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| Red splashes on Rajasthan’s desert landscape. |
After six hours of traveling by bus from Agra, I knew we had arrived somewhere magical based on the bright colors of the sarees.
Neon orange, fuchsia pink and bright red sarees dotted the desert and towns through which we were passing. Rhinestones, embroidery and jewels rimmed women’s faces, and many covered their faces with sheer fabric – altogether a different trend from Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Considered monochromatic and semi-desert in India, Rajasthan served up a kaleidoscope of color.
It also offered a time to connect with the local community of Tordi Garh, the overnight destination for me and my tour group. Our drive ended on a single lane road that led into the main drag of Tordi Garh, a town of ~3,000 people who make a subsistence living on agriculture, artisanal production (primarily textiles, quilting and wood carved objects), and increasingly, tourism. By most visiting eyes, this village looks deeply impoverished and to some degree, it is. But looking closely — at the healthy weight of the dogs and livestock, the number of houses with gates, the ratio of paved roads to unpaved — you will collect some insight to Tordi Garh’s modest but growing local economy.
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| Local man herding his livestock roadside. |
Once we landed in town, the streets were rutted with potholes and sprinkled with livestock – cows (considered sacred and very well protected in India), pigs (and piglets!), chickens too. We were occasionally graced with the playful tendencies of monkeys too. We pulled up to a “heritage hotel” – a special category for properties aged more than ~100 years old or so (local estimation, not a confirmed fact). Owned by a tenured, land-owning family, our hotel was an old homestead being converted into a charming, quirky hotel, managed and staffed by the local community. As well, tourism activities – like guided walking tours and camel rides – were provisions in the agenda, as were traditional Indian activities like henna painting. Despite the rural destination, which did not offer WiFi network nor phone services, the town of Tordi Garh and our hotel did offer a superb moment of locally-based, authentic engagement. Being “off the grid” never looked or felt so lovely.
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| Small business owner and camel manager, a key player in the budding tourism market in rural Rajasthan. |
One activity offered to guests was a camel ride through town and some nearby sand dunes. The camels come to the hotel, where we board well-upholstered platforms adhered to each camel, and then off we go (generating lots of local interest as we roll down the main street conspicuously). While not an activity I would partake in at home, I was motivated to support this small business, and in turn, the local family generating income through a new tourism market fueled by visitors.
The photo to the right features our camel owner (and one of four camels in the troupe as well as his grandson), who is not only a man of agriculture, but also a budding community-based tourism entrepreneur. He and his grandson led a pack of camels carrying ~15-20 tourists over sand dunes with thermos’ of masala chai and biscuits. When we disembarked from our vehicles, we hiked up the dunes to catch the sunset. Sipping tea, taking photos, getting to know each other better and being in the desert landscape of this new place – made possible through local community leadership and entrepreneurship. Very special.
