Rajasthan was always an exotic land, a place that the Western world fantasized about. Here were found the martial races that ruled India, tracing their lineage from the warring gods and known for their aestheticism as well as their chivalry. Here were found riches and splendid, rare jewels. Palaces stood the test of time. Great armies went to war. Over centuries, different dynasties ruled from different parts of the country, their kingdoms built on a reciprocal relationship with neighbouring kingdoms. However, it was under the Mughals first, and the British next, that an attempt was made to unify the length and breadth of the country as one nation.

Members of the royal houses and those of the aristocratic order that functioned just under them, drew up an elaborate system that reflected in a lifestyle that consisted of amazing discipline, of great opulence and sometimes indulgences. There were hunts and balls, but also elaborate ceremonies; marriages sometimes lasted months, festivals were celebrated with great pomp and the families ruled with a benevolence that ensured the well being of their states.

In a country such as India where nature takes its toll annually, as much because of droughts as because of floods, the rulers often commissioned their greatest architectural monuments - forts, palaces, temples - to ensure employment and food for the poorest. And from situations of adversity rose great monumental wonders, some of the most exquisite the world has seen.

At the time of independence in 1947, all the states merged into the republic of India and a modern, democratic nation was born. The royal families were derecognised by the Constitution of India in 1971 and their privileges withdrawn. Fortunately, the lifestyle they represented, ingrained over centuries, has remained untouched. Scions of the great dynasties that once ruled over independent states continue to live graciously, though they are now industrialists, professionals, even hoteliers. The premium positions they occupied by birth are now attained by merit, but for those who have managed to convert their ancestral homes into hotels, the ways of the past have become a charming reminder of the spirit now reflected in these heritage properties.

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Khamaghani’, say Rajasthani families, welcoming you into their homes and hearts. Hospitality is a courtesy that comes naturally to most Indians, and graciousness is a way of being. No wonder then that courtesies go hand-in-hand with festivals and celebrations that are a part of a way of being in one of the oldest civilisations of the world.