1 week Ago By Teja Lele
In the endless sands of the Thar desert which spans 2,00,000 sq km across India and Pakistan, the monsoon is a harbinger of revival. Langa musicians sing songs welcoming the meh, or the desert rain. It rejuvenates peacocks that dance amorously to show off their iridescent fans.
The rain at Kaner, India’s first desert botanical resort located on the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer highway, is a sensory experience that celebrates the variety of the Thar. Above all the scent of the desert rains. Kaner, another name for the Oleander flower, commonly known as the Desert Rose—is open from September to March for plant-based wellness experiences.
Launched by Sapna Bhatia in 2021, it provides, perhaps, the first and only olfactory holiday in India. Led by Esha Tiwari, a scent storyteller and the founder of Kastoor, a homegrown brand of modern ittars, a rainy stay is an aromatic experience at the resort. Tiwari explores scent memories, a historical storytelling of Indian scents, and the genesis of the scent-based wellness ecosystem.
But why a scent-focused retreat during the monsoon? Tiwari says India was the centre of the world’s first scent-based wellness ecosystem, adding that specific tools are required to “understand our role in the larger cosmic scheme of human life and find a rhythm in sync with it”. “Scents are not just directly linked to memories that can be harvested to get closer to oneself. They also help to instantly stabilise the nervous system and body temperature,” she says.
Kaner is surrounded by an oran, or a sacred grove, and an ancient system of conservation in the desert. Animals here roam free and graze. Locals can forage, but no pruning and cutting trees are allowed.
The result is a magnificent, unspoilt landscape in which desert flora grows abundantly and people and wildlife live in harmony. “During the rain, the desert ephemerals come out, covering the oran with a crisp, ethereal, verdant carpet. Being here is like paying a tribute to the spirit of the desert,” Bhatia says.
She adds that the monsoon is the best time to visit Marwar and experience the scents of the desert. Plant-based wellness is key to Kaner, and natural fragrances play a starring role in the resort. “We use a bespoke fragrance made with a blend of pure essential oils in the rooms, spray a natural scent on the bed linen for restful sleep, use incense routinely and loban on special occasions.
Even the water offered to guests is infused with vetiver (khus),” Bhatia says. A signature experience is visiting a nearby olive farm tended by a woman farmer who planted 6,000 olive trees almost 20 years ago. In 2023, the retreat was profiled among 40 unique desert properties across the world.
Bhatia was keen to share the magic of the desert with others while promoting sustainable local tourism. “Growing up, I was introduced to the unique plant and animal life in the desert by my grandmother. I discovered that plants are the gatekeepers of life in the Thar.
Not only does life in the desert begin from them, but they also have an impact on the cuisine, crafts and culture. This sparked my interest in botany,” Bhatia recollects. Sustainability being the flavour of the times, Kaner, too, has been built with local materials, reclaimed woods, and upcycled furniture as evident in the rooms and common areas.
The seven-acre property has 10 villas, each one themed on a local flower with related art and specially commissioned accoutrements. Spending monsoon here is to bond with nature and open oneself to the rain and fragrances. The plant-based wellness sessions in between lay stress on the connections between nature, plants and humans.
“Here different aspects of a scent will be explored to understand its effect on our mind, body and soul,” Tiwari says. Smells good..
