Our first day in Jaipur, we went to
a theme park called Chokhi Dhani. It was basically a theme park for
middle/upper class Indians to come and “experience” rural India. In addition to
an “authentic” rural Indian craft center, there was a mini EPCOT of various
Indian states, a walk-around exhibit of some important historical events in
Indian history, and a smattering of attractions (a magic show, a puppet show,
carnival games, a small ferrous wheel). There were food stalls and lots of
interactive activities in which you could participate including dances, running
around a fire while hollering and brandishing a stick, a puja ceremony at a
temple (this one I found especially weird), and Indian wrestling in a mud
arena. Everywhere there were posted signs that said "DO NOT GIVE ANY TIPS”
and yet we were constantly barraged by staff members asking for money, so we
quickly learned to stop doing the activities. For dinner we had a wonderful
Rajasthani buffet (that was ridiculously overpriced) and all of us ate so much
it probably would have been easier to roll us out of the park rather than have
us wobble out with our food babies.
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