Rural Delights - Head Out Of Town & Discover The Other India
India’s many great and historic cities are the draw for most visitors. But the sights, sounds, cultures, cuisine and monuments can sometimes overload the senses of unwary tourists. Sure you can spend time in a spa retreat, head to the hills for a trekking excursion, or flop on the beach, but why not try a rural experience that will bring you a little closer to the local cultures and a little downtime as well?
Festivals are a great way to get involved in local communities. And in India, they celebrate everything. Like the births of Gods and Goddesses, saints and prophets, historic events, battles, seasons, New Year…. It all involves music, dance, costumes, food, processions, pilgrimages and everyone is invited.
Dussehra, in Milap near Varanasi features royalty riding elephants, a procession of horse, camel and elephant riders, music, dancing and a re-enactment of Lord Rama’s defeat of the Demon King Ravana. Bharat Milap takes place the next day, with a procession of Lord Rama and his reunion with his brother all in the presence of Kashi Naresh (former king of Varanasi) and his entourage.
India’s rural villages are also the place to see the origins of the country’s vibrant arts and crafts. Textile arts include carpets that range from finely knotted silks to sturdy durree (cottons); shimmery silks, gem-studded brocades and cool cottons; and delicate embroidery styles from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Lucknow. There are traditions for pottery, wood work, leather work, terra cotta and bamboo work. Jewelry is created to indicate culture and mark life milestones and is worked in gold, silver, copper, bronze, precious gems and stones with healing powers. Metalwork encompasses gleaming brassware, cast cookware and copper vessels. India’s painting tradition began in the caves and blossomed to cover royal, religious, romantic and everyday subjects. Glass painting dates back to the 16th-century courts of the Maharajas of Tanjore. Other media include painting on floors, on walls, on ivory and on your body; painting with burnt twigs, and with vegetable dyes.
Tourism India’s ExperienceRuralIndia.org website is an excellent resource for discovering all the rural pleasures of the country. You can search by destination, by craft, by area. The Browse by Circuits section offers sample itineraries throughout India; the Showroom displays featured crafts and contact details of the artisan; a Monthly Highlights section spotlights different destinations; and a News & Events section chronicles rural experiences all over India and lists upcoming festivals and fairs.
