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Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949,
when all erstwhile princely states ruled by Rajputs, known as Rajputana,
merged into the Dominion of India. The only difference between erstwhile
Rajputana and Rajasthan is that certain portions of what had been
British India, in the former province of Ajmer-Merwara, were included.
Rajsthan's one of the main
attractions is its palaces and forts. Each one is more beautiful then
the other. Tourists from home and the abroad flock in Rajasthan to visit
the pink city and state's capital Jaipur, the palace and lake city
Udaipr.
Rajasthan is the largest state of the
Republic of India in terms of area. It encompasses most of the area of
the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert), which has an
edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with
Pakistan. The region borders Pakistan to the west, Gujarat to the
southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to
the northeast and Punjab to the north. Rajasthan covers an area of
132,150 sq mi or 342,269 kmē (about the size of Germany).
Today, years after the last bugle was sounded, and after the warring
kingdoms of erstwhile Rajputana, sheathed their swords, the desert
appears romantic, its arts, the expression of a brave yet sensitive
race, its architecture the embodiment of strength and grace. It is as
if, in celebration of life itself.
The appearance of its grand forts perched on rocky hills still tell the
story of the bravery of its men and the stoic sacrifice of its women,
and the chivalrous old world manners of all.
The magic of Rajasthan is unequalled in the world for its heritage,
culture, safaris, sand dunes and lush green forests with its wildlife.
Rajasthan is often expressed as huge open-air museum with relic so well
preserved for the travellers and the curious of the day.
It is action-packed with outdoors too; take a safari on horses, camels,
elephants or even jeeps with the Aravalis - India's oldest mountain
range in the backdrop, or caress your eyes on the sloppy sand dunes, or
trail a tiger or just watch birds on wetland. Or you can choose to
pamper yourself in the lavish heritage properties.
Take part in the vibrant dances with swords & swirling skirts, with
lamps & horses. Buy exclusive craft of mirror work embroidery, metal and
leather craft. Exalt the beautiful miniature & pichwai paintings. Taste
the distinct cuisine. Rajasthan has something for everyone, just choose
your activity. Live like a prince in the land of kings & princes.
Get In
By plane
Rajasthan is one of the larger Indian states and distances are long,
making planes a fairly good option for getting in. Jaipur, Jodhpur and
Udaipur all have airports with direct links to many major cities, though
if coming from a smaller city, one has to go via Delhi.
By train
Overnight trains from Delhi and Mumbai reach most of Rajasthan's major
cities. For points further out, like Jaisalmer, you'll be looking at a
second day on the train as well. The Shatabdi and Rajdhani express are
excellent trains and have excellent service.
Another option is Palace on Wheels which is a week long luxury train
ride through Rajasthan.
By road
The National Highway 8 which runs through Rajasthan is excellent and
connects Delhi to Mumbai. Though Mumbai may be too far away, this is the
most popular way to travel to travel to Jaipur from Delhi as the road is
in excellent condition and the drive can easily be completed in under
4hrs.
Best Time to Visit: October to
March
Capital: Jaipur
Climate: Hot and Dry Summers (45oC Max and 32oC Min), Pleasant
Winters (27oC Min and 10oC Max)
Languages: Rajasthani, Hindi, Sindhi and English
Religions: Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs
Airports: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Bikaner and Kota
Rajasthan is divided into 33 districts
and seven divisions:
Ajmer Division: Ajmer, Bhilwara, Nagaur, Tonk.
Bharatpur Division: Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur.
Bikaner Division: Bikaner, Churu, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh.
Jaipur Division: Jaipur, Alwar, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Dausa.
Jodhpur Division: Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur District,
Pali, Sirohi.
Kota Division: Baran, Bundi, Jhalawar, Kota.
Udaipur Division: Banswara District, Chittorgarh District,
Pratapgarh District, Dungarpur District, Udaipur, Rajsamand
Major Cities: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Kota, Udaipur,
Ajmer, Alwar, Pushkar, Bharatpur, Mt Abu, Sariska and Ranthambore.
Fairs: Ajmer Urs, Banganga Fair ,
Karni Mata Fair , Nagaur Fair , Pushkar Fair
Forts:
Amber Fort [Jaipur]
Chittorgarh Fort [Udaipur]
Jaigarh Fort [Jaipur]
Mehrangarh Fort [Jodhpur]
Jaisalmer Fort
Sonar Quila [Jaisalmer]
Kishangarh Fort [Ajmer]
Kumbhalgarh Fort [Udaipur]
Nahargarh Fort [Jaipur]
Junagarh Fort [Bikaner]
Taragarh Fort [Ajmer-Pushkar]
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