The stone clad facade of Devra emits a cool rustic feel warmly engaging the curious traveller. The shuffle of a newcomer’s feet is broken by distant crackle of oil. One might pause to catch the sharp whiff of turmeric or the playful sizzle of onions. These teasing whispers compel one to follow the scent to the kitchen- the core of a traditional Indian household. There, one is met with a colourful palette of masalas that take a cue from intuitive instructions from the lady of the house. when asked about from where she gathers her passion for cooking, she relates how this is what helps her maintain an emotional connect with her mother, who though uneducated, has been a dynamic source of worldly wisdom. Jyoti finds herself employing similar technique and management, keeping alive her mother’s aura. She continues to be guided by the fundamentals of food and living witnessed by her as a child, having grown up to believe that a person’s health reflects the food one eats. Consequently, she is particular about desi ingredients to be used in a recipe, the aroma of local spices suspended in her kitchen. Most of these are freshly plucked from her organic farm spread over five acres within Devra, looked after by appointed caretakers.
Around the periphery of the house, green patches of seasonal vegetables are spread. With the keen urge to preserve the old essence of Rajput cuisine, mingled with cross-cultural preferences and to pass on her knowledge to those who share her sincere passion, the idea of cooking demonstration has taken seed.
About Jyoti: Jyoti is a multi-tasker, an event manager at the City Palace of Udaipur and is the founder of boutique B&B, Devra and celebrates cooking.
The first thing one would want to do soon after reaching Udaipur, the Venice of India, the city of lakes, is to take a walk along the beautiful Lake Pichola, enjoying the majestic blue waters, garlanded by regal City Palace and fortified by the Aravallis in the distance. Lazily strolling along the lake, you are led into the quaint alleyways of the old city with its many sights, sounds and fragrances. Roaming around these “gullys” peeping in and out of the many ghats and city gates or “pol” as they are called, admiring all the frenzy and creativity around, one soon builds up a good appetite, thanks to the many wafts of fragrances floating through the windows of the old houses. Now is the time to head to the outskirts of this magnificent city of love and romance.
A short drive away from the charming chaos of the old city is Devra, your own oasis. Set amidst the idyllic farms, this citadel with a stone clad facade is a welcome sight to the weary traveller. As soon as you enter, you might hear the sounds of a traditional Indian Kitchen along with the heavenly fragrances of spices, herbs and fresh produce all coming together in alchemy to create something more valuable than gold. This is the magic being woven together by your host, Mrs Jyothi, in her traditional kitchen, keeping alive the legacy and memories of her mother and grandmothers.
Rajasthan is uniquely blessed in that it was located on the old silk routes adding to the richness of culture and wealth of the people. The Royal families flourished and were highly respected among peers all over India. Many princesses from far away land like Tripura and Nepal were married into Rajasthani Royal families. They brought their own culinary culture to Rajasthan, although restricted to the royal families, over time some of these gastronomic secrets percolated down the food chain, even to the public at large. The old silk routes brought in exotic flavours via the spices and ingredients and also techniques from far away lands. Rajasthanis adopted with an open heart and an eager stomach all these new additions and assimilated them into their cultural cauldron.
Mrs Jyothi comes from this blended school and true to it, she adopts the old into the new and vice versa. Keeping alive the tradition of teaching, she loves to give cooking demonstrations to anyone and everyone who is interested in it revealing many closely guarded secrets and recipes of Rajasthan. The key to a great cooked meal is the quality of the ingredients and at Devra, all the ingredients are sourced freshly from the five-acre farm attached to it. The warm caretakers of these green patches will help you choose your ingredients if you so decide. You can witness the journey your food takes from the plant to the plate. Some of the mouth-watering authentic Rajasthani dishes you may witness are Shikaar Maas ka Soola, Ker Sanger Wadi, Sekma, Kokada Soweta Degchi Maas, Khada Desi Palak, Panchkuta, Kaleji ka Raita, Sekma Baati and Mawa Kachori.
The way to a person’s heart is through her stomach. You will surely fall in love with Rajasthan and its people and in turn, feel their hospitality and affection. This is what makes Rajasthan one of the most sort after destination. Devra will be your home away from home.