters refused to sacrifice the palace's soul for convenience. Walking through the property today, guests pass through the Elephant Porch, built tall enough for rulers to enter while mounted on elephants, before discovering suites named after royal heritage.

The Ripple Effect

The hotel opened in 2019 after five years of work. Local craftspeople gained employment and training throughout the restoration. Tourism brought new opportunities to a region often defined by conflict rather than culture.

Visitors now experience Mayurbhanj's warrior history, artistic traditions, and entrepreneurial spirit through guided experiences. The sisters created something rare: a business model where preserving the past funds the future, and luxury travel becomes a tool for community development.

The palace gardens still sprawl for miles, just as they did when Akshita and Mrinalika played there as children. Now those same grounds welcome travelers seeking authentic heritage experiences while supporting the families who've called this region home for generations.

What started as two sisters wanting to save their childhood home became a blueprint for how historic preservation and sustainable development can walk hand in hand.