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About Rajasthan
The name Rajasthan says a lot about the place that Rajasthan
is. Rajas Sthan, or the place of King, that is what
Rajasthan means and correctly this is what Rajasthan is
famous for, its royal heritage. Ruled over by the valiant
and romantic Rajput rulers for a long time, Rajasthan has
maintained a royal connection with its past. Even today,
after so many years of the end of Rajput control over the
state, the place still resounds with their exploits. It
takes only one interesting story about the courage of a
Rajput prince or the beauty of a Rajput princess to
captivate the imagination of the tourists.
General Information
Rajasthan is located in the northwestern part of India.
Pakistan borders it on its western and northwestern region.
To its north and northeast are the Indian State of Punjab,
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh also occupies the
region on its eastern part while the southeastern part is
covered by the state of Madhya Pradesh.
A part of Rajasthan forms a part of the Thar Desert and is
known as the Great Indian Desert. The oldest mountain range
of India, the Aravalli also runs from the southwest to the
north east region of state.
Best time to Visit Rajasthan
With its varied topography, Rajasthan enjoys a variety of
climates within its area. The desert region is dry while the
hilly areas are wetter and cooler. The winter temperature
ranges from 8 to 24 C while the summer temperature exceeds
from 25 to 48C. The dry western region gets an annual
average rainfall of 100 mm while the hilly areas enjoy a
sufficient average annual rainfall of around 650-mm. The
best time to visit the state is between December to March
when it is cooler and pleasant in almost all its part.
Major Attractions of Rajasthan
Cities - The cities of Rajasthan are its prime attraction.
With the Rajputana legacy still hovering over, these cities
exude a traditional royal charm. It is quiet easy to feel
the royal grandeur of the erstwhile kings and princes, the
moment you enter the city.
» Jaipur : Sawai
Raja Jai Singh founded Jaipur, the capital city of
Rajasthan. The city glows with the elegant pink colour used
widely in its construction. The romantic temperament of the
Rajput is well reflected in the pink hues of the city.
Within the city, major attractions are the Hawa Mahal, the
City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Birla Temple and Sisodia Rani ka
Bagh. A little distance from the main city stands the
impressive Jaigarh Fort and the Amber Fort. Both these fort
were built to strengthen the protective coverage of the
place. Apart from these royal attractions, the city also has
more plebeian attractions. Its winding roads send out an
unambiguous signal for you to explore its more common
attractions.
» Jodhpur :
Jodhpur, the second largest city of the state lies in the
western region. Rao Jodha, a ruler of the Rathore clan,
founded the city. Very similar to Jaipur, Jodhpur also
reflects the brilliant imagination of the Rajputs. The
entire city is one wide spectacle of blue colour, which
proves the ingeniousness of its founder. Since the city is a
part of the dry Thar Desert region, the blue colour lends it
the much-needed relief from the scorching heat. The major
attractions of the city are Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada,
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Kalyan Lake.
Jaisalmer :
Jaisalmer, is yet another remarkable destination in
Rajasthan founded by the Bhatti ruler, Rawal Jaisal. Like
the preceeding two cities, Jaisalmer is also painted in a
specific colour that gives it a unique identity of its own.
The city is known for its golden hues that merge with the
sand of the desert region. The main attractions of the place
include Jaisalmer fort, Nathmalji ki Haveli, Salim Singh ji
Ki Haveli, Patwon ki Haveli, Tazia Tower. Desert National
Park, Akalwood Fossil Park and Godi Sagar. Camel safari in
Jaisalmer is a major attraction for tourists.
» Bikaner :
Bikaner, founded by Rao Bika, was lost in oblivion for quiet
sometime, however, the buoyant spirit of the place helped it
regain its past glory. The city is a part of the Thar Desert
region and as such is always on its charismatic best. Camel
rides are a huge attraction in this city. Other attractions
include Junagarh fort, Lalgarh Palace, Bhandeshwari Jain
Temple, Shiv Bari Temple, Ganga Museum, Rajasthan State
Archives, Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary.
» Udaipur : Last
but not the least Udaipur, is a place that was founded by
Rana Udai Singh. Like most of the other cities of Rajasthan,
Udaipur too is known by a specific name - the City of Dawn.
In Rajasthan, which is primarily known as a desert region,
Udaipur with its hills and lakes is like a whiff of cool
air. The major attractions of the city are Lake Pichola,
City Palace, Lake Palace, Shilpgram Museum, Ahar Museum,
Sagar Lake, Jaisamand Lake and Rajsamand Lake.
Wildlife in Rajasthan
The desert region covers a considerable portion of
Rajasthan. However, this by no means designate the place as
one devoid of any wildlife. In fact, Rajasthan is home to
few extremely popular wildlife parks and sanctuaries of the
country. The variety of animals and birds seen here is
simply incredible.
» Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary :
Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is the prime wildlife attraction
of the state, which is located around 37 km from Alwar. The
animal of the park include Tiger, Leopard, Sambhar, Chital,
Nilgai, four-horned Antelope, Wild Boar, Rhesus Macaque,
Langur, Hyena and Jungle Cats. A number of birds, like
Peafowl, Harbours Quail, Sandgrouse, Golden- backed
Woodpeckers, Crested Serpent