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Five-star and ethnic
NEETA LAL
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`Chokhi Dhani', which has won a slew of awards, is a popular getaway for city-slickers keen on experiencing a slice of Rajasthani life, leavened with a dose of contemporary comfort.
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AWAY FROM URBAN LIFE: Bask in the splendour of rich Rajasthani culture. PHOTOS: ANIL SAXENA
FROM atop my obstreperous camel I get a vantage view of the twinkling night bazaar at "Chokhi Dhani" — 10 acres of real estate morphed into India's only five-star ethnic resort at Jaipur. Tonnes of atmosphere engulfs me .... People astride camels and horses, some ensconced within tongas and bullock carts for fun-filled rides. Long-limbed native Rajasthani dancers — their heads swathed in psychedelic baandhni turbans — are doing their frenzied numbers atop mud-plastered platforms. The beat of traditional instruments, deep-throated singing, laughter in the air ...The folksy dancers pull the bystanders in their midst, me included, and what follows is a blast for all ....
Meanwhile, on another dais, a furlong away, dexterous snake charmers are prodding glutinous creatures out of wicker baskets to the tune of mellifluous beens (flutes). But the most amazing act is undoubtedly that of the Nagkanya, a waif of a girl (not more than 10, I reckon), who transforms herself into a "snake" after some incredulous body twisting!
Meanwhile, strange chirrupy sounds draw me to the puppet show dais! Kids have huddled excitedly around its rim to gawp at the award-winning puppeteer Mewa Ram who will transport them into the magical world of kings and queens .... And just as the twittering puppets are bundled away, enters Kaalu Ram, the adroit magician who crystallises doves, pigeons and motley objects out of thin air, peppering his act with amusing anecdotes in the robust Rajasthani dialect.
Is this dinner?
Oops! My temperamental camel dislodges me unceremoniously from its back and collapses without warning on terra firma. I gesture to the kids — who are astride another quadruped (hopefully a gentler one) — to disembark for dinner. The meal — an al fresco affair under a starlit sky — is a quintessentially Rajasthani affair. "Dinner" is perhaps a misnomer for it as this is a banquet fit for kings — a swathe of 50-odd dishes, including the fabled Rajasthani gatte ki subzi, kadhi and mirchi ka salan — being served with white-butter-topped bajra/jowar rotis fresh from cavernous tandoors. Desserts include rabri — a delectable confection of thickened, syrupy milk and pistachio-studded kesar halwa. The fare makes us sleepy and we trundle cottagewards.
After all it had been a long day. We'd arrived mid-morning after a five-hour voyage over seamless tarmac from Delhi on NH-8. After an ostentatious tikka-thaali arti welcome to the accompaniment of pounding nagadas and a confetti of scented rosepetals, we'd checked into our mud-plastered igloo — our home for the weekend. Designed by an award-winning designer, the cocoon-like cottages are anointed with mirror-studded walls, ikat dhurries and an antique metallic jhoola (swing). Mud tiles, clay urns, terracotta figurines of Hindu gods and goddesses placed at the entrance further enhance the cottages' earthy appeal. But despite their rusticity, the huts are fitted with all things cosmopolitan — a western-style toilet, a 14-channel TV and fridge with a minibar. How's that for quaint meets cosmo?
"Chokhi Dhani" (built in 1989) we're told, is a popular getaway for city-slickers keen to experience a slice of Rajasthani life leavened with a dose of contemporary comfort. Apart from two eateries serving local and continental food, the village also boasts of a swimming pool, a well-stocked bar, even a desi haat (shop) offering crafts from the different States.
"The idea," says Subhash Vaswani, Managing Director of the resort, "is to provide entertainment while simultaneously attempt a renaissance of local crafts and culture. That's why we canalise a percentage of our profits from the two-day family package (Rs. 6,000 for a family of four with accommodation and meals) to help local craftsmen." By providing employment to poor craftsmen and rejuvenating their languishing crafts, "Chokhi Dhani" has successfully synergised commerce with creativity.
After a night of revelry, the village refuels and re-energises itself during daytime. The guests are therefore encouraged to go spike their adrenaline at the village's ancillary unit — Pink Pearl Fun City — 16 km off the city centre on Jaipur-Ajmer Highway. The country's largest amusement park offers a slew of aquatic games, fun rides, water slides, virtual reality and laser games, wobble up-and-down aqua tubes, bumper boats, zoom down slides, a skating rink, mini golf, pool tables, air hockey and go-karting.
After a high-energy weekend, it's tough to disengage ourselves — and the kids — from "Chokhi Dhaani". A quaint getaway that's enchanting at night and entertaining during daytime!
At a glance
The Chokhi Dhani Resort, literally meaning the "Fine Hamlet" is a five-star ethnic resort, the only one of its kind in the country.
With quaint mud and thatch dwellings set in
sprawling acreage of land, it has 65 cottages, eight Haveli Suits, two conference halls,
a Chaupal, a Chandi Mahal Bar and
a Bindola multi-cuisine restaurant.
Visit: http://www.chokhidhani.com
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