As the Chinese Lunar Calendar enters the Year of the Horse, we celebrate once more India’s very own indigenous equine breed—the Marwari horse. Native to Rajasthan’s Marwar region, this beautiful, highly intelligent animal was almost lost to posterity. A wonderful conservation initiative by a family of noble birth has given the stallion a new lease of life to bring joy to travellers who love horse safaris, horse riding and playing polo.
Hailing from the hardy enclaves of Rajasthan’s fabled painterly region of Shekhawati region, A Baisa’s Adventures' Mallyka Singh Dundlod, of Fort Dundlod, is committed to preserving the legacy of her father, Thakur Raghuvendra (Bonnie) Singh Dundlod, who has worked long and hard to save the Marwari horse. In 1985 he launched Dundlod Safaris.
The ruling Rathore clan of Marwar in Rajasthan’s arid region of the eastern Thar Desert, through centuries of selective breeding ensured the Marwari’s suitability to the terrain and climate of their native land.
Distinctive for its loyalty, speed, stamina, hearing, and rarest of all, its inward curling ears which appear to be almost touching, the Marwari horse has distinguished itself as a cavalry horse in desert warfare, being also capable of enduring great heat. Members of certain castes alone were permitted to ride this exclusive breed.
Recognized as the Gold Winner in Sustainable Leadership at the Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards Rajasthan 2025, Mallyka offers a wonderful range of Marwari-centric tours through her company, A Baisa’s Adventures. Her offerings are customised for both seasoned riders as well as newbies.
Picking up on her father’s pioneering horse safari adventure experiences, she offers the grand vistas of Rajasthan’s diverse landscapes to be explored on horseback. What makes her travel experiences for newbies and non-equestrians so distinctive is that she creates lovely, up-close opportunities to bond with these stallions. These hands-on activities include grooming, feeding, and riding, under the watchful gaze of her support staff.
The Dundlod family has been a huge supporter of promoting equestrian sports and training local breeds. The Dundlod stables are home to about 50 Marwari Horses. Dundlod also stocks the Kathiawari and Sindhi breed of stallions. There’s also a sprawling Horse Polo Field for Equestrian Championships. The tent pegging track offers customised displays of tent pegging by expert horse men on the magnificent Marwari horse. Additionally, there are several paddocks and training grounds for a slew of equine experiences and riding camps.
Simultaneously, the experiences Mallyka offers are aimed at not only enriching the lives of travellers but also uplifting local communities. Some of the experiences you can also enjoy — creating your own traditional lac bangle with the Manihar community, engaging in pottery making with the local Kumhar and observing the colourful Tye & Dye process done by the Rangrezz community of Muslim Rajputs. All these experiences are more special as one spends time with the local people in their homes.
History buffs will love the curated walk through the trails of Shekhawati’s legendary frescoed havelis. Additionally, one can indulge in Jeep safaris, cycling tours of the local villages and trekking through the countryside.
You will love this deep dive into Rajasthan’s equine traditions as you peel back the layers of how the Marwari remains an integral part of Rajasthan’s history and culture. An unforgettable vignette from the annals of its equestrian history is of Chetak, the loyal Marwari steed of Maharana Partap Singh, and his brave exploits at the battle of Haldi Ghati, which have long passed into legend.