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THE BISHNOI : a rural tribal group, are a Hindu sect founded in
the Punjab, who follow the teaching of Jambeshwar, a 15th-century
sage & religious reformer who left a legacy of 29 (bis noi) tenets.
The countryside around
Jodhpur is home to many tidy Bishnoi villages & family compounds.
These gentle communities of potters, weavers, leather embroiderers &
camel herders have achieved world acclaim for their religious
conservationist beliefs. They are vegetarians, follow the principles
of non-violence, & above all, reverently protect all flora & fauna.
They do not allow felling of trees or hunting on their lands. This
area is home to the rare blackbuck antelope with remarkable spiral
horns. (We saw quite a few of the graceful creatures.) They freely
graze, fully aware, it seems, that no one here will harm them.
The history & customs of the Bishnoi are legendary. In fact, one
infamous incident in 1730 involved the massacre of 363 Bishnois who
sacrificed their lives to save their trees. They were felled
indiscriminately by the raja’s troops along with the trees they were
hugging to protect them. (I can't help but wonder if this is where
the term "tree hugger" came from?)
THE BISHNOI & OPIUM :
Although now illegal in India, & forbidden by the 29 tenets of
the Bishnoi, the sect still uses it & have been given special
consent from the Indian government to use opium for ‘religious’
purposes. Legally , they are only allowed to use empty poppy pods,
after the opium has been extracted for medical manufacture. The pods
are then ground, mixed with a sugar solution, then diluted further
with water for the ceremony. So in truth, it seems there is hardly
any opium in the mixture?
I vaguely remember being told that the Bishnoi were the original
growers of the opium poppy, & maybe they still are? But I have not
been able to verify this. But it would make sense since they have a
long shared history with opium. There were, & perhaps there still
are, certain traditional occasions where the sharing of opium tea is
permitted & practiced by the Bishnoi. For example, opium tea was
used as a welcome drink for guests who usually came from far away &
had long, difficult journeys. The opium tea was meant to relax &
refresh their bodies and minds to ensure their recovery from their
arduous trip. Back then, the opium seed was ground, & mixed with
water. Traditionally, it was/is slurped from the palm of the server.
Another traditional occasion for opium tea was/is when the
younger members of the family served it to the elders of the family
coming back from work in the fields. Then there’s also the opium
sharing ceremony practiced whenever there is a gathering such as a
marriage or a funeral, or a dispute to settle - somewhat akin to the
American Red Indians smoking the peace pipe, except that the opium
solution is slurped from the palm of the server.
Location : Jodhpur
Duration : Full Day
: 6-8 hrs. / Half Day : 2-4 hrs.
Bishnoi Village – Jeep tour from
Jodhpur.
Itinerary :
We will
pick you from your hotel or place of your choice from
Jodhpur
city. Our guide will briefly describe the plan of
safari and time table
of whole day.
 Khejarli Massacre- (where 363 Bishnoi people sacrificed to protect
the trees) -
The
first place to visit in our safari is
Kahejarli
Massacre, this
place itself describe the
Bishnois. This place is famous for its
Kahejarli Massacre, this place itself describe the
Bishnois.
This place is famous for its great history, at this place thousands
of Bishnois
have given there life to protect tree.
 Singhasni (Muslim religion Potter's village)
-
Famous
for pottery, tourists can see people doing pottery, if you want you
can also try pottery, our guide will completely demonstrate the way
people here do pottery and will also help you in doing same.
Gudha
village
(Where you can spot wild life & visit to Bishnoi families
Here you can watch wild animals in there natural
habitats, many species of desert animals are found there some of
them our Antelopes, Gazelle, Dumessille Crane, Rabbits, Blue Bulls,
Migrated Birds, Peacocks etc
 Salawas (Weavers village) -
Salawas,
a land magic carpets; a land where fantasy and reality joins forces
to keep alive one of its most famous traditions: the durry (Rugs).
The durry (Rugs), weather weaved out of cotton or wool, spreads
colorful tradition and heritage from its primitive form of weaving
in the villages of
Rajasthan. Make your home a cozier place by adding
to it the magical glamour of
India,
with the colorful folklore of the durry (Rugs).
Here we will take you to famous Roop Raj Durry Udyog one of the best
rugs manufacturer in this area in terms of quality
and rates. Here you can buy or can see how these rugs are being
manufactured.
 Shepherds Village (where you can visit to families of shepherads people) -
Real Indian village
sight, perfect place for doing photography of village life, you can
find people making sheo (Kambal). You can also see the UNICEF
sponsored health center
Full Day Village Safari (package
With Lunch) - Full Day Memorable Outing in Jeeps Visit Various
Traditional Villages Seeing Local Handicrafts Viz Shoe Makers,
Pottery Hand Weaving & Also Men In Their Traditional Attire, Women
Clad With Ancestral Silver Jewellery, En-Route Watch & Photograph
Wildlife Black Buck, Chinkaras, Peacock Etc. Freely Moving in
Abundance Protected by "Bishnois" Protectors of Wildlife &
Tree.
-
Pick up at 09:00 AM in morning from Hotel
-
Return back by around 6:00PM to 7.00PM & drop to
Hotel
Half
Day Village Safari (package
Without Lunch) -
Itinerary :
Morning Tour
-
Pick up at 09:00 AM in morning from Hotel
-
Return back by around 1:00 PM & drop to Hotel
Afternoon Tour
-
Pick up at 02:00 PM in afternoon from Hotel
-
Return back by around 6:00 PM & drop to Hotel
Number of Pax :
Guide Service :
- Optional on Request
- English Speaking or language of your
choice subject to availability
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