Memorable Experiences of Royal Rajasthani Hospitality at Hotels
As I keep writing about my tour of Rajasthan, I am constantly reminded of good experiences of Rajasthani Hospitality at Hotels that I stayed. The warmth with which we were received at the hotels and a palace we stayed there is clearly etched in my mind. It was so royal! Truly Rajasthani Hospitality Rejuvenates and Refreshes, makes your stay unforgettable.
As per the famous saying Atithi Devo Bhava, in Rajasthan, a guest is considered as equal to God. They believe welcoming a guest is no less than welcoming and worshiping God! As we disembarked from taxis at several hotels we were given grand welcome. Such memorable experience to cherish for long.
At some of the places we were received with drum beats and blowing trumpets, at other places we were garlanded and showered with sweet scented flowers. The welcoming trumpet call and drum beats would go on for a couple of minutes… It was overwhelming! And this is not for just chosen few guests but for every guest who checks into the hotels.
This is such a contrast when compared with hotels in south of India.
Rajasthani Hospitality at Hotels
Above is a picture of Kachchi Ghodi Naachh (Colorful dummy horse dance) welcome we got at a hotel in Jaipur.
Lately they too seemed to have picked up some of these welcoming methods. At Novotel Vijayawada they welcomed us with a lit lamp and tilak on forehead. When we toured Bodoland we were welcomed by wrapping aronai over our shoulders.
Musicians welcoming guests – Rajasthani Hospitality
The local people there feel very happy when the tourists wear the traditional dresses of the region, especially the lady tourists. Women of the region keep their faces covered, so the lady tourists dressed in foreign revealing attires attract unnecessary attention.
The Rajasthani delicacies… how I miss them! And the way the waiters hovered around us to make sure we had our fill! If anything was too spicy; it would be immediately replaced with something mild. And this was just not in the big hotels there; even in the small eateries there we got pampered. We were entertained by the musicians, magicians, and folk dancers while having our dinners.
In the world map of hotels, Indian hotels rank high in terms of hospitality to guests. Among them hotels of Rajasthan top the list. Big hotel chains to small boutique properties, each category seem to outdo the others. Traditional warmth is never compromised.
One has to be there to experience the emblematic Rajasthani hospitality!
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(Updated post. This was first written on Feb 9th, 2009.)
Very beautiful!! So truly described!! Nice pics Indrani!
that thali – now it is nearing lunch time here – has got the stomach rumbling – looks heavenly…
Thank God I read your blog after my lunch! I am still drooling…
A great lesson in hospitality to be learned from Rajasthan.
this sure is wonderful!
Hi Indrani, I stumbled on your blog via David’s ‘authorblog. Loved your blog on rajasthan. Will be visiting the rest of your blogs soon. The photos are just awsome. And they remind me of the time last year in Feb (21st Feb) I was in Ahmedabad and they have this complete Rajasthan experience in “Rajwada”. It exactly like you described, thalis were amazing with pure ghee spread lavishly over daals, and Oh ! so colourful and inviting. They even had us walk over a little bridge with Princely colorful sun umbrellas held over our heads by those colorfully dressed men. the drum beats and folk songs were wonderful while we reclined (literally) on the multicoloured charpoys.
Your blog is great….!
Thats thali is making me feel hungry…Was watching Roadies oter day, and they are at Rajasthan…Amazing and colourful place.
Rajasthan is well known for taking care of guests. Your picture of Rajasthani thali was really mouth-watering.
What a wonderful experience!
Very nice that you tried the local food and clothes. Great photos as usual. The food looks most appetising.
Rajasthan, the name itself gives me a great deal! That’s so nice of them treating this way surly pleasant. Nice pictures 🙂
We need to be reminded of that kind of hospitality!! Truly beautiful…I love to click on your pictures for the finer detail..
It looks and sounds as if Rajasthan would be a great place to visit. I would like to have the opportunity some day.
It must have been quite an experience 🙂
I’m always amazed by the number of dips for pratas!!!
Thanks for sharing your world. I enjoyed the photos. And the food looks great!
Have a great week.
Grammy
Missouri, USA
We just experienced similar instances in Manali. I feel – when in Rome do as a Roman applies to all places. We tried out local costume, and local delicacies. Gives a tour much more meaning!
I love all of the turbans and the colors. The food looks fabulous too – I adore Indian food.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. I have been to India and found it such an exciting place to visit too. I do wish we had tried more of the local delicacies they look delicious, those we tried were very tasty, specially the chutneys and pickles.
Love the guy on the ‘horse’!LOL I was pleased to see there weren’t any snake charmers, and that delicious food made me yearn for some Indian delicacies.
I love that first picture of the man riding the fabric horse. That’s great. Hovering and attentive wait staff sound like a wonderful experience. 🙂
Your travel stories are amazing. I’ve never been to India and you are able to bring it alive.
Great pics of a most interesting place that is for sure on my list of places I must see. For now your blog serves as good proxy.
This is a true essence of Indian hospitality 🙂
That must be so nice to watch ! I want to have a horse like in the first picture ! That looks so cute !
I’ve always wanted to visit Rajasthan, the place famous for their hospitality. And your pictures and post prove that they are indeed friendly people.
So colorful. So yummy. So interesting. So different. Thanks for posting this strange world for those of us who like in the United States.
look at that yummy food….making me hungry. a most interesting post and the photos are great.
always enjoy your blog.
have a good week.
erin
Stayed in a palace? No wonder a Queeny treatment was meted out..!!!
Seeing all that food, wondering on the weight gain on return :)))
The cultural program attended looks good, a bit disappointed that the lens didn’t cover foreign tourists..!!!
Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures of a world so far away. Your blog is always very interesting.
I’d LOVE to experience that! I really want to go to India some day, but in the meantime, I’m glad to be able to enjoy your blog!
Wow.. I really love India!
My World welcomes you here. Happy Tuesday!
That thali… its making me hungry !!!! looks really delicious !
I would like to hear that trio playing there in those orange turbans.
Interesting post in Malaysia our favourite Indian food is Roti Canai & Curry sauce.
Have a nice day
That thali looks so inviting! I hope to go to Rajasthan some day …
The whole world knows how good they are at treating tourists. Cool snaps !
Some very evocative shots here..thanks
Those are great pics, I’ve always loved Indian food. Thanks for sharing.
Have a great week!
Guy
Regina In Pictures
The food looks wonderful, and of course the hospitality makes it all the better.
How fun to be so pampered and have such a wonderful welcome. I loved the visit and all the different sights! Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing!
Looked so pampered with such warm welcome. 🙂 Oooo the food looked so good and yummy. I had a similar meal like that when I visited an Indian Restaurant over here for a meal of curry fish head. 🙂 Curry is one of my favourite meal here. Now I am drooling.
That is some welcome you got! Indian food is really good. Did you like it?
The meal looks interesting esp when there are different types of sauces. 🙂
It sounds like you were treated like royalty. Great photos.
Those images are wonderful. All the colours are so warm, the yellow and orange of the sand stones and the brighter colours of the peoples clothing matches perfectly. What a wonderful place to see.