Traveling to Rajasthan During the Winter Months? Enjoy an Original Mud Homestay!
Inspired by UK visitors, Chhotaram Prajapat, whose family has been weaving "dhurries" in Rajasthan for more than seven centuries, started a mud guesthouse company. They now invite visitors to their house in Salawas village, offering genuine experiences and supporting regional arts and crafts. A British couple named Brad and Lucy were approaching the latter part of their journey across Rajasthan.
The preferred location was the legendary city of Jodhpur. Equipped with postcards showcasing the majestic forts and camera shots showcasing the vibrant bazaars, the pair was primed for more genuine Rajasthani encounters. The town of Salawas, which takes great pleasure in producing dhurries—handwoven floor coverings with designs influenced by the state's culture—was the first location they encountered in Jodhpur. Lucy was so excited to meet Pukhraj ji's family, whose ancestors had been involved in artisanal craft for over seven centuries, that she could not control her joy. A few hours later, her arms were laden with woven dhurries that she had bought for her friends back home. It was time to part ways. She was in a trance, nevertheless, due to the mud cottages and large courtyards of the rural community. She could not bring herself to give up this old-fashioned charm for the comforts of a hotel.
The Chhotaram Prajapat Homestay sees an influx of tourists from the UK.
Chhotaram Prajapat, the now-30-year-old son of Pukhraj ji, remembers that the pair expressed a strong desire to remain at his family's home. English was not taught to us at the time. However, Brad and Lucy asked if they might stay with us for a few days using sign language. We were taken aback! Naturally not! At that time, it was unheard of for outsiders to dwell among the natives. What food would we give them? How would they sleep? We could only provide them with chapatis outside, beneath the sky. The amenities of a hotel were too luxurious for us to match. However, Brad and Lucy never gave up. They came back the following morning with a gentleman who spoke Rajasthani dialect and English with ease. He conveyed their desire to us once more, informing us that they were seeking a real Jodhpur experience—that is, sleeping outside beneath the stars in a mud hut—rather than luxury. Our house was ideal. Thus, for the following fifteen days, the couple was invited to stay at Pukhraj ji's house. Unbeknownst to Chhotaram, this would eventually establish the model for his ideal homestay enterprise.
Chhotaram Prajapat’s wife is at the helm of the cuisine at the homestay and teaches guests to cook on an open fire.
A Business is Born of Serendipity ~
In Jodhpur these days, visitors go to the Chhotaram Prajapat Homestay for a "mesmerizing experience." The modern guesthouse, located 20 miles from the historic city, makes sure that it fits the local cultural experience that draws visitors to Jodhpur.After spending two weeks in the house, neither of them remained unchanged. The pair, on the other hand, was shown a world substantially apart from their own. Chhotaram laughs, "Just like gypsies," they ate the traditional Rajasthani cuisine and "cried because of the spice," and they were utterly fascinated by the process of boiling and cooling water before it was given. While this was going on, Chhotaram's family learned a few English words and were familiar with civilizations well outside their little town. The fifteen days passed very fast, and Brad and Lucy made plans to return to the UK. Chhotaram thought that this had been an isolated incident, but he was utterly mistaken. Within a few months, Salawas village residents were heard directing several international visitors to Chhotaram's "mud home." Friends of Brad and Lucy, they had seen photos of the couple's trip and heard about it, so they came to see it for themselves. Chhotaram was more than eager to comply this time.
Chhotaram Prajapat has strived to give his guests a local Rajasthani experience complete with safaris and local food!
"Since we had already hosted Brad and Lucy, we knew how much spice foreigners could handle, so we tailored the meal accordingly." In the meantime, Chhotaram was having a great time conversing with the visitors and his vocabulary in English had grown. The most important one, he claims, was one such discussion in 2011. He saw Brad's buddy, one of his visitors, using a laptop connected via a dongle. At the time, he had been living with Chhotaram for three months. After we had a conversation, he recommended that I formally open up my house to tourists. similar to a homestay Chhotaram dismissed it, a businessman unfamiliar with the internet. However, the visitor persisted. He said, "I'll help you set it up." "Your home offers a local experience that makes people prefer it over hotels." Chotaram nodded, curious as to how this might operate. The visitor quickly registered the house on a travel website and gave Chhotaram an email account so he could access reservations. The Chhotaram Prajapat Homestay was founded as a result. "I thought of the name at the last minute. "I told him to name it after me," he says. After purchasing a computer that "took two hours to reply to an email" and spending Rs 700 to a nearby cyber cafe to access the internet for bookings, they are now able to accept reservations with just a button click.
Weaving a Successful Venture ~
With the growing number of visitors, Chhotaram's house could no longer hold them. The weaver then started constructing traditional cottages next to his house. Currently, ten of them are stacked one on top of the other, each having a western bathroom that includes both hot and cold running water along with other amenities like air conditioning and televisions. The homestays' vintage charm is something the family wishes to keep. Visitors are welcome to observe the skill of dhurrie creation while they are here. Our daily bread is the only thing we make from our business. We used to serve the aristocratic households in the past. We used to create dhurries for landlords and maharajas. As time went on, our relatives entered various industries, but the merchants severely took advantage of them. That's when Pukhraj ji decided to act independently in 1986. "My father began selling straight from the community after forming a cooperative with forty-five families. The middlemen were removed as a result, said Chhotaram. Salawas is now a flourishing community for the craft. This community is well known worldwide for its dhurrie production, which is made using an interlock weaving method that is uncommon worldwide. But as he notes, maintaining a skill is not simple. The lack of enthusiasm for the skill among younger generations makes it difficult. Following education, nobody aspires to be an artist. Everybody aspires to become a doctor. An average-sized dhurrie costs Rs 10,000 and takes around a month to make. It is laborious," he continues. Nevertheless, Chhotaram is optimistic that things will get better.
He takes his guests on a camel safari through the hamlet in addition to showing them around the weaving rooms. Enjoyable activities include jeep safaris that take you around the bazaars, excursions to Sardar Samand Lake, a famous spot for birding, and the village's handicrafts. But keep your stomach light. The Chhotaram Prajapat Homestay's cuisine is a visual and gustatory feast. "Our modest apartments have the sincerity of all conveniences and that homey atmosphere, even if we don't have fancy suites.
"We also don't serve multiple courses, but our food is incredibly delicious and expertly prepared. We are also well-known for the quality of our spices," adds Chhotaram, whose wife oversees the menu and instructs visitors in the art of cooking by showing them how to prepare a feast over an open flame using cow dung as fuel. The setting dusk's blue undertone harmonizes with the city's color scheme. A guy is approaching the mud cottages in the Salawas hamlet as the two shadows begin to synchronize with one another. There's a visitor from overseas with him. The new visitor for Chhotaram Prajapat has been found once again!
The camel safari enables guests to explore the bazaars of Jodhpur and also the local crafts!
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