FESTIVAL
A unique festival lends us insight into Jaisalmer’s culture.
LEARNING ABOUT UNKNOWN, faraway lands, their erstwhile kings, and their rich histories, has always fascinated me. On a cold January morning, while flying to Rajasthan, I look down at the vast, barren land reflecting the many shades of gold, and rub my hands in glee as I am finally about to explore one of my dream destinations.
Jaisalmer is located in the heart of the Thar desert. The car ride from the defense airport to the main town is an adventure. Narrow roads sparsely lined with desert shrubs and trees, an odd camel at every turn, and the majestic fort around which the entire city flourishes—everything affirms the image of
Jaisalmer that I have had gathered from storybooks. Every haveli, camel, and local I encounter during this trip are parts of an elaborate story that I have weaved in my head over the years.
As the car comes to a halt, I stick my head out of the window to catch a glimpse of my stay, a 19th-century ancestral property called Narayan Niwas Palace. Noticing my fascination, my colleague and travel partner Priyanka recommends that I watch the famous Indian director Satyajit Ray’s movie Sonar Kella, which is based in Jaisalmer.
We quickly change and head to the workshop zone for the first edition of the Reth Festival ( reth.co.in). A group of people hover around various stalls lined up
in the courtyard of the haveli. I decide to try my hand at pottery. A local potter tells me to wrap my hands around the spinning clay wheel. I begin to play with the mould and manage to make a semi-circular clay pot. Next, I try my hand at miniature painting. As I am mentored by Ajay Sharma, a master of the Mughal style, this quickly becomes my favourite activity of the lot.
As the sun sets, we are ushered to the Nachana Haveli, the second venue of the festival, which is a five-minute walk from Narayan Niwas Palace. Nachana Haveli is a stunning haveli-turned-hotel, and is quite alluring for many reasons. Since it’s owned and run by the royal Nachana family, who are the descendants of the founder of Jaisalmer, the entire experience is nothing short of regal. The threestorey building made entirely from sandstone, has 13 rooms, maintained in their original splendour. The experience of walking through the colossal wooden doors into the sprawling courtyard with arched high ceilings and scarlet bougainvilleas is ineffable.
As I occupy a seat facing a temporary stage set for the night’s festivities, an episode from Harmony begins—a five-part musical documentary exploring the past and present of Indian music through the eyes of Oscar-winning music composer A R Rahman. The night progresses into a live performance by Hasan Khan, a famous musician of the Manganiyar community. He and his troupe have been singing exclusively for the royal courts for over 55 years. Hours pass by under the clear night sky, thanks to Khan’s music. We, then, shake a leg as Udaipur-based writer, singer, and composer Rahul Upadhyay starts singing some popular Bollywood numbers.
I wake up with a burst of energy the next morning to begin the most awaited leg of the trip. After a breakfast of traditional kachoris (a spicy deep-fried snack) and the highly-recommended dal baati churma (a traditional Rajasthani delicacy), I am all set for a day’s excursion to the Jaisalmer Fort.
As Anu, my guide, begins his narration, I look up and find myself awestruck. The imposing size of the structure, glistening under the desert sun, leaves me stumped. The Jaisalmer Fort lives up to all the hype. The only living fort in India, it served as a gateway for camel caravans, traders, and nomads from Central Asia for centuries. I wonder how the majestic yellowsandstone structure managed to withstand the trials and tribulations of the many battles that took place at its doorstep.
I walk through the cleverly-constructed, maze-like fort, and see smaller palaces, houses, and temples functioning in perfect harmony, just like they would
have back in the day. When I tell Anu I am hungry, he guides me to a cafe that offers a 360° view of the fort. I gorge on laal maas (traditional mutton curry) and rotis, and head back to Narayan Niwas Palace.
After a while, we hop on a bus that takes us to the sand dunes of Jaisalmer. A rickety 45-minute ride later, we arrive at our destination—the luxury desert camp of The Bordi Jaisalmer.
In the middle of the vast golden dunes kissed by a magical sunset, Bordi freezes time. A makeshift stage on the bare sands, bonfires, diwan cots, and cushions arranged in a semi-circle, unlimited cocktails, and delectable dishes—the setting immerses you into the landscape. Gazing at the dark blue sky filled with twinkling stars, I attempt to spot the Orion’s Belt. As I rub my hands and brace myself against the cold wind, a melodious tune cuts through the stillness of the desert. I immediately know who it is—the great Champe Khan and his troupe creating magic with musical notes. As the night proceeds, the famous sufi band, Inayat, turns up the tempo by playing soulful tunes along with some dance numbers. Eventually, we all start to groove along.
As I take a break to grab a glass of water, I realise that Jaisalmer is much more than its romanticised version in my head. Freezing the moment in my mind, I go back to join the others and dance away the night under the countless stars.