In Bhatmajra, Prince Charles visited homes and met villagers Royal couple on tour

The royal couple were welcomed in the state capital Chandigarh by Punjabi folk dancers, before they moved on to the princedom of Patiala.

In Patiala they were the guests of the Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, a member of the Patiala royal family.

Prince Charles also visited two Punjab villages, where he met organic farmers.

The last Prince of Wales to visit Patiala was Prince Charles's great-uncle Edward (later Edward VIII), who visited the state in 1922.

'Definitely interested'

In the village of Bhatmajra, Prince Charles - wearing a camel-coloured suit and military tie - visited some homes and spoke to families.

Those he met included handloom worker Sukhi and Daya Krishan, a local farmer who has chosen to go organic on all his 27 acres of land.

Prince Charles also spent some time watching potter Ram Prakash at work.

"He said something in English. I cannot say what, but he was definitely interested in what we are doing here," Sukhi said after the visit.

But despite the difficulty in direct communication, the villagers of Bhatmajra and Shamsher Nagar told the BBC they were thrilled at the prince's visit.

It was the prince's first visit to the princely state of Patiala

Many, including the organic farmer Daya Krishan, believe the royal visit will help build new overseas markets for their produce.

The prince also inaugurated a new foundation devoted to organic farming.

The Bhoomi Vardaan Foundation has been created along the lines of Duchy Originals, which he established in the UK in 1992.

On Tuesday - the second and final day of their Punjab visit - the royal couple are scheduled to visit the historic Sikh shrine of Keshgarh in Anandpur Sahib town.

On Sunday, they met members of the England cricket team who are playing in India.

The two-week trip has already taken Charles and Camilla to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Prince of Wales last visited India in 2003.