Onwards to Chandelao – Day 6

Today we leave Jaipur and travel towards Chandelao, a small village outside Jodhpur. Along the way, we stop at the colourful Patrika Gate and visit a small family-run paper factory.Chandelao is a very special place for Take Time to Care. I first came here around ten years ago and have kept returning ever since. Over the years, I have come to know both the place and many of the people who live here – and these are exactly the kind of relationships I want to share on my journeys.

We stay at Chandelao Garh, a small historic fort in the heart of the village, still owned by the family of Praduman Singh. Carefully restored, it is now a small and atmospheric hotel.

It is not classic luxury – it is personal, beautiful and full of history, and we stay right in the middle of the village life we have come to experience.

In the evening, we have dinner under the clear desert sky.

Dabu & Sunder Rang – Day 7

We begin the day with a morning walk through Chandelao as the village slowly wakes around us – cows wandering through the streets and women in their beautiful, colourful saris.

After breakfast, it is our turn to get our hands dirty and try the traditional dabu technique. Dabu is an ancient mud-resist printing technique, where patterns are printed onto fabric using a special mud mixture before the cloth is dyed with natural dyes such as indigo.

In the afternoon, we visit Sunder Rang Arts & Craft Center. I have been visiting the women here for the past ten years, and over the years we have worked on many small projects together.

There is always such a warm welcome. We have time to see their work, talk and, of course, buy some of the things the women make. The visit offers a wonderful insight into how craft can create professional pride, community and new opportunities for women in a small village like Chandelao.

The Blue City – Day 8

We walk through Jodhpur’s old city, where narrow streets, blue houses and small temples create a sea of blue beneath the mighty Mehrangarh Fort.

We make our way through the bazaar around the Clock Tower and up towards the fort, with wonderful views across the city and the dry desert landscape beyond.

Jodhpur has a character all of its own. It is a little more raw than Jaipur, but incredibly beautiful and almost magical, with its blue façades and old houses clustered beneath the walls of the fort.

Along the way, we also stop by some of our own favourite little places and say hello to people we know.

In the evening, we return to Chandelao and another night under the stars.

The Rhythm of Village Life – Day 9

After a few days in Chandelao, the rhythm of village life already begins to feel a little familiar. There is time for one last walk through the village and to say goodbye – or perhaps see you again – to the women at Sunder Rang and the people we have met along the way.

This is exactly why I like to stay in Chandelao for more than one night. When you give a place a little time, you begin to notice the small, magical moments of everyday life that are so easy to miss when simply passing through.

Later, we continue to Jodhpur Airport and fly to Delhi, where we spend the night in Aerocity, close to the airport.

Returning Home – Day 10

We pack our very full suitcases and take a morning flight back to Copenhagen, arriving in the late afternoon.