The result is a totally eclectic blend of architectural styles: narrow, cobbled streets lined with fort-like houses, haveli mansions, slate roofs, mud plaster and jaali brickwork — all backed by imposing views of the Dhauladhar Mountains. It’s a wonderful mish-mash of a place, with an atmosphere that feels little changed in 300 years. Head out of a morning and you might see children in uniforms on their way to school, or silversmiths at work at the village market. Surrounding the village is mile upon mile of countryside, plied by a narrow-gauge railway whose evening signal is still lit with an oil lamp.

The best-known landmark in Pragpur is also our favourite place to stay: the Judge’s Court. This red-and-white painted country house, with its Mughal arches and twin pointed domes, was once the home of a colonial British judge — now a heritage hotel run by the judge’s grandson.

Despite being declared India’s first Heritage Village in 1997, an accolade that could have swamped it with visitors, Pragpur has remained beautifully unchanged, ignored by most international tourists and beloved by the few who take the time to visit it.