Chokhi Dhani

Chokhi Dhani is a recreated Rajasthani village on Tonk Road, on the southern edge of Jaipur, designed to show traditional rural life and culture in one lively evening. Opened in 1989, Chokhi Dhani has mud-walled huts, lantern-lit lanes and open courtyards where folk musicians, dancers, puppeteers, acrobats and craftspeople perform.

The name means fine little hamlet in Rajasthani. Chokhi Dhani grew from a single restaurant into a village theme resort, with a hotel alongside, and it has become a standard evening for families and groups visiting Jaipur. It is touristic by design, but good fun, and a relaxed way to end a day of palaces and forts. The highlight is dinner, served in the traditional way while seated on the floor, with dishes refilled as often as you like.

What to see

• Kalbeliya and ghoomar dancers, and fire and pot-balancing performances
• Kathputli puppet shows, a Rajasthani tradition
• Craftspeople making pottery, bangles and mehndi designs
• Camel, horse and bullock-cart rides
• Folk musicians playing the kamaicha, dholak and algoza

What to wear

Chokhi Dhani has no dress code; smart casual clothes are fine. You sit cross-legged on the floor for dinner, so loose trousers or a long skirt are easier. The lanes are unpaved, so wear flat shoes, and bring a layer from November to February, when evenings drop below 10°C. Many visitors dress up in Rajasthani clothes, and the staff wear the traditional dress of the region: bright safa turbans and dhoti for men, and lehenga-choli with an odhni for women.

Local food to try

Dinner is a Rajasthani thali of many small dishes: dal baati churma, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, kadhi, bajre ki roti with white butter, and sweets such as malpua and churma laddoo. The food served in the village at Chokhi Dhani is all vegetarian. Stalls sell kulfi, chai and snacks through the evening.

Good to know

• Best from October to March, when evenings are pleasant
• Open daily in the evening; arrive early to see the performances before dinner
• Entry ticket includes dinner; packages vary
• Allow three to four hours
• About 20 km south of the walled city on Tonk Road, 40 minutes by car
• Photography is allowed; tip performers if you take close portraits

Nearby places

Chokhi Dhani is on the southern side of Jaipur, near Patrika Gate at Jawahar Circle. The old city's Hawa Mahal and Johari Bazaar are 40 minutes north.