Jodhpur Local Customs

The surrounding villages include dhurrie-weavers, leather craftsmen and potters.

We had a chance to spend some time at one potter's wheel, watching in amazement as he shaped the local clay into vases, jugs and even animals!

Our trip into the countryside was arranged with Upendra Srimali, the manager of the Haveli Guesthouse. We had one other woman with us on the day-trip and Upendra was our guide and interpreter. I've had both good an bad experience with this type of "village visit" and I found Upendra's tour to be informative, fascinating and sensitive to the locals. . .that last one is particularly hard to ensure.

We had lunch at the home of a farmer ~ the daughter-in-law did the majority of the meal preparation, while the father tried to keep the two young kids out of the way. The food was basic ~ dal, chapati with raw sugar, vegetables and rice ~ but tasty.

The countryside around Jodhpur is home to many Bishnois familes and several different craft villages as well. We spent some time at a co-operative for dhurrie weavers. Their work is highly regarded in the area.

Roopraj, who is on the left in this photo, was the spokesman of the operation. He had a fabulous three-ring binder filled with articles clipped from magazines and newspaper (German Elle, Home Decor, etc.) which featured his co-op. Whenever his name appeared, it was highlighted in yellow and he took tremendous pride in showing us the operation of the co-op and the interlock process.

The dhurrie patterns are traditional geometric ones that have been around for ages. The weavers use vegetable and mineral dies, camel hair and cotton. . .and they fold up into small bundles that can be expertly sealed and sent to an onward destination (we had some sent to Mumbai, our final stop, so that we could fly home with them).

The Bishnois use opium to prepare a welcome drink for their guests ~ see next tip ~ but it also has another, slightly more disturbing use. Child marriages are still common among many tribal groups, including the Bishnois. When the oldest child is 13, all the children of one family are married to the children of another family at one ceremony, to save on travel and wedding costs.

The children stay with their families until they reach 16, then they are "encouraged" to consummate their wedding by being given opium on their first nights together.

It was odd to see Manju and her brother and realize how quickly their lives would change. . .

The ground opium, which has been mixed with water, is offered from the palm ~ it's a longstanding tradition. Visitors (the regular kind, not just tourists!) usually come from far away and have had long, hard travel days. . .rather than sending them straight off to bed while their are still wired from their day, the opium is meant to relax and refresh their bodies and minds. It's a way of welcoming your guests and ensuring that they recover from their trip.

We took the offered drink and even tasted the opium seed on its own afterward. . .the taste is a bit bitter, but nothing terrible. We may not have had enough, but there were no noticeable side effects.

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A musician in the castle