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Rajasthan

Rajasthan which is also referred as the ‘Land of Kings’ is a state situated on the Northwestern part of India and shares its border with Punjab to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Gujarat to the southwest, and Pakistan to the west. It is the largest state of India, covering an area of about 342,239 square kilometers.  

The history of Rajasthan dates back to several thousand years. Here, the civilization began with the settlement of the Indus Valley Civilization and Vedic Civilization. Later, this region was ruled by the various powerful dynasties such as Mauryan dynasty (in the 3rd century), Gupta dynasty (from the beginning of 4th to the late 6th century) and Pratiharas dynasty. 

Several Rajput dynasties emerged between the 7th and 11th centuries and held their own over different parts of Rajasthan. So the region got named as Rajputana, “The land of the Rajputs”. Later, Rajasthan moved from the hands of the Rajputs to the Chauhans, which had emerged as the major power.

Around 1200 AD, many parts of Rajasthan came under Muslim rulers. At the beginning of the 13th century, the most prominent and powerful region of Rajasthan was Mewar (under the rule of Rajput). In the mid 16th century, Mughal emperor Akbar started alliances with many Rajput rulers. Most Rajput rulers accepted his suzerainty; but the rulers of Marwar and Mewar, Chandrashekar Rathore, Udai Singh and Maharana Pratap, who were against Akbar remained outside the imperial fold and never bowed down to him. Later Akbar took over Chittorgarh (after battle with Udai Singh, in 1556), Haldighati (after battle with Maharana Pratap, in 1576), Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Gogunda, Chappan, and several other regions. 

In the 18th century, the Mughals began to have internal disputes due to which their empire continued to weaken and later declined, the Marathas penetrated Rajputana. With time, the Maratha Empire expanded to the north of Rajasthan. In the 19th century, the British replaced the Maratha Empire and having established paramountcy in the region, organized the Rajput states into Rajputana province.

After the Indian independence in 1947, the princely states and chiefships were integrated by stages into a single entity and it took the name Rajasthan in 1949. When the new constitution of India came into force on 26th February 1950, Rajasthan became an integral part of India. It acquired its present form on 1st November 1956, when the States Reorganization Act was implemented. There are 33 districts distributed within seven divisions namely Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur. Jaipur is the capital and also largest city of the state. 

The state invites visitors with melodious and beautiful folk song “Padhaaro Mhare Desh” which means Welcome to My Land. It not only stands as a welcome message for visitors from all across the globe, but also reveals hospitality of the people of Rajasthan. 

Hindi is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state. Besides Hindi, every region has its own dialect and language spoken is Marwari, Mewari, Brij Bhasha, Shekhawati, etc.

The culture of Rajasthan is rich in artistic and cultural traditions that reflect the ancient Indian way of life. The traditional dress for Men is dhoti and angarkha, or pyjama-kurta, and it is incomplete without Pagari (Turbon or headgear). The Turbon comes in a variety of colors, design, shape and size. The traditional dress for Women is ghagra (an ankle-length skirt), choli (also called Kanchli or kurti) and odhni. The costumes of Rajasthan people are usually designed in bright colors like yellow, orange, and blue, and have a lot of mirror work and embroidery.  Both men and women wear Mojaris or juttis (version of the shoe) with their outfits. It is also famous for semi –precious stones, textiles and handicrafts items like blue pottery, wooden furniture & craft, and carpets. 

Local music and dance also reflects the cultural identity of Rajasthan. The state’s most famous traditional dance forms are Ghoomar, Bhavai dance, Kalbelia (popularly known as ‘Snake Charmer Dance’ or ‘Sapera Dance’ and also recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage), Pot Dance, Kachhi Godhi, Gair and Kathputli that performed at local festivals and special occasions. Rajasthani celebration is incomplete without the folk music maand and panihari which are often accompanied by musical instruments like dholak, ektara, sarangi, flutes and bag pipes.

Rajasthan is known for its unique cooking style, delectable and spicy dishes in India. Some of the popular traditional foods of Rajasthan are Daal Baati Churma, Laal Maas, Gatte ki sabzi, Ker Sangri/ Panchkuta, Ghevar, Mohan thaal, Pyaaz ki Kichori and Mirchi Bada. Apart from national festivals, Rajasthan hosts various fairs and festivals which are known for their uniqueness and attracts a large number of tourists from India and abroad every year. Some of these fairs and festivals are Desert Festival, Pushkar Fair, Kite Festival, Brij Holi, Mewar Festival, Elephant Festival, Summer and Winter Festivals,  Urs Fair, and many more that give tourists a whole new experience, making their trip memorable.

Chinkara (declared in 1981) and Camel (declared in 2014) is the state animal, Godawan (Great India Bustard) is the state bird, and Rohida (Tecomella undulate) is the state flower of Rajasthan. 

Rajasthan is blessed with majestic forts, magnificent palaces, beautiful lakes, sunkissed deserts, fabulous art, education centres, natural wildlife sanctuaries, ancient temples, and many more. The state has four national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, namely Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Keladevi National Park in Bharatpur and Desert National Park in Jaisalmer.  Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Pushkar, Ranthambore and Mount Abu are some of the famous destinations in Rajasthan for domestic and foreign tourists. There are also options for thrill and adventure activities like Zip-lining, Bike tour, Dune Bashing, Hot Air Balloon ride, Camping, and Desert and Camel Safari for adventurous lovers to add more memories to their Rajasthan tour.

TOUR PACKAGES OF RAJASTHAN

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