The Spice Girls of Rajasthan: Seven Sisters, One Mother, and a Legacy of Courage in Jodhpur
When I travel, I’m always drawn to small, family-run businesses — especially those quietly resisting the odds. In Jodhpur, that instinct led me to a modest spice shop with a remarkable story: Spice Girls of Rajasthan, trading as MV Spices.
Run by a mother and her seven daughters, this business has become something of a symbol — not just of excellent Rajasthani spices, but of determination, resilience, and women refusing to step aside.
I’d read about them online before I arrived in Jodhpur. They’ve attracted international attention, built a loyal following, and are currently the subject of a documentary charting their extraordinary journey. They also run cooking classes, which felt like the perfect way to support them directly — and to learn more about their story.
Finding the shop, and meeting Usha
I made my way to their market shop to enquire about a cooking class. Inside, I met Usha, the eldest sister. We chatted easily, and she took my number so that one of her sisters could message me with details.
The following evening — after I’d already gone to bed — a message popped up from Neelam, asking if I wanted to do a cooking class the very next day. I said yes immediately.
She explained that a tuk-tuk would collect me at 11.45am from their second shop on Nai Sadak Road and take me to their family home, about twenty minutes away.
True to her word, the tuk-tuk arrived right on time.
A cooking class in a family home
By midday, I was at the sisters’ house. I met their mum and two more of the sisters before heading upstairs to the teaching kitchen for my one-to-one class with Usha.
We cooked:
Paneer Butter Masala
Chapati
Paratha
Daal Tadka
Biryani rice
Masala chai
And the best saffron lassi I have ever tasted
Everything was delicious — generous, comforting, deeply flavourful food made with confidence and care.
As we cooked, I asked Usha about her family, and it was then that the full weight of their story unfolded.
The story of the Spice Girls of Rajasthan
Their father, the ‘King of Spices’
The sisters are immensely proud to be continuing their father’s legacy.
When Mohanlal Verhomal started his spice business in the late 1970s, there were no other spice shops in Jodhpur. His idea was pioneering: not just to sell spices, but to teach travellers how to use them — so they could recreate their favourite Indian dishes at home.
Together with his wife, Bagwanti, he developed his own spice blends, using high-quality, authentic ingredients. His reputation grew quickly. International journalists wrote about him, and even the Maharaja recognised his work, granting him permission to sell his spices at Mehrangarh Fort — a rare honour.
Mohanlal Verhomal became known as the King of Spices.
Loss — and a refusal to step aside
In 2004, Mohanlal Verhomal died.
He left behind his wife and seven daughters. The youngest was just eight years old.
His brothers assumed they would take over the business — after all, Mohanlal had no sons. But his widow refused. She vowed to continue her husband’s work herself and to provide for her daughters.
She has kept that promise ever since.
Today, most of the sisters are involved in the business in one way or another, running shops, teaching cooking classes, blending spices, and telling their story to visitors from around the world.
Prejudice, pressure, and everyday intimidation
Their journey, however, has been far from easy.
Within days of their father’s funeral, rival spice sellers appeared in Jodhpur market, using names deliberately similar to Mohanlal’s business. Men who had once worked for him were bribed into handing over his spice blend recipes, which were then copied using lower-quality ingredients.
The hostility didn’t stop there.
Over the years, the women have faced ongoing physical and emotional intimidation. One of the sisters, Nikky, was even threatened with acid, a common punishment in India for women who refuse to obey. It is something they still deal with daily.
I saw a small example of this for myself when I returned to the market shop after my cooking class to buy spices.
While I was there, a man selling vegetables opposite the shop began shouting about his produce, making it almost impossible for Priya and me to talk. She told me he doesn’t usually shout — only when the sisters have customers. They believe he is paid by rival spice sellers to disrupt their business.
Shortly afterwards, another man deliberately pushed his vegetable cart directly in front of their shop, blocking the entrance and obscuring it from view. According to Priya, the male-owned businesses on either side actively discourage customers from visiting them.
Local tour guides, too, are often paid to take tourists elsewhere.
It is relentless.
How these women continue to show up, open their doors, welcome visitors, and teach with warmth and generosity every single day is something I find deeply humbling.
Why supporting the Spice Girls matters
Spending money while travelling is never neutral. Where we choose to shop — and who we choose to support — matters.
The Spice Girls of Rajasthan are not just preserving their father’s legacy. They are challenging entrenched gender norms in a deeply traditional space, carving out independence through skill, knowledge, and sheer determination.
If you’re in Jodhpur, I cannot recommend their cooking classes highly enough. And if you’re passing through the market, step into their shop, ask questions, listen, and buy a little something to take home.
I left with spices — and with far more respect than I arrived with.
I wish them nothing but continued strength and success, and I hope their business thrives despite everything stacked against them.
Watch this Video for More about the Spice Girls of Rajasthan
If You Go: Visiting the Spice Girls of Rajasthan
📍 Where
Market shop: Jodhpur old city spice market
Second shop: Nai Sadak Road, Jodhpur
Cooking classes take place in the family home, around 20 minutes away by tuk-tuk
👩🍳 Cooking classes
Classes are hands-on and often one-to-one or very small group
You cook a full Indian meal, including breads, curries, chai, and lassi
The atmosphere is warm, informal, and welcoming — this is a family home, not a commercial kitchen
📲 How to book
The easiest way is in person: visit one of the shops and ask about classes
Alternatively, message them on Instagram:
👉 Spice Girls of RajasthanBe flexible — arrangements are often made last-minute, and that’s part of the charm
🛺 Getting there
The sisters will usually arrange a tuk-tuk to collect you from one of their shops
Payment is agreed directly with them
🧂 Buying spices
After your class, revisit the shop to buy spices — it’s a lovely way to support them
Their blends are made in-house using high-quality ingredients, and they’ll happily explain how to use them at home
You can also order online through their website
💛 Why it matters
Choosing to shop here directly supports a women-run business that continues to face daily intimidation
Your presence — and your purchase — genuinely makes a difference
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