Amla, Ujjain - Village Tourism

Rural Tourism India

Located about 120 Kms from the city of Indore, is the Fort Amla. Established by the descendents of Bappa Rawal, the Amla riyasat boasts of a proud heritage.

The Fort is an architectural delight to behold with bold sweeping arches and long open terraces. With a peaceful atmosphere, it is a perfect getaway close enough to major towns (Indore- 120kms; Ratlam-45kms and Ujjain-45kms) to be easily accessible.

The Fort has now opened a section for guests, giving them an opportunity to live the grandeur and the history. The stillness of the life, it's charming simplicity is a contrasting reflection on the present day 24/7 world.

The founders of Amla riyasat are direct descendents of Bappa Rawal of Udaipur, who in those days of Mughal atrocities and suppression bravely opposed the then Badshah and refused to accede to their demands. Many rulers bowed to the Mughals, but Bappa Rawal's family was the only one, which remained untouched.

They were lauded for their bravery with which they supported and upheld the Hindu religion and the vidwans from Kashi with the agreement of the rest of the country gave the lineage the title of "Hindua Suraj." Bappa Rawal's 51st descendent was Maharana Pratap, who was known for his opposition of the Mughal rulers and whose exploits are also well chronicled in history.

Maharana Pratap's 5th generation was Maharana Raj Singhji who was born in 1630 AD and who ascended the throne in 1653 AD. The first thing he did after ascending the throne was to attack Ajmer and Malwa where the Mughals had started to demolish temples and slaughtering cows extensively. In 1658 AD he annexed Banera and Shahpura, which were under the Badshah's rule.

When Marathas conquered the Malwa region 1736-37 AD, they maintained the status quo of Amla jagir. The Scindias also conferred the title of "Istmurardar" and a seat of honour to the rulers of Amla in the royal court of Gwalior. Maharaja Nahar Singhji II ascended the throne in 1899 AD. The present Maharaja Rajendra Singhji then succeeded him in 1948 AD.

Tourism growth potential can be harnessed as a strategy for Rural Development. The development of a strong platform around the concept of Rural Tourism is definitely useful for a country like India, where almost 74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages. Across the world the trends of industrialization and development have had an urban centric approach. Alongside, the stresses of Urban lifestyles have led to a “counterurbanization” syndrome. This has led to growing interest in the rural areas. At the same time this trend of urbanization has led to falling income levels, lesser job opportunities in the total areas leading to an urbanization syndrome in the rural areas. Rural Tourism is one of the few activities which can provide a solution to these problems. Besides, there are other factors which are shifting the trend towards rural tourism like increasing levels of awareness, growing interest in heritage and culture and improved accessibility, and environmental consciousness. In the developed countries, this has resulted in a new style of tourism of visiting village settings to experience and live a relaxed and healthy lifestyle. This concept has taken the shape of a formal kind of Rural Tourism.

"Any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience can be termed as rural tourism. Rural tourism is essentially an activity which takes place in the countryside. It is multi-faceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism, cultural tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco-tourism. As against conventional tourism, rural tourism has certain typical characteristics like; it is experience oriented, the locations are sparsely populated, it is predominantly in natural environment, it meshes with seasonality and local events and is based on preservation of culture, heritage and traditions. "

Handicraft:

Handicrafts of Ujjain include the numerous types of prints and fabrics which are manufactured in the city of Ujjain, and are in high demand throughout the nation. The craftsmen of Ujjain, which is a city located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, are dexterous in different kinds of arts and crafts. The region of Bhairavgarh in the banks of Kshipra River has been the most crucial centre for the expert work of craftsmen since centuries, due to the existence of favourable chemical composition of its water and soil. The 'bhagava' cloak of the hermit or 'Sanyasi' is one of the most famous Keshria apparel of this area, which is believed to have been utilized by the valiant soldiers. The craftsmen used to be patronized by the State Government of Madhya Pradesh. 

Bhairavgarh Print of Ujjain 

The tradition of Bhairavgarh print had commenced with the aide of blocks and were made of potatoes and 'bandhej'. Later, blocks of wood or soil were employed in the Bhairavgarh Print. The technique of screen printing procedure was used which provided occupation to more than 150 families of the village of Bhairavgarh. The practice of dying is a serious threat to this form of craft, yet the regional craftsmen of Ujjain have been capable of keeping this ancient tradition alive till the present day. 

