Bishnoi Village of Rajasthan
Bishnoi Village is one of Bishnoi villages set. The village adds cultural value to the state of Rajasthan. The village is located 22 km from Jodhpur city.
Rajasthan in India is home to a boundless number of options for sightseeing and reliving culture from different ages. One of the most beautiful cities to visit in Rajasthan is Jodhpur, also known as the blue city, getting its name from the colour of a large number of houses in the city.
Jodhpur has a lot to offer, from its palaces to other attractions, including memorials and a very famous reservoir. One of the main attractions, the Bishnoi Village, is located 22 km away from the city; and it attracts numerous visitors and tourists from all around the world.
History of the Bishnois
Loosely translated, the word ‘Bishnoi’ means the number 29, and it represents the 29 principles that the villagers live by. Bishnoi is also a Hindu religious sect, following the 29 principles laid down by Guru Jambheshwar, the founder of the sect. He was considered a reincarnation of Lord Krishna, and his teachings propagated that God is a divine power present everywhere. Amongst the 29 principles that he taught, ten are devoted to personal hygiene and good health, seven to healthy social behaviour, four to the worship of God, and eight to the preservation and care for the biosphere. These principles are followed by the tribe living in the Bishnoi village on a daily basis, with the utmost respect for nature and its every little constituent, including small insects. In fact, the history of the village is well-known for the sacrifice of the villagers, wherein they sacrificed their lives to save trees from being cut down! Home to a truly amazing community, the Bishnoi Village is a popular tourist destination.
Bishnoi Village
The Bishnoi Village is a small village and has always been a tourist attraction - even for kings during the times of Indian kingdoms. The original community of the Bishnoi Village, the Marwar, has influenced the way the culture of the village has been shaped drastically, and as a tourist, you can still see the awe-inspiring influences of their culture.
The Bishnoi community consists of simple locals, without too much worldly knowledge, but they are always ready to learn; and they are known for heartily welcoming tourists to spend time with them. They are as open to sharing snippets of their culture with their visitors, through tales of their ancestors, insights into their daily lives, and through their arts and culture.
The village is a small one, albeit amazing, and it is almost as though time stands still here. As mentioned before, attracting tourists is not new for the locals, and there is a ‘village safari’ tour that is available for visitors, that was initially started by Jodhpur’s kings (the Rajas and the Maharajas), to give visitors a glimpse into the extraordinary lives of ordinary locals. Tourists are free to embark upon the safari either in jeeps or on camel-back, and observe different parts of the village.
The village itself has multiple attractions, like the ‘potters’ village’ and the ‘weavers’ village’, where you can essentially visit different communities related to these occupations. You can also visit Khejarli, which is where hundreds of villagers sacrificed their lives to save the trees from being felled, the Gudha village for bird-watching, the Guda Bishnoi Lake and The Shepherd’s Village. The safari, whether on camel-back or in a jeep, takes you through these attractions.
The village is a part of the Western Thar Desert and the flora in and around the village consists of Khejri trees and occasionally, bushes. The area is replete with wildlife, and you can spot birds like partridges, peacocks, the Great Indian Bustard, and animals like blackbucks, chinkaras. The Bishnoi actively protect their wildlife from poachers and hunters.
Locals of the village live in small hamlets, and wear traditional clothing.
Getting There
The Bishnoi Village is situated between the cities of Jodhpur and Udaipur, and is closer to Jodhpur, where you can fly to and then reach the village by road.
When to visit?
The best time to visit the Bishnoi Village is from October to March, in the Winter season, as the rest of the year witnesses scorching hot weather.
Where to stay?
In case you want to stay in the village, you have home-stay offerers, as well as a few small camps and resorts. You can also opt to stay in Jodhpur and visit the village on a day-long excursion. Jodhpur has a lot of hotels catering to different budgets, as it is a popular tourist destination.
What to do?
The village safari is a great option for you to be able to cruise through the village and its attractions, try out some of the local delicacies, and speak with the locals.
What is near Bishnoi Village?
There are so many other villages near Bishnoi Village. There is salawas or weavers village, where weavers work together to create the magic carpets, locally referred as “durry.” Visitors can see some fine works of pottery by taking a tour to Singhasni Village. Moreover, Gudha Village offers a chance to enjoy the wildlife species like Gazelle, Rabbits, Peacocks, Blue Bulls, Antelopes and Dumessille Crane. In Guda Bishnoi Lake, visitors can enjoy a number of bird species like domicile Cranes, blackbucks, chinkaras, Blackbucks. In addition, visitors go to Shepherds Village to capture real life photographs of village lifestyle. Last but not least, Khejarli village is a popular historical tourist attraction in Jodhpur.
The Bishnoi Village takes you through a cultural extravaganza of the rich culture of a unique Rajasthani tribal community and is definitely worth a visit if you visit Rajasthan!