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Rajasthan,
this wild desert land invites you to a memorable tryst with itself.
Savor Rajasthan's unique culture that is a blend of the ancient and the
modern. Travel Rajasthan, check out must visit forts, palaces and
monuments; enjoy a luxurious stay at famous heritage hotels of
Rajasthan or take a Heritage Tour of distinct cultural
heritage sites of Rajasthan
To the east of
the Aravallis, Rajasthan is Cotton Country where peacocks dance in
celebration of rain. Kipling must have been thinking of Rajasthan when
he labelled India the 'land of camels and snakecharmers'. Even today,
Rajasthan retains its medieval charm with the sounds of desert music
wafting from the distant sands and mounds of red chillies drying in
courtyards ready to be pounded.
Rajasthan is
bound on the west and northwest by Pakistan, on the north and northeast
by Punjab , Haryana , and Uttar Pradesh , on the east and southeast by
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh , and on the southwest by Gujarat .
Each of its cities is a great tourist attraction with pride of place
going to Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Ajmer. Hawa Mahal,
Amber Fort, Umaid Bhawan, Jantar Mantar, Pushkar, Ranthanbhore National
Park are musts on every tourist's itinerary.
CAPITAL OF
RAJASTHAN :
Jaipur, the
capital, is pretty in pink. Vegetable marts, jewellery shops,
camel-riding locals make it a busy and crowded metropolis. It sits on a
dry lake bed in a somewhat arid landscape surrounded by barren hills
surmounted by forts and crenellated walls. The language spoken is mostly
Rajasthani and Hindi
History of
Rajasthan : Archaeological and historical evidence shows a continuous
human habitation of the area dating back 100,000 years. Between the 7th
and the 11th century AD, several dynasties arose, with Rajput strength
reaching its peak at the beginning of the 16th century. Emperor Akbar
brought the Rajput states into the Mughal Empire; by early 19th century,
they allied with the Marathas. Later, the British established supremacy
in the region. Rajasthan soon emerged as a centre of Indian nationalism.
When the new constitution went into effect in 1950, Rajput princes
surrendered their powers to the Indian Union.
The Rajasthani
People: There is majesty in every man of Rajasthan; they are afterall
the sons of kings. Rajasthan is a harsh, scorched land of savage summer
heat but also full of the brightest colours. Countering the barren
landscape with vibrant hues in their everyday wear and charming murals
painted on their drab sepia-coloured mud homes, for the people, life is
one big carnival, even in the face of sure death. Here are many tales of
desperate courage written of men donning saffron robes and riding out to
confront the enemy and womenfolk preferring death to dishonour. Even in
everyday life today, the Rajput's sense of honour, family and tradition
come foremost.
Culture in
Rajasthan : Rajasthan has made its contribution to Indian art; there is
a rich literary tradition, especially of bardic poetry. Chand Bardai's
poem on Prithvi Raj Raso or 'Chand Raisa', the earliest manuscript of
which dates to the 12th century, is particularly notable. A popular
source of entertainment is the 'khyal', a dance drama composed in verse
with festive, historical, or romantic themes. The typical folk dance of
Rajasthan is the 'ghoomar', which is performed on festive occasions only
by women. The 'geer' dance (performed by men and women), the 'panihari'
(a graceful dance for women), and the 'kacchi ghori' (in which male
dancers ride dummy horses) are also popular.
Handicrafts of
Rajasthan : Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, is one of the finest centres
in the entire region for beautiful prints - specially on cotton fabrics
and has perhaps India's largest centre of semi-precious / precious gems
and stones. Tie-and-die fabrics and sarees; Sanganer prints; brocades;
marble statuettes, ivory carving; stone-set and semi precious jewellery;
enamel work… there is no end to what Jaipur offers to shoppers.
CLIMATE OF
RAJASTHAN :
There is a wide
range of climate, varying from extremely arid to humid. Except in the
hills, the heat in summer is great everywhere, with a mean daytime
maximum temperature hovering at about 43º C in many locations. Winter
temperatures vary from 20º-24º C. Hot winds and dust storms occur,
especially in the desert tract, where rainfall averages 4 inches
annually. In the southwest, rainfall is higher, in part owing to the
summer monsoon winds off the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.The best time
to visit is around Mid-October to Mid-March. During the monsoons,
Rajasthan is a delight.
POPULATION IN
RAJASTHAN : 50 million.
Festivals of
Rajasthan : Desert Festival in Jaisalmer and Nagaur Fair in February;
Pushkar Fair in November; Elephant Festival in Jaipur in March are
popular events. The 18-day Gangaur festival is the most popular festival
for girls, especially married women. Urs in May in Ajmer; Teej or the
Swing Festival in August; Marwar Music Festival in October and Shilpgram
Crafts Fair in December are among other major festivals of Rajasthan..
TOURIST OFFICE
IN RAJASTHAN :
Government of
India Tourist Office, State Hotel, Khasa Kothi, Jaipur 302 001,
Rajasthan.
Central
Reservation Office : Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, Hotel
Swagatam Campus, Near Railway Station, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Department of
Tourism, Art and Culture, Paryatan Bhawan, Government Hostel, M I Road,
Jaipur, Rajasthan
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