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lively and abundant gardens. Mossy and
patinaed, with chipped paint, babbling
fountains, grand entrances, and warm
terracotta-tiled roofs, there is something
of the ancient and mystical in this place.
An Arcadia, once envisioned, then fully
and lavishly realized by an architect that
walked its grounds to the spellbinding tune
of its whispers and wonders.
"The soothing qualities of the place prevail
even today," says the Geoffrey Bawa Trust.
"It is both an ever-transient place and one
where time stands still; a subtle change
in the position of the sun or the direction
of the wind will completely change the
dance of the leaves at Lunuganga and its
entire atmosphere. Yet it feels as though
the gardens have always been there. We
feel assured that it will remain."
teardrop-hotels.com/lunuganga
and modern furnishings, and traditional
and contemporary art. Each space exudes
an age-old beauty, but with its transom
windows, private weathered ochre walls
and gothic flourishes, the Gallery Studio
is especially entrancing; originally built as
a cowshed, the structure was eventually
used as a gallery for Bawa's art collection
and stirs the imaginative sense. For a
glimpse into Bawa's soul, the Geoffrey
Bawa Suite—the architect's personal
quarters—was previously closed off to
guests. Beautifully well kept, the suite is
as lovely as a still life, if not a self-portrait
of Bawa himself, containing a living area,
an en-suite bath, adjoining plunge pool
and charming outdoor courtyard as he
enjoyed them.
But Lunuganga is the sum of more than
one space—it is the whole of one man's
obsession, from its grand architecture to its
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