“Namaste & welcome to Pranpur! We are famous for our Chanderi silks, but we have much more to offer you. We are trying to create an identity for ourselves through our art, craft and culture. We invite you to visit us in our humble village, and stay at the Amraee Rural Resort which is just an extension of our homes.”

~ Pranpur Village Tourism Committee

The little village of Pranpur is reminiscent of a vivid Indian fairy-tale, quietly nestled in the heart of India, dubbed Madhya Pradesh. Its cobbled streets are lined with colourful houses, many of which resonate with the soothing music of looms. Its craftsmen & women produce one of India's finest varieties of saris - Chanderi Silk Saris, and welcome you with a big smile to try your hand (and feet) at their ancient looms. Make sure you buy your favourite picks directly from these craftsmen; you'll make a significant contribution to their livelihoods and escape burning a big hole in your pocket!

Just an overnight train ride away from Delhi, the Amraee Guest House, run by the village tourism committee of Pranpur, offers travellers a comfortable base to experience the village life of Central India. You can spend hours strolling along the lanes and fields of Pranpur, watching kids splash around in baolis (stepped wells), interacting with the village's only two families that still practice the indigenous metal crafts, photographing the potters as they expertly mould life into their earthy creations, soaking in the folk traditions of Bundelkhand, and sampling delicious Bundelkhandi food in a village home. Outdoor enthusiasts can trek along the seasonal Bhabhutia river into the nearby forest or visit the Rajghat Dam for the morning sunrise, while history buffs can visit the nearby city of Chanderi whose forts and palaces stand as testimony to its trysts with history.

• Chanderi Silk Sari outside a village home in Pranpur
• Meet the people of Pranpur
• A weaver hard at work
• Pranpur's colourful houses

Retaining the ambiance of village life, accommodation is provided by the village tourism committee of Pranpur at Amraee Guest House (Amraee is the local word for mango orchard), aptly named after its location amid a 5-acre mango orchard at walking distance from the village. Each of the four rooms are clean and spacious, fitted with twin beds, and decorated with beautiful Chanderi Silk curtains and colourful paintings made by the guesthouse manager, Rajpal-ji. Western-style bathrooms are attached to each room, and solar lanterns are provided in case of power cuts. A large room in the guesthouse hosts a showcase of indigenous metal work and pottery, and can double as a conference room.

Surrounded by trees of mango, papaya, custard apple and guavas, the premises of the guesthouse attracts several endemic & migratory birds. You can laze around on the swings, hammocks and charpoys fixed in the shade of the trees, and look out for birds and squirrels.

• Amraee Guest House in Pranpur, built in traditional style
• Reception at Amraee
• Rooms at Amraee Guest House
• Bedroom at Amraee

Food

A restaurant has been set up at Amraee Guest House, where Jagbhan, your cook, can whip up a range of delicious Indian vegetarian dishes. Breakfast typically consists of paranthas served with exotic chutneys, or poha topped with savoury snacks. You can sample the traditional Bundelkhandi thali for lunch or dinner, which is a mini feast with a spread of spicy and sweet dishes.

In the open area behind the guesthouse, small herbal and organic kitchen gardens have been set up to provide freshly grown vegetables and herbs for the food prepared in the restaurant.

Drinks

Tea is prepared in typical village style, milky and sweet, and can be customized as per your taste buds.

Alcohol is prohibited at the Amraee Guest House campus.

• Whipping up delicious food

Activities

You can spend your time at Pranpur soaking in its laid-back village life, interacting with its craftspeople, unfolding history in the nearby town of Chanderi, or exploring its serene outdoors on foot.

Activities in & around Pranpur include:

• Guided walking tour of Pranpur
• Shopping for Chanderi Silk Saris, metal crafts & pottery from the village craftspeople
• Bullock cart ride around the farms near Pranpur
• Folk performances, including the traditional Raee & Sehra dances
• Folk music & qawallis, and traditional dance performances by artistes of the neighboring village
• Forest trek along the Bhabhutia River
• Watching sunrise at Rajghat Dam, a 20 minutes drive from Pranpur
• Visit to Chanderi (3 km away) to see the historical Badal Mahal Gate, Chanderi Museum, Jama Masjid, Ramnagar Mahal and the Chanderi Fort, among other monuments.
• Visit to ancient temples with stone age cave paintings
• Weaving, pottery & metal craft workshops
• Day trips to the towns of Jhansi & Orchha

• Handcrafted metal work by the craftsmen of Pranpur
• Tabla music meets the rythm of the looms
• Baoli - step well, one of the many in Pranpur & Chanderi
• Guests visit a small pond near Amraee

At Amraee Guest House, accommodation is priced as follows:
Single occupancy: INR 1,100.
Double occupancy: INR 1,800.
Tariff includes 3 meals & all taxes.
An extra bed can be comfortably accommodated in the room, at INR 550 extra.

For recommended itineraries, please get in touch with us.

Location

The nearest airports are at Gwalior (168 km) and Bhopal (232 km). Both places are well connected with Delhi & Mumbai by air. The nearest railway station is Lalitpur, about an hour's drive from Pranpur. Pick-up can be arranged from the airport or train station at additional cost.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Pranpur is between October and March, when the days are warm and the nights fairly cold.

Checklist

Many of us have pre-conceived notions about rural India. Leave them behind, travel with an open mind, and you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

• Warm clothes if you’re travelling in winter
• Walking shoes, if you intend to trek / hike
• Books to read & write, stationery to paint & draw, basically anything you’ve always loved to do and never got the time to
• Binoculars for bird watching
• Cosmetics you need
• Prescription medicines, if any
• Camera & batteries / charger
• Cash, if needed. The nearest ATM is at Chanderi.

• Chanderi Silk Sari outside a village home in Pranpur
• Meet the people of Pranpur
• A weaver hard at work
• Pranpur's colourful houses
• Amraee Guest House in Pranpur, built in traditional style
• Reception at Amraee
• Rooms at Amraee Guest House
• Bedroom at Amraee
• Whipping up delicious food
• Handcrafted metal work by the craftsmen of Pranpur
• Tabla music meets the rythm of the looms
• Baoli - step well, one of the many in Pranpur & Chanderi
• Guests visit a small pond near Amraee

Reviews

“The stay was good... The food was super and the staff always smiled - that was the best part of it. I will be back to Chanderi and Amraee soon.“  ~ Avijit & Monika, travelled in August 2012.

To feature your review / testimonial, please write to shivya@indiauntravelled.com.

Madhya Pradesh is not an obvious destination on any travel map in India, which means its culture, crafts, and traditions are not influenced by the elements of mass tourism. The UNDP and the Indian Government initiated the development of Amraee Guest House in Pranpur, in an attempt to put Pranpur on the rural tourism map of India and offer its craftspeople & residents an alternate source of income.

Below are some tips to practice responsible travel while in Pranpur:

• Pack your bags with environmentally friendly things. Carry as little plastic as possible.
• Do not leave behind any non-biodegradable waste. Carry batteries and other toxic waste back to the cities where waste management is in place.
• What you wear has an impact – environmentally and culturally – dress ethically and appropriately.
• Respect the local culture and refrain from physical intimacy in public places.
• Carry a good water bottle. Purified drinking water is available at Amraee Guest House for re-filling your bottles. Refrain from buying numerous plastic mineral water bottles.
• Try local food as much as possible and avoid packaged food. Ask for modifications in the food according to your taste, instead of wasting it.
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and refrain from drugs, especially in public places
• Seek permission before photographing people, so their privacy is respected.
• Do not pluck any medicinal plants & flowers, and do not disturb the wildlife.
• Buy crafts & souvenirs directly from the craftspeople of Pranpur as far as possible.