A unique narrative is unfolding on the outskirts of the erstwhile royal city of Jodhpur. Travellers looking for out-of-the-box experiences in the arid expanses of Rajasthan’s will not come away disappointed from this working farm, which sells its amazing sustainable-agenda produce to households in Jodhpur and beyond. While for most travellers to this fabled city summons up visions of many regal pursuits, the Mharo Khet showcase another way of life in its rural landscape.
What would you say if we tell you that you can discover a fabulous back-to-nature experience at an experiential farm in these arid expanses? How would you love being whisked away from the noise and clutter of an urban environment to plunge into this unusual rural setting of deep silences and tranquil vistas of a desert land?
It’s a wonder this privately held working farm is accessible to discerning travellers who wish to partake of the unique offerings it has curated so exclusively for visitors. Rajnush, while sharing what was the inspiration to create this family holding as a leisure-time space for holidaymakers, reveals it was the joy of little things in life, experienced in the course of everyday life on the farm that evoked that desire to share it with others. Like Rajnush, who recalls from his earliest personal memories here, visitors will discover an immediate connection with nature and the growing plants in the field. Even this tranquil scene offers a restorative fillip to body and soul.
Yes, it’s the little things here – the wonderful taste of sweet groundwater. The wonder of peeking into the lifecycle of a plant watching it grow from seed to tree, to see it blossom and then bear fruit, before returning to earth as a seed, to start that life journey all over again! And then, there’s the freshness of food cooked from harvesting a vegetable straight from the soil and see it being cooked right in front of you. All this – against the pastoral backdrop of peacocks strutting through the orchards, birdsong in the air and the healing silences and spaces of a rural world!
What makes holiday at Mharo Khet so unique is the thrilling bouquet of unparalleled rural experiences – from immersive walking tours in the farm to artfully presented, multi-course, plant-forward dining held under the canopy of trees in a guava orchard.
The rising concerns about sustainable living choices are amply addressed at Mharo Khet, as you will discover in all the practices that direct life on this working farm. The focus is clearly on a more sustainable future through the preservation of regenerative practices that have been the tradition for centuries in this region of harsh soils and climatic conditions.
The memorable takeaways for visitors at Mharo Khet are the opportunity to see an exceptionally large diversity of plants growing on a field in an arid landscape. This diversity, in fact, covers a generous gamut of exotic, native and indigenous plants: from Brussel sprouts to moringa, strawberry to chamomile, oyster mushroom to fig, and much else.
The culinary trail at Mharo Khet is an unforgettable adventure, with a unique table-to-the-farm experience, instead of the rather hackneyed farm-to-fork offering. Mharo Khet is an illuminating world of rustic modernity – at its field and at its tables! You will simply love that evocative synthesis of art, freshness, and flavour. Over 90% of the produce used is harvested fresh from the farm itself, having just seen soil and sun and never a refrigerated truck!
What is sure to inspire many return visits to Mharo Khet are the unparalleled joys of this unusual verdant world in a desert setting. It’s powered by simple things like the chirping of the birds in the orchard, sunflowers as big as dinner plates, the burgeoning vines of cherry tomatoes, the swings dangling from branches of decades-old trees.
What will endear you further is that it is the womenfolk of this rural community which have helped bring about this transformation of a degenerated farmland into a regeneration hub in this arid pocket of India. Not only will you see them at work in the fields, but you will also get to see them helping prepare the meals for guests. Don’t be surprised if, in their naivety they may wonder at the need of eating with such a line-up of cutlery, when the food can be as tasty eating with one’s hands!