“India lives in its villages”, said Mahatma Gandhi. And rightly so, untouched by the jet setting world and the stress of urban living, Indian villages are a haven of peace and tranquility. The life is simple and all the needs are met at the local level itself. A village safari is the best way to get a glimpse into the humble lives of the villagers of India. A brief account of what to expect during your Village Safari near Jodhpur is given here as a short guide to your trip.
Village safaris are conducted both during the morning and the evening hours. A well conducted safari takes around 3-4 hours depending upon the time the guests spend soaking in and absorbing the wondrous countryside. To keep the rural life undisturbed by urban and touristic movement there are pre-decided pathways that the safari guides take. Though one is free to explore further into the villages but it sure would disturb the routine life of the inhabitants.
We take you through the morning safari as this one gives more chances of seeing and experiencing the true countryside life. After a hearty breakfast you must leave by 8-8:30 am for the 75-80 kms loop the village safari traverses.
If the season favours you might be greeted by a dancing peacock as you enter the villages near Jodhpur Municipal Limits. The many birds and animals that you would encounter and meet during this trip will include the domesticated cows, buffaloes, goat and sheep and the free roamers like peacocks, camels, bluebulls (Nilgai), deer - chital / chinkara and lucky few can also spot the endangered black bucks, mongoose, partridges, mynas, lapwings, jungle wabblers, quails, monster lizards and many more. Keep your cameras ready to click away the many wonders of the rural life.
We drive through the main marketplace which is lined by shops that sell everyday essentials and farm needs and equipment. This place is buzzing with activity during the mornings as the farmers bring their produce here to sell. People throng the market for the freshly plucked vegetables and fruits buying them straight from the farmers. The farmers bring their produce in wagons and set shop at the back of the very same wagons, no permanent infrastructure needed. The vegetables are absolutely freshly picked from the farms and sold at a reasonable price - perfect recipe for a happy cultivator and a happier consumer! Same set up goes for milk as well, right from the cows / buffaloes and straight to the consumers - no heavy expense on transportation and no fee to the middlemen. People in villages do not believe in buying the groceries for weeks and storing in the refrigerators. They buy their freshies every morning and consume them during the day.
A local snack called Kachori is served hot in a small shop in this market. A quick stop for a snack and tea if it pleases you and you then are taken to the Potter’s home.
The potters’ main products are the earthen pitchers that are widely used in India for storing drinking water. The clay, which is normally sourced from river beds is kneaded and mixed with sawdust and then on a potters wheel is shaped into a matka (the pot), dried and then baked. While baking the saw dust burns away leaving the pot porous. These tiny pores help keep the pot moist and the stored water cool. How scientific is that and coming from uneducated potters! The potters have lately ventured into clay artefacts as well. There are a lot of decorative items, small and large pots and pans, wind chimes, lamps and paperweights that you can see at the workshop in a potter’s home. To give the guests a firsthand experience, the potters keep some ready clay for the guests to throw in a bowl or a tumbler. You may try your hands at creating one and carrying it away as a souvenir.
Moving on, you would encounter a few shepherds grazing their herds. A little chat with them will give you an insight into their lives, a photo to remember them by and we come upon a camp of the nomadic snake charmers’ tribe. These tribals are mainly snake charmers and skilled dancers who perform their famous dance “kaalbeliya” (also the name of their tribe) in evenings at various resorts and cultural activities centres. During the days they keep themselves occupied with chiselling grinding stones and wheels, tending cattle and farms for the landlords around the area and preparing for their next performance. Caution here before you decide to enter their campsite. Let the guide take permission from their leader before you interact with them. They might not appreciate any breach of their privacy.
Division of labour is equal in villages and men and women share responsibilities, be it grazing the cattle, working in the fields, fetching water or even cooking. Keep looking out the car windows lest you miss some interesting spectacle of village life. Now we reach our next stop which is the home of a humble native villager. The house is right next to the farms and our host is happy to take you into the farms and explain about the crops that he has sown or getting the farm ready for. There is a small shed near the farm where he keeps his cows and buffaloes. The cattle is treated with very high care as the people’s livelihood and day to day life depend on them. The cattle dung is used for making dung cakes which are used as cooking fuel. Whatever the argument might be from an urban citizen, the villagers believe that the smoke emanating from this fuel keeps their homes disinfected, sterilised and free from flies and bugs. Other interesting things of their everyday use that you will see here are - the stove, the metal cover for milk, mud huts used as storage for grains and kitchen, neatly stacked dried cow dung cakes and utensils. Our farmer family is a very gracious host and offer tea to the visitors with some chit chat about their daily life. Suit yourself to indulge in these rustic pleasures.
The openness of space in villages vis a vis the cities is quite a sight to take in. As we head towards our next stop, we cross this beautiful natural pond which is a hangout for many birds and cattle. The rain water is stored here for use in the later months post monsoons. The water lasts around six-eight months. You can take a short picnic stopover here and munch onto some sandwiches or chips. Cows drinking water at the pond, peacocks all around, partridges, doves, pigeons pecking at the millets offered by the villagers, sounds of the bells around the cows’ necks, some moos from the cows and screams of the peacocks, soft hum of a tubewell running in a distance - this is your picnic music.
Next we walk along and reach a shrine dedicated to the local deities of Mamaji and Bhomiyaji. People invite the deities to the weddings in their families, usually the first invitation card is addressed to them and left at the shrine. These horse mounted deities are highly revered in these villages and have followers from across faiths.
You now head back to the city carrying these wonderful experiences with you. Through the many farmlands stretched over acres and acres of land with one single road cutting right across, you get your chance meetings with the wildlife of the region. A herd of deer can be spotted somewhere galloping along, a stray camel happily munching the leaves of the local Khejri tree, an odd bluebull giving you a curious glance, a carefree peacock dancing to woo his mate, some hares and mongoose crossing your path swiftly in a blink and you miss moment, a shepherd and his Indie Dog disciplining their herd, many wondrous sights to keep you totally on the lookout lest you miss something. As the road enters the village near the highway, you would see men of all ages sitting casually and chatting on a platform around an old neem or peepul tree. But wait, the safari isn’t over yet. You might get lucky to meet some more tribals on your way out of the village. Gadiya Lohars this time. The nomadic blacksmiths from Rajasthan. They travel from place to place, camping for a few months somewhere and moving on again. This tribe always had bullock carts as their means of transport but with changing times they have graduated to tempos whilst keeping their tradition of being nomads alive.
The village safari experience is recommended for all tourists - Indians or Foreigners as here you get to see the real India - up close and personal! Click here to book your safari with us with an expert guide.
