Given that Rajasthan is the size of a large European country, where does one begin to explore it? Jaipur is the acknowledged gateway to the region. Historically, by virtue to its proximity to Delhi – the capital of the Mughal Empire and later of British India – the Kacchawa Rajput kingdom of Jaipur was the […]
Exploring The Real Rajasthan
Rajasthan – the land of royal trappings, chivalry and romance – is a feast for the senses. It has the largest concentration of monuments of historical and architectural interest in India. Amber Fort (Jaipur), the Golden Fort (Jaisalmer) and Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur) are among the most magnificent royal forts in the world, perched on high […]
Jaipur Travel Diary: “Rest for the Restless Traveller” – Jessie Bolin on Finding Moments of Relaxation in the Midst of Exciting Travels
“I do not know how to relax. I’ve never been good at it — always working multiple jobs as a kid, taking too many classes at school, planning adventures before the current one is through, tackling aggressive home renovation projects, and just generally overextending myself. There’s just so much I want to see and do […]
Guest Stories – Quilting Diversities: Priscilla Knoble on how her immersion into blockprinting added a new dimension to her passion for textiles
“Life is short. There is so much that I still want to see and do. Perhaps it is because I was born and raised in Japan away from my parents’ home country or perhaps it is because I am fascinated by all the world has to offer but as much as I love to stay […]
Guest Stories: A Designer’s Encounter with Savista on her Journey Through Rajasthan and Varanasi
I first had the great pleasure to stay at Savista in April 2017 this year. As a London-based textile designer I was planning a trip to Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) to see the first samples of a new collection of hand knotted rugs I was developing for launch later in the year under my own name. […]
When Travel Leads to Volunteering: Hedda’s Story
“How it all began. I had visited India once before. I spent 4 weeks at a CISV-camp in Lucknow at the age of 12, making new friends and expanding horizons. Although, I didn’t get to see much of the cultural heritage since I spent most of my time in a building belonging to the City […]
Jaipur Travel Diary: An Intense and Memorable Weekend: Sara D writes about her trip to Savista and Jaipur.
“One weekend in India, no friends to come along, the desire to see as much as possible but also to find some peace and have some rest. What do I do? I started researching, survey, reading travel blogs… to see what most could fit me and then almost randomly, comes up to my Google webpage […]
Savista’s Guests : Ken and Janine’s Story
Last year, it was at around this time, when the rains had set in but it was not raining everyday to keep the temperature cool, and the days were super hot and muggy. Ken phoned from ‘somewhere in India’ to ask if he and his wife could check into Savista. They were vegans, he said, […]
Jaipur Travel Diary: “Reflections on a Trip to Savista”
I went to Savista wanting to time out at a retreat after a busy work year, and came away with so much more. A short business trip to Jaipur created the opportunity. Having been to India 3 times previously on short business trips to Hyderabad, and having visited the Taj and Delhi I wanted a […]
Jaipur Travel Diary: “From Norway With Love – Spring 2014”
Somewhere in Rajasthan… A shaky Scottish/Norwegian couple has just got out of a shaky auto rikshaw after 40 tense minutes in midnight darkness on the motorway from Jaipur, crammed, maybe almost crushed, between lorries with much heavier load than the auto rickshaw carrying only us and our backpacks in the back (although more than heavy […]