Bandhej Print of Ujjain 

Bandhej print is characterized by the application of 'Laharia' and 'Chunari' on the surface of the garments. Points are marked on the cloth as the imagination and knots are tied with the help of threads at every point, which is the main feature of this art-form. Light as well as darker colours are employed and if there are more than a single colour, the same process is repeated for each colour. Since the process involves tying knots with threads, the style is referred to as 'Bandhej'. 

Block Print of Ujjain 

Initially blocks of potato were utilized in the technique of block printing, which later included the process of employing wooden blocks. Dress materials, sarees and bed-sheets replaced the Jajam, Godra, Bhairavgarh Lugda. Special teak wood was the surface on which the blocks used to be carved and various kinds of wooden blocks were used for creating unique colour combinations. The most challenging art of the printing process was the composition of colours, which depends on the type of material on which they are printed. Nandana, Discharge Print, Alijardin, Chemical and T.C. Bagru were amongst the popular prints. 

Chemical Print of Ujjain 

Chemical colours, particularly natural colours are used for the process of dying and printing. Numerable kinds of printing procedures are employed for accomplishing such type of prints. Rapid Colour, Indigo Sol, Discharge Print, T.C. Bagru, Tin Chloride are the many methods of chemical prints. 

Batik Print of Ujjain 

Batik Print is quite popular craft existent in Ujjain and many bed sheets, sarees, wall panels, portraits, dress materials, etc. contain the rich batik prints. Hot melted wax was utilized for this form of batik print, which was completed with the aide of brush or pen for the purpose of dying. 

Screen Print of Ujjain 

In screen printing, a mould is prepared on the surface of a metal frame is employed to create excellent screen prints. Photo sensitive chemicals are applied over the clothes after the cloth is bolted. 

7 Benefits of Rural Tourism:

• Generates employment and income for the residents of remote villages. This is most especially beneficial to women who often have no new opportunities to earn income away from home.
• Creates a market and appreciation for local products and services..and keeps them alive.
• Encourages conservation and care of natural resources such as the rivers, forests, mountains as well as local fauna and flora, birds, fish and almost extinct animals. When these are valued as living assets to attract income, they are usually cared for.
• Provides incentives to preserve some of the old customs and traditions, crafts, traditional festivals, architecture, food and other practices unique to certain cultures.
• Given that services are often provided by residents of the village, rural tourism benefits the village in that there is greater cooperation among villagers as they operate the local enterprise of providing for the tourists.
• Provides opportunities for mutual sharing of cultures. Hopefully, these encounters will result in greater understanding among peoples and closer ties to the global family.
• Helps slow urban drift as it gives a better economic future for families in rural areas.

Activities for Tourist:

Village Exploration 

Tourists who are interested in experiencing the tribal life, Ujjain village is a absolutely right place for them. You can converse with the indigenous people in the village and know about their lifestyle. You can also take a walk around the village enjoying its beauty. Explore the forts, palaces and tribal dynasties of the village. 

Village stay 

If you are planning to stay here for the longer time to can also hire the cottages in the village. During the day time you can venture in the fields. You may glimpse the villagers working hard in the fields. If you want you can also work with with the tribals in the farms. 

Forest Safari

Tourists can also take the forest safari along with the forest officials.  

Learn Handicraft and Wood Art

Visit places nearby

Traditional and local cusine

community works

Visit small scale bell metal casting units. 

Visit temples and historical buildings.

How to Reach:

By Air:The closest airport is Indore Airport, which is 55 km away. It is the busiest airport in Madhya Pradesh and is well connected to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Raipur and Jabalpur.

By Rail: Amla, Ujjain is connected by rail to major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The railway station is just a kilometre away from the main city centre.

By Road: Amla,Ujjain is well connected by road. You can get here by hiring a cab or catching a bus from Indore (55 km), Gwalior (450 km), Ahmedabad (400 km) and Bhopal (183 km).

Source of Information is Internet, Might vary, Kindly crosscheck/reconfirm before finalizing the Tour Plan.