After 24 years within the Military, Colonel Mahendra Mohan Prakash Singh began Oasis India Camp to assist vacationers from internationally revel in the magic of Jaisalmer’s wasteland, in some way this is each sumptuous and replete with journey.
After 24 years within the Military, Colonel Mahendra Mohan Prakash (Retd.) says he wouldn’t have had it another approach. The years spent within the militia have a tang of journey and thrill that formed the officer’s existence in additional tactics than one. Regardless that the 66-year-old officer credit his time within the Military for introducing him to the adventurous facet of existence, he says the roots for his interest for the outside have been sown in his early years.
Rising up in a boarding faculty in Himachal Pradesh, the Colonel was once no stranger to mountaineering and tenting. He’d continuously surprise at nature in all its attractiveness and sweetness, and this love simplest grew when the Colonel joined the Military in 1980.
“Being within the cavalry unit, our coaching used to happen within the wasteland. Since 1983 I were at the western border of India, the place our wintry weather coaching would occur. However I nonetheless recall how we’d take a three-day smash for the Jaisalmer Wasteland Pageant. It was once a phenomenal time.”
When he retired in 2003, an concept started to take form in his thoughts. He sought after to introduce folks to the facet of nature and tradition that he had grow to be accustomed to over the years. So when his Military existence was once over, there wasn’t a query of what he sought after to do subsequent. “Part of me already knew.”
The oasis within the wasteland
Lately, the end result of that concept is the Oasis India Camps based totally in Jaisalmer, which makes an attempt to present its visitors an unrivaled tenting revel in within the middle of the wasteland. As visitors unwind underneath the starlit sky within the middle of the dunes, immersing themselves within the native lifetime of Jaisalmer Colonel Mahendra’s middle is complete.
When Colonel Mahendra started choosing out a spot the place he sought after to look this mission come to fruition, the wasteland was once his first selection. “The huge expanse of sand dunes has all the time held a fascination for me. And that is the place I sought after to start out the tenting revel in.”
He began with two camps, and now has a complete of 143 dispersed around the wasteland for visitors to revel in a keep this is as sumptuous as it’s conventional.
There are recollections galore that the Colonel recounts as he talks concerning the tenting revel in. “One of the crucial recollections I treasure is the sandstorms of Rajasthan. I be mindful one New Yr’s Eve throughout the camp a sandstorm struck and everybody was once retaining on for expensive existence to anything else in sight. By means of the top of the typhoon, my blazer and tie have been a brown tinge. However in spite of the typhoon, we controlled to have a grand affair that night time.”
A bucket record of journey
The Colonel notes that the package deal is adapted to present visitors the “final wasteland revel in”. “The camps are positioned proper reverse sundown level and visitors have a box time observing the sundown from the dunes. There’s a camel journey that they may be able to experience too. After a standard welcome is given to them by way of the locals, prime tea is organised by which the snacks are Rajasthani cuisine.”
Because the cultural night progresses, visitors are handled to Rajasthani people dances, are living musical performances by way of native artists and a buffet dinner.
Residing within the wasteland approach journey is in each nook. The programs additionally come with safaris and journey sports activities reminiscent of parasailing and cycling. Locals within the wasteland experience having the visitors come watch them as they cook dinner, have interaction in pottery and extra.
One of the crucial most well liked sights at Oasis India Camps is the camel wool-making consultation. Because the locals spin the wool, visitors can watch or even partake within the job. Within the evenings, when the elements is cooler, visitors are taken to the border posts of Longewala, the place India and Pakistan fought the 1971 battle.
“There are a lot of watch posts within the wasteland to look at the encompassing natural world,” stocks Colonel Mahendra. However what visitors are actually right here for — the grand finale, if you are going to — is the Jaisalmer Wasteland Pageant, which is a whirlwind of color and pleasure.
A pageant that beckons everybody
The month of February is extra gorgeous within the Sam Dunes of the Thar Wasteland than it’s anyplace else on this planet. Any individual who has witnessed the Jaisalmer Wasteland Pageant will testify to this. Often known as the Maru Mahotsav, this pageant is a platform to exhibit the cultural prowess of the state via dance, song, carrying occasions and artwork.
All through the 3 days, visitors are spoilt for selection with regards to meals and actions. Puppet presentations, people dances, polo fits, handicraft markets, dune bashing (riding over sand dunes in a sports activities car), sightseeing via Jaisalmer, or even competitions that award folks for having the longest moustaches — you’ll revel in all of it.
In the meantime, Colonel Mahendra is happy as the following bankruptcy of his existence guarantees to be as pleasurable as the primary. “The militia was once a ravishing bankruptcy in itself.”
He additionally remembers, “We had standard tents with out a amenities or hooked up bathrooms, and many others. Lately I’ve realised that folks come from a special standpoint the place they would like luxurious, and so the camps have now modified from their authentic variations into luxurious hotels.”
He provides that being part of this pretty tenting revel in within the wasteland additionally implies that he does no longer pass over his Military existence such a lot.
“I spend a few of my time in Jodhpur, the place I’m based totally, and the remainder of my time on the camps in Jaisalmer. That is the dream.”
Edited by way of Divya Sethu