Ethnic Resorts & Crafts Villages

Architectural designer – As a creator of spatial design projects, he has strived to combine various disciplines like architecture, digital 3D presentations, graphic design and photography in the theme projects like ChokhiDhani, DholaRiDhani, NiraliDhani, ChoukiDhani, GrameenHaat, Ambar Villas, RupaloRawlo, Shilpgram, Yoga and Naturopathy Centre, and Divine Village in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Rajkot, Dausa, Jaipur, Udaipur, SawaiMadhopur and Jhunjhnu, Pushkar and Puri, respectively. These ethnic resorts, exhibition pavilions and restaurants are an epitome of Rajasthani culture and hospitality. Today it is a “must-visit” for every tourists, both domestic as well as international. It offers a peek into the rural and traditional architecture as well as into the village life of Rajasthan. Many film makers and event managers have used the dhanis as backdrop for song sequence. Students of architecture often refer to the dhanis for their case studies for academic research projects. As a designer of ethnic and vernacular architecture, he has immensely contributed in the architectural design of India. The major aim behind the creation of these architectural design is to preserve and encourage the village art and culture, and at the same time to make the present generation aware of our rich heritage as well as to change the perspective of the global citizens about the Indian village culture.
Architectural designer – As a creator of spatial design projects, he has strived to combine various disciplines like architecture, digital 3D presentations, graphic design and photography in the theme projects like ChokhiDhani, Dhola
RiDhani, NiraliDhani, ChoukiDhani, GrameenHaat, Ambar Villas, RupaloRawlo, Shilpgram, Yoga and Naturopathy Centre, and Divine Village in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Rajkot, Dausa, Jaipur, Udaipur, SawaiMadhopur and Jhunjhnu, Pushkar and Puri, respectively. These ethnic resorts, exhibition pavilions and restaurants are an epitome of Rajasthani culture and hospitality. Today it is a “must-visit” for every tourists, both domestic as well as international. It offers a peek into the rural and traditional architecture as well as into the village life of Rajasthan. Many film makers and event managers have used the dhanis as backdrop for song sequence. Students of architecture often refer to the dhanis for their case studies for academic research projects. As a designer of ethnic and vernacular architecture, he has immensely contributed in the architectural design of India. The major aim behind the creation of these architectural design is to preserve and encourage the village art and culture, and at the same time to make the present generation aware of our rich heritage as well as to change the perspective of the global citizens about the Indian village culture. Tree of life
A contemporary take on the mythological story of ‘The Churning of the Amrita’, the entire mural has a quasi divine presence. The modernity of it is reflected in the fact that the elements are rendered such that one does not really know, who is the Deva and who is the Asura? Well, can we define ourselves?
Chokhi Dhani and six other such resorts : The epitome of Rajasthani hospitality
The Chokhi Dhani chain of ethnic leisure spaces, spread across the country in Jaipur, Hyderabad, Rajkot, Jodhpur, is a unique expression of celebration of the rural life of the country. Today it is a ‘must-visit’ on the agenda of every tourist, domestic, NRI or international. While it allows the local tourist and NRI to reminisce ‘the long-lost-innocent-idyllic-village’, for the international tourist, it offers a peek into the rural architecture and hospitality. Inspired by everything indigenous and rural, Dr Mehta has achieved a significant landmark in Indian architecture and design.
His resort architecture derives itself from a vocabulary of rural indigenous forms of artistic expressions. The imagery in his works bears a similarity to the devices used in ancient Indian culture and which have also been used by the artists of the modern art movement. This also impacts the space design sensibility in him- placing below and above, overlapping, rhythmically alternated directional planes, juxtaposition of different eye levels and view points, converging and diverging lines and planes, formal exaggeration, element of transparency and sectional views and combining interior and exterior views/scenes. The unity of the cosmos with its contradictions is reflected in the use of certain elements creating unity in variety in the structure of a work or pictorial expression.
The wide-ranging design services marked by an inter-disciplinary process spanning craft skills, performance arts, new media, liberal arts and architecture have found the right expression in his Chokhi Dhani and other resorts- an immersive experience that has gone very well with masses.
Following are the features that need mention:
– The architecture of the Dhanis is not designed in a square, linear or perpendicular fashion. Like in a village, chowks, choupals and streets meander around to let you discover the place on your own, it is your own connect with the Dhani resort.
– The Rajasthani concept of ‘Nohra’ has been implemented in the creation of the cottages in the dhanis. Typically, a nohra is a cluster of rooms with a courtyard and has only one single point exit in a village house. In the Dhani, which is largely targeted at large families, a group of 4- 5 huts (a hut for each family) find both privacy and an opportunity to socialize (courtyard). What’s more important, you don’t have to lock your belongings separately. Just lock the one door of the nohra and your belongings are safe and sound!

– The traditional architecture of the step well has reinterpreted itself into a health zone. Built either on a raised platform or in the underground, the swimming pool is enclosed by the health club, spa, gym and sometimes a bar, too. This was also done to maintain the dignity of relationships in a family.
– Interestingly, the façade is created such that the outsider is offered a glimpse of activities inside the resort. Mannequins, real performers, folk music woo the outsider to take a glimpse of what the resort has to offer.
Chokhi Dhani and other ethnic leisure spaces designed by Dr Mehta are classic testimonials of the integration of indigenous symbolism, metaphors and iconography towards the creation of an immersive experience called India. As a successful design and entrepreneur model, this idea has been replicated all over India and is a source of livelihood to many rural artisans and people. Dr Mehta’s ingenuity lies in the fact that he has integrated all aspects of cultural and creative industries and indigenous knowledge to create a holistic experience that is called Chokhi Dhani.