One of the evils of being a tourist in India is that when you visit a state, you end up doing the so called ‘highlights’ and missing out on the living culture and heritage of the place. Nowhere is this truer than in Rajasthan, where Indians and foreigners alike end up doing just a round of the big forts and palaces in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer. But there’s more to Rajasthan than the big towns, and for a taste of what a modern day nobleman’s life is like, and what the life of people dependent on him is like, a visit to Rohet is a must.
Rohet is on the Jodhpur-Pali highway, and it's so tiny that you blink and you miss it. The road leading to Rohetgarh hotel is fit only for camel carts and, as I was getting there, I had serious suspicions of anyone ever having visited the area, let alone all the celebrities (including Madonna, and William Darymple!) I had heard about. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I reached Rohetgarh, and found myself being feted like royalty at one of the world’s leading hotels!

Entering Rohetgarh is like stepping back in time, into the pages of a Victorian era novel. Beautifully manicured lawns with garden chairs are surrounded by open terraced rooms on all three sides, and a lovely pool on the fourth. In the evening, all visitors to Rohetgarh were treated to drinks over a bonfire by the Thakur- Manvendra Singh, while local musicians and magicians entertained us.

The Thakur’s family has patronized local arts for centuries, and all the entertainers we saw had the exact same skills they would have had four centuries back, which have been handed down for generations. I felt like I was an honored guest at the country seat of an Indian equivalent of an English Earl. All of a sudden, the fast paced 21st century world I inhabited faded away, and feudal customs and traditions took on new meaning.

I also took a safari to see the famous black buck, and its fierce protector- the Bishnoi, both tenants of the Thakur! All I knew of the Bishnois tribe was that they worshipped nature - the women going to far as to breast feed deer in times of need - and were responsible for the imprisonment of the Bollywood actor Salman Khan when he shot a black buck. Bud despite my expectation of a seeing well built, severe looking Bishnois based on what I had heard, they turned out to be incredibly mild mannered and very hospitable folk. The only time their ire is aroused is when they see evidence of the environment, or animals being harmed.

The visit to Rohet ended with a trip to a desert camp, where we were hosted in tastefully done tents with luxurious interiors. It seems like you are at some exotic camp out of Arabian nights - the oil lamps lighting up the camp, the paintings on the walls, the huge spread of eats and drinks with the attendant hosts, all adding to the feel!

So, if you want a luxurious escape from the city life enriched with a taste of traditional Rajasthani culture, Rohet is the right place to go to.

*"Padaro Mare Des" means "Welcome to my country" in Marwari, the most common language in Rajasthan.