Introducing Sanjay Singh Badnor

The Grape Vine is thrilled to announce that our next guest writer will be Sanjay Singh Badnor. His piece will be a series of photographs of the Ashwa Pujan ceremonies and celebrations held in Udaipur every year during the Navratri.

Throughout history and regardless of geography, the role of the horse in warfare is well known and respected by all who have gone to battle. Ashwa Pujan, literally translated as the worship of the horse, honours the role of the trusty steed of the warrior in warfare.

This year due to the Corona Virus pandemic, the celebrations are unlikely to be held as they normally would be. However, the pooja is a land mark annual celebration honoring the role of the horse in warfare, and is a mark of tremendous respect to the horse, which should not be forgotten even during a pandemic

This special piece will be published on The Grape Vine at noon on the 8th of October 2020

Sanjay Singh Badnor

Sanjay Singh Badnor has had a long association with the hospitality and the travel trade. After having completed his Hotel Management with the Taj Group of Hotels Sanjay had brief stints at the Taj Palace Hotel and the ITC Welcomgroup’s Hotel Maurya Sheraton in New Delhi . It was after this that he switched over to become a freelance travel writer and a photojournalist.

Sanjay has also authored a coffee table book on Rajasthan and been a stringer with the Times of India, many of his photographs have been published in leading travel guide books and Travel related magazines including Lonely Planet, Condenast Traveller, Swagat, Discover India, Spice Route, and Namaskar amongst others and travel portals such as Outlook Traveller.com, Rediff.com and Traveljini.com. He has been the photographer for ‘Beyond the Royal Veil’ an Australian television documentary on Indian Royalty.

Although widely traveled throughout the country, Sanjay confesses to a decided passion for his native desert state of Rajasthan. Sanjay, belongs to the aristocratic family of Badnor in Rajasthan. Badnor was amongst the 16 premiere principalities under the former state of Mewar