Dundlod Fort is a heritage hotel in Rajasthan. With an equestrian legacy reaching back to 1750, the name Dundlod Fort is synonymous with the Marwari horse.
Most visitors to Dundlod Fort have been magnetically drawn there by their Marwari horses. Horse riders from all over the world travel to this heritage hotel to ride the native Marwari horses of India on a horseback safari.
Dundlod Fort – Rajputs and their Risalas
Dundlod Fort heritage hotel has a regal history. Dundlod Fort always had a โRisalaโ, meaning cavalry. Like all princely Rajput forts it was expected to enter battle at any moment. Dundlod maintained a full working cavalry of up to hundreds of horses to provide protection and jobs for locals.
This part of India has a long history of invasions and battles. Rajputs are the traditional warrior community who defended the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, where Dundlod Fort is, from the threat of the Mughals. When they werenโt fighting the Mughals, the Rajputโs liked to stay busy by fighting between themselves, but thatโs a story for another time.ย
Horses are entwined in Dundlod Fortโs very being both past and present. The courtyard turrets echo with the clatter of cavalry hooves. The walls are adorned with paintings and photographs of prized Marwari horses.ย
Bonnie Dundlod
Bonnie Dundlod is a direct ancestor of Thakur Kesri Singh who built Dundlod Fort in the 18th century.
A lifelong horseman, Bonnie pioneered horse back safariโs in Rajasthan in 1985. Starting with safaris riding right out of Rajasthanโs capital, the romantically rose-tinted Jaipur.ย For over thirty years, Bonnie has been dedicated to conserving the regal Marwari horse. The Marwari is a desi breed of India known for itโs bravery, stamina, intelligence and curled ears.ย
Dundlod Fort quickly became a hub for equestrian travellers seeking to ride these famed indigenous horses of India. It grew as a heritage hotel and a top destination for horse riding holidays.
An Equestrian Legacy
Bonnieโs father, Lieutenant Colonel Thakur Raghuvir Singh Dundlod, was an exceptionally talented and passionate horseman himself.
Born in 1920, โRagsโ Dundlod, which was his affectionate nickname, was in the mounted Jaipur state forces known as Kachhawa Horse Cavalry. Upon Indiaโs independence, the separate princely state cavalries were amalgamated into a single regiment, the 61st Cavalry. This is where Raghuvir Singh Dundlod held the post of Lieutenant Colonel.ย
Horses and horsemanship runs thick in Bonnie Dundlodโs blood and he grew up in Jaipur surrounded by horses and polo.
Dundlod had been lying dormant for around forty years when Bonnie resurrected his ancestral family fort. Bonnie breathed life back into the Dundlod Risala, once again filling the stables with proud Marwari horses.ย Dundlod Fort was transformed into a heritage hotel and became a top horseback riding holiday destination.
The Far Pavillions
Dundlod Safariโs started with the original 25 Marwari horses that Bonnie bought to feature in the enormous 1984 BBC hit series โThe Far Pavillionsโ.
As the head location liaison for the production, Bonnie sourced most of the Jaipur based filming sites for the series. When they began filming the show they were using thoroughbreds and the producers couldnโt figure out why the riding scenes were not looking authentic. The initial shots were not quite capturing the exotic and thrilling cavalries depicted in historical paintings of the era, something wasnโt quite right. Bonnie quickly explained to them that it was because they were using the wrong breed of horse. In this era they would have been on the native Marwari horses. Bonnie took the lead and procured the 25 Marwari horses that were used in the production.
It was these very horses from The Far Pavillions series that began Dundlod Safariโs, taking adventurous riders out on dashing treks across the Rajasthan desert. It had never been done before in Rajasthan, and probably never in India at all.ย
Conservation of the Marwari breed
It was the creation of Dundlod Safariโs that began the re-establishment of the Marwari horse after many years of their decline.
The safariโs spearheaded the much needed conservation of the breedโs bloodlines. Riders from all over the world began travelling to Rajasthan to ride, and naturally become enchanted by the breed. The Marwari horse regained itโs former status. The breed standards began to rise, and the importance of conserving the indigenous horses of India became a powerful message.ย
Rajasthan and the Rajputs
A regal land rich in history and heroic legends, Rajasthan literally translates to the โLand of Kingsโ. During the time of the Raj, it was known as โRajputanaโ, which means โHome of the Rajputsโ.
In this resplendent region brimming with towering Rajput forts and palaces, Dundlod stands unique. This is partly due to itโs authenticity, for Dundlod has retained the ethereal glamour of the Rajput dynasties. Many of the forts and palaces in the region have been renovated with modern interpretations. These seem kitsch in comparison to the faded beauty of heroic days gone by that Dundlod Fort manages to capture.ย
The other reason for the spell Dundlod Fort weaves on visitors is of course the Marwari horses themselves, who fill the fort with their otherworldly beauty.
A traditional ceremony welcomes you into the fort. There are drummers, horses in full colourful regalia, their riders in the Dundlod Risala uniform. Auspicious marigold garlands are hung around your neck. After chai on the terrace, Bonnie gives a talk on the history of the fort.ย
The Living History of Dundlod Fort Heritage Hotel
Dundlod Fort is a heritage hotel featuring a majestic Diwan Khana. This Audience Hall is an impressive and important room at the centrepiece of the fort.ย
Furnished with Louis XIV furniture, this is where ceremonies, important meetings and ceremonies take place. It still features the original โDuchatta,โ which is where the ladies of the family watched court ceremonies from above in purdah. It is here, outside the Diwan Khana, that you meet your fellow riders and start the experience of a lifetime riding with Dundlod Safariโs.
As a heritage hotel, all the rooms at Dundlod Fort are styled differently with a personality of itโs own. Many of the rooms contain fascinating historical photos of the Dundlod royal family, their horses, elephants, and stately processions. It really is like stepping back through the annals of time to the golden era of the princely Rajput dynasties.
Riding Marwari horses with Dundlod Safari’s
Riding with Dundlod Safariโs is not only a memorable horse riding holiday on these exotic horses, it offers an equestrian experience that takes you deeper into the historical and cultural significance of the Marwari breed.ย
There are some incredible itineraries led by Bonnie Dundlod. The rides often start or end at Dundlod Fort. During the point to point trails we stay at a mixture of other heritage hotels in Rajasthan and renovated forts with the Dundlod Safaris camps. My two favourite routes are the Jaisalmer Marwari Trail and the Desert Ride to Alsisar.
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