Published January 2018 · Updated August 2026

Indulge in an enchanting, melodious adventure at this opulent boutique hotel nestled in the arid landscapes of Jaisalmer – it’s the perfect place to rekindle your love for life!

Sufi Night

Flat on my back, I gazed at the stars as the Manganiyar troupe sang its heart out. Little frogs jumped over my feet, as I felt the music penetrating the womb of the night. I call it the night of the Sufis, for the rhythm had got me twirling with the women who danced the ghoomar.

Maybe this was the union Rumi had written about where you forget who you are because only the rhythm of the universe resonates through you. Maybe the magic lay in the troupe whose leader Mehboob Khan was leading it the way he knew best—by singing folk and Sufi numbers. Or maybe the magic lay in the philosophy of the hosts, “everyone must relive the royal era in all their properties”.

Wondering about the magic, I didn’t do justice to the lavish Thar dinner which had been specially prepared for the party. The flicker of the lamps was dim now. The desert breeze had got cooler, blowing the sheer curtains of the cabana in my face. Chappals in hand, I swayed my way through the Celebration Gardens to the luxurious suite with a private sitting area.

Detoxing With Flutes & Fauna

The morning sun sent dancing rays through the sheer curtains, coercing me to wake up. We had missed the breakfast with the peacocks at Khaba Fort.

Outside, the rays filtered through the stone jaalis, creating a row of diamonds in the corridor. The sound of the flute was filling the courtyard.

I sat on the sofa in the lift to reach the big table where lay a detox breakfast. Parties do that to you; they create the need for filling up the body with juices and a different set of grains.

The philosophy is to keep the guest satiated, sometimes with overdoses, with a variety that is suited to all kinds of palate. So there were ragi dosas, chillas, beetroot/pineapple/coconut water shots, buttermilk and all things that the stomach loved.

The rhythmic sound of flute filled the courtyard. Between bites, I did wonder if the flautist was tired of us. But it was a happy courtyard.

The fountain in the middle probably enjoyed being the bathing spot for the three golden labradors—Nala, Bugsy and Simba.

The peacock ran for his life every time someone wanted to take a picture.

The white pigeons gurgled something, hiding under a table.

Only the little turtle didn’t care. His head went in and out of the shell. Bored with all the fiddling and the noise, he waddled his way into the bushes.

The donkeys didn’t stand a chance to meet the guests, for one was sturdily held by his caretaker and the other simply shied away.

But the incorrigible sparrows pecked at everything within their range. Breakfast came to an end as the sun rose higher and the man with the flute too retired. The golden shades of the desert were calling.

Dune Magic

The stark desert revealed many more beautiful secrets. We drove past tombs scattered across the Silk Route, even crossing the cursed village of Kuldhara where the Paliwal Brahmins once lived. For a short while, we stopped at the cursed Shiva temple where a movie had also been shot. In between, we stopped at an artisan village and cuddled a baby deer. They are known for crafting intricate stonework in the homes and cenotaphs.

Then for a while, we enjoyed a whiff of the cool oasis breeze while watching the herd of sheep drinking the water.

Our next stop was the fresh water well in the village of Mundhara and somewhere in the middle of nowhere, we met the sole Bhil family living there with its herd of sheep.

Then, we headed to a plush Jain temple. In the same are were the ruined gardens of Amar Bagh. We also exploring the cenotaphs of the royals at Bara Bagh against the sand dunes. And then, finally the day ended with seeing some abandoned temples at Brahma Sagar.

But it was the musical evening in the desert that blew away my mind. Through an uncarved path, the SUV tore its way to the border of the Desert National Park.

The sun was dressing the desert in all shades of orange and violet. With a glass of champagne, we let the flautist carry us away to another land, it could have been a scene from Arabian Nights.

As we slowly sipped the  champagne, we could see the romance between the sky and the earth fading. The last kiss of life and the sun departed for the night.

All too soon, we saw the twinkling lights of the hotel, like UFOs calling us from a far away land.

Musical Trees

Dinner is always a fancy, dressy affair at Suryagarh. The lights turned the hotel into a dreamy palace.

Like Cindrella ready to find her Prince Charming, we headed towards the tiny lamps lighting the curvy path to the Lake Garden.

At every curve, we were greeted by musical notes, the musician greeting us with a smile and a melody. The curves had become musical waves.

While the dinner table shimmered under the hanging lights, the Mangiyar troupe began to weave more magic with folk songs. But this was a shorter night, for we were to leave early in the morning. However, we carried the musical memories with us.

There are days when the music rings again in my ears and I wish to hear the rhythm of the songs under the desert sky. Maybe, my soul will once again live the dreamy times.

How to reach Jaisalmer

By Air:  There are flight to Jaisalmer from Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur. The more common route is through Jodhpur, which is a 5-hour drive from Jaisalmer.

By Rail: Jaisalmer has a railway station with trains from Delhi and other major cities of Rajasthan.

By Road: The highway to Jaisalmer is a trip in itself. You cross the famous nuclear bomb testing site of Pokharan, the village of saint Ramdev. Along the way, you can see deers and blackbucks crossing the roads and peacocks playing truant.

And while you decide how to reach and how long to stay, remember you can carry home a souvenir from the inhouse shop which houses beautiful Indian wear and artefacts.

Editorial Disclosure: The author was a guest of Suryagarh. All opinions and photography remain independent.

Ambica Gulati wears many hats: independent journalist, editor, multimedia storyteller, and author. Her work explores global affairs, conscious travel, the environment, culture, and the intuitive arts. Beyond the laptop, she nourishes her creative practice through meditation, birding, reading, journaling, oracle cards, and yoga.

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