Jodhpur
The Bishnoi community around Jodhpur are among India's original environmentalists — a community whose faith requires them to protect all living things, and who have died protecting trees and animals for centuries. A village safari through Bishnoi settlements reveals a lifestyle in harmony with the desert landscape: village potteries, traditional opium tea ceremonies, women in bright traditional dress, and herds of black buck and chinkara peacefully grazing alongside houses.
The opium tea ceremony is a traditional Bishnoi welcome ritual — it is mild, ceremonial, and fascinating to observe. Decline politely if you prefer, but participating is a memorable cultural experience.