Sparsa Progress

Decided to check out progress on construction of the new 3-star hotel (which I last gave February 20th) being built just off the Girivalam Road. The Hotel, Sparsa Tiruvannamalai, is an affiliate of the Days Inn Group and is expected, when completed, to be one of the premier Hotels in the area. That maybe so, but the building process is being done in traditional ways; i.e. bullock grunt power!

The end building will be the diningroom and conference centre.

I thought this a good photograph to illustrate the thatching process of which the framework is the first step.

The insides of all shops and rooms are rough hewn granite mined locally at AdiAnnamalai.

The below photograph is the line of shops in the heritage styled Hotel compound. The shops will include a Kashmiri Gift Shop, Internet facility, Library, Flower shop, Pottery Shop, Ayurveda Centre with treatments and a Cafe.

The below is of some of the accommodation cottages. Each cottage has two rooms on each floor, all with views facing Arunachala.

I made sure to get the contact information of the local man contracted to do all the thatched roofs in the Hotel compound. Lovely job and each roof should last up to 7 years before needing a rethatch.

Progress on the swimming pool is going well. The shape is perfect for doing those daily 'laps'.

Will keep you posted as to the Hotel's progress.

Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai

Auromatrix, Operators of Days Inn, India; are currently constructing their new 3-star Eco-centric Heritage Resort at Tiruvannamalai. The Hotel will be called 'Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai', and construction is expected to be completed in the upcoming months.

The Hotel, which will occupy 2 1/2 acres of land is ideally situated just off the pradakshina road on its northside and the NH-66 Highway (to Bangalore) on its southside. The view of Arunachala is unobstructed and the area is peaceful and undeveloped.

To begin with 7 individual cottage units are being built with 4 room units in each cottage comprised of 2 units upstairs and 2 downstairs. The buildings in the complex will be of rough hewn granite locally procured at Adi Annamalai. The facade of the cottages will be completed in red brick and all roofs will be thatched.

There will be an Ayurveda Treatment Centre, a multi-cuisine restaurant, shops, gymnasium, internet cafe and swimming pool all located within the Hotel Complex.

In the above photograph you can see the beginning of the excavation of the Hotel swimming pool.

For myself I've never equated austerity or suffering as a necessary pre-requisite of spiritual life. Personally I think its excellent that different facilities for visiting pilgrims/tourists now exist at Tiruvannamalai. In this respect its very encouraging that the new Hotel will be introducing such features as an ayurvedic treatment centre at their new Hotel. I will keep you informed as to progress of the construction of Sparsa, Tiruvannamalai.