The Grain Awakening: Where Traditional Ingredients Meet Mindful Dining

By Srijita Gupta

I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect walking into The Grain Awakening, the first concept from AJS Experiences, the brainchild of Arushi J Sancheti, held at the iconic Taj Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. 

Before the main event, Arushi kindly invited a small group of us to her home for a high tea and informal meet-and-greet.

The highlight was a vibrant Rajasthani street-food station, presented as elegant small plates. Crisp kachoris, chaat, delicate mini ghewars, and a bite-sized take on dal baati churma were arranged across tiered wooden platters and brass stands. The display balanced rustic charm with careful presentation, a simple but thoughtful nod to the bold flavours of Rajasthan’s street food culture.

When we arrived at the Taj Rambagh Palace, the atmosphere shifted entirely. The space felt almost like a boho yoga retreat – lush, dimly lit, and impossibly calm. Each guest had their own private pod framed with foliage and soft lighting, while gentle instrumental music floated through the air. 

The evening began even before dinner with a personalised fragrance presented to each guest, curated around different personality archetypes. Mine featured bergamot with hints of citrus, completely up my alley. That scent subtly stayed with us through the evening, quietly grounding each moment.

Dinner itself unfolded as an eight-course menu, entirely vegan and gluten-free, built around traditional Indian ingredients, thoughtfully curated by Arushi in collaboration with the culinary team at Rambagh Palace.

One of my favourites was the Portree Thakkali, bottle gourd koftas served in a hot, tangy broth that tasted remarkably like rasam. It used familiar Indian ingredients but presented them with a refined twist. A close second was the Parangikai Ravioli, where gluten-free ravioli was filled with sweet butternut squash and savoury peanuts, a combination I’m personally quite fond of, so to me it felt like a match made in heaven.

What truly set this experience apart wasn’t just the setting but the intentional pauses between each course. Before we reached for the next dish, guests were gently guided to simply be present, to notice what we saw, smelled, felt against our skin, on the sounds that surrounded us, and the food we tasted. In a world that barely pauses to breathe, the feeling of being calm, present and mindful felt almost luxurious.

The Himalayan Sorbet palate cleanser looked delicate but carried playful flavours of mulberry ice cream, finished with tempered cumin and anardana dust, tasted remarkably like what I’d describe as a dahi bhalla masala, a dish that was elegant on the outside and comforting at heart. Then came the Winters of Grain thali, with mini jowar-suraj mukhi rotis, barley chaat, winter greens saag and amla chutney, bringing together native Indian ingredients and flavours. The dish balanced comfort and nourishment beautifully, making it a delightful and fitting end to the savoury section of the evening.

By this point I was full to the brim, but how can we miss dessert and risk upsetting the sugar gods?

The dessert courses were Kangni Paka Madhura and Khajuranna. The first being a foxtail millet with nolen gur and pumpkin seed praline, their take on a Rajasthani lapsi was surprisingly delightful, with the millet adding a pleasant bite to the dish. The second dessert, date halwa, didn’t quite land for me on its own, but pairing the millets with the smooth peanut cream from the halwa turned out to be a winning combination.

The Grain Awakening wasn’t just a meal. It was a reminder that when all five senses are invited to the table, food becomes more than something you consume, it becomes something you truly experience. And that, perhaps, is exactly what AJS Experiences is trying to do. Their ultimate goal is simple: that by the end of an experience, something within you has shifted, even if only slightly, leaving you with the sense that you’ve felt something new or seen something differently. Arushi has built something special here, and I for one am curious to see what AJS Experiences stir up next.

We spoke to Arushi on her new venture, to understand the core philosophy behind The Grain Awakening.

Q: What is the philosophy behind AJS Experiences?

Arushi: At its core, AJS Experiences builds on the neuroscience that is common across all human beings. There are certain reflexes and responses that we all share. For example, if someone hits your arm unexpectedly, your reflex will be the same as anyone else’s—you instinctively move away. That universality of the human brain and basic psychology fascinates me. We design experiences around those shared human responses so that the emotional impact is something everyone can feel. Some experiences may be two hours long, others could last just five minutes. But the intention remains the same: to curate brand experiences, art installations, and emotional journeys that resonate deeply with the people who participate in them.

Q: Where does The Green Awakening fit into this?

Arushi: The Grain Awakening is the first concept from the AJS Experiences portfolio. It’s rooted in stillness, wellness, and the rhythms of the human body. I don’t want to talk too much about it right now because it’s something I would rather people experience for themselves. But it represents the spirit of what AJS Experiences is trying to do—create immersive environments that connect people to something deeper.

Q: Is there a connection between AJS Experiences and Vasansi?

Arushi: In a way, yes. Vasansi is our family business—it’s actually my father-in-law’s creation, and we are all just carrying it forward. It’s something very close to my heart and a huge part of my journey. AJS Experiences draws from all the learning and exposure I’ve had through those years working with Vasansi. But at the same time, AJS Experiences is more personal. It’s a culmination of my experiences and ideas, so in that sense it will always be an extension of me.

Q: So would it be fair to say AJS Experiences reflect your personality in different forms?

Arushi: Yes, pretty much. That’s a good way to put it.

Q: How has the journey been so far?

Arushi: Honestly, it has felt incredibly liberating. At one point in life, I began to feel a sense of stagnation because my creative energy was spread so evenly across different platforms that I wasn’t evolving anymore. AJS Experiences has been a breath of fresh air. Every day feels exciting again. For example, we recently designed an immersive entryway installation for a fundraiser for Sheeraz’s Strength at the City Palace in Jaipur. It wasn’t just something people looked at—they actually walked through it and experienced it. That’s a core principle of AJS Experiences. Our installations are never meant to be purely visual; they are meant to be felt.

Q: What do you hope people take away from these experiences?

Arushi: The ultimate goal is that by the end of the experience, the person who goes through it feels that something within them has shifted. Even if it’s subtle, there should be a sense that they’ve felt something new or seen something differently. That emotional shift is the heart of everything we create.

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