I hear that it is a tribal thing. Most staff at Amanbagh come from local villages and over the years they have come to think that they will get whatever they demand. The tribal Meenas of the region have a tendency to get totally out of control and the agents provocateurs amongst them have been known not only to threaten staff and guests but also those staff members who do not want to join in.

Strikes at Amanbagh have become an annual event, normally timed for salary-rise time or as a form of entertainment after the annual harvest. I hear that staff did not get raises in October 2014 and were told to wait until January. Apparently, this did not occur, so staff went on strike, presumably believing that Aman would have to give them raises as the resort had a lot of bookings.

The staff demands increased and became more unrealistic by the day and I hear, too, that there were threats to management, to the extent that many had to move to Jaipur in order to ensure their safety.

It looks as though this most recent event will damage Amanbagh seriously, not only in terms of profits but also in image terms, especially with travel agents.

Amanbagh has brought tremendous prosperity to this region. I have met many staff members who were taught to drive, read, speak English, learn spa techniques etc. by Aman - all of which have helped them build new homes and lead a considerably more prosperous life. Sadly, nobody seems to be too grateful for this.

Amanbagh is one of the most tranquil and beautiful resorts I know, although it seems as though an undercurrent of violence lies just beneath the surface.