Travel Report Rajasthan | Land of the Maharajas

Travel Report Rajasthan | Land of the Maharajas

RAJPUTANA the historical name of Rajasthan
Land of the Maharajas

Rajasthan / Rajputana, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer
 

 
Private and individual travelling in India by Bernd Symons since 1986

KERALA DISCOVERY is providing Family Environment Home-Stay in India, mainly for German travellers. If you are interested to travel far away from the tourist centres and join the everyday life of selected private host families in the hill stations of the Himalayas, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orissa or Kerala, it will be a thrilling experience! Though I can provide flights from Germany only, you can book your own flights - my hosts and me will arrange all inner India events from the reception at the arrival airport until airport transfer at the end of your trip.
 

Bright colours in a dry desert:
Women of Rajasthan
(Photo: Marion Baumgart)

Dear Friends of India !

We promise we will make your trip worthwhile and enjoyable to be remembered for a long time, as apart from experiencing the majestic Forts and Palaces of the rugged Thar Desert, you will experience the personal attention of all the families that you will visit, the different types of cuisines that your palate will relish, the different types of musicians & dancers that you will hear & see, the different types of cultures, tribes, people, terrain you will meet & see when you will be with the families.

All this you can experience only when you see Rajasthan with your Aristocratic Hosts because we Hosts look after you personally as we want to make permanent relationship with you and not the type of relationship that develops between you and the hotelier, which is impersonal.

So take this opportunity and be OUR GUESTS !

With best regards & we look ahead for your visit

 
CHANDRASHEKHAR SINGH

"INDRASHAN" JODHPUR (INDIA)

 
After our main host Chandra who is in the key position for Rajputana Discovery (He opens the portals of many other castles, owned by the noble families of his Rajput-friends) we now read the invitation of Princess Divya of Nachana (see her picture below, Divya standing on the rooftop of her ancient Haveli, Jaisalmer) and her brother, Prince Vikram:

Dear Guests

(whoever wants to travel Rajasthan in the most splendid way),

We take the privilege to invite you to the most exotic destination of the world. Rajasthan as it is famous world over is a place of Majestic Forts and Palaces and a land of the Maharajas with a blissful blending of nature with high mountains, lush greenery and beautiful lakes at one side to a stretch of the Thar desert on the other side where we will receive you in Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer as one of the guests described us is truly an oasis in the desert. From nowhere does it seems like a 21st century city but many people describe it as a city straight out of the tales of "Arabian nights". The city still has the charm of being at its authentic best.
 

Princess Divya of Nachana
standing on the rooftop
of her ancient Haveli, Jaisalmer

 
The citadel which is almost 900 yrs. old stands majestically right in the centre of the city has 99 bastions and is still a living fort where a quarter of the city's population still lives. Besides that every hook and corner of the city is so beautifully carved in yellow sandstone that it will surely leave you amazed. The outskirts of the city are equally amazing with many beautiful temples and a huge stretch of sand dunes. You will surely enjoy the short jeep and camel safari on which we will take you ourselves. The trip which Bernd has worked out for all the people who want to visit Rajasthan is an ideal one and nothing could be better. It will give you an insight into the lives of the people of Rajasthan mainly Maharaja's with whom you will stay during your visit.

At most of the places either the family or the Maharajas themselves will receive you. So in this way you will get a glimpse into the Royal houses of Rajasthan, their rich heritage and culture. Our cultural heritage is so rich that one just can't have the idea of it by merely hearing about it but being with the very own people of the land, staying in their Havelis, tasting their rich food with all different kinds of spices, interacting with them and going around with them will surely give you the right idea of their life and culture.

"ATITHI DEVO BHAVA" It is a very famous ancient saying in Sanskrit which means - a guest is like a god and must be treated as same. We firmly believe in this and so we have only few rooms for our guests so that we can give personal attention to each and every guest.

Now I must tell you something about ourselves ....... Our place is a brother-sister venture. It is a 280 yrs old Haveli which belongs to my father who is an ex-Maharaja of Nachana which was our state before independence. Me (Divya), I am 23 yrs old and my brother Vikramaditya is 21 yrs old. We both run this place as a hotel and our constant endeavour is to try and make people feel at home.
 

You will meet us as guests but surely leave us as friends and the proof of it is that almost each and every guest who stays with us invites us to his or her place and one of them called Michael visited us in February with Rajputana Discovery group has gone to the extent of not only inviting us but sponsoring our whole trip from India to Germany ........ he has become such a nice friend in just two nights and three days. He wants to show us his country in the same way as we had shown him ours. In fact he is fulfilling our long cherished dream. We are much thankful to Bernd and his company Rajputana Discovery for sending such nice people to us.

At last I would like to say "PADHARO MHARE DESH" which is a line from a very famous Rajasthani song which means "VISIT MY COUNTRY".
If once you visit the Golden city of Jaisalmer ........ I can assure you that you will surely come back as this city will charm you by itself.

AAPRI UDEEK MEIN (which means, AWAITING YOU)

Divya and Vikramaditya Singh,
Nachana-Haveli, Jaisalmer

Letters via: Bernd Symons
(Rajputana Discovery / Kerala Discovery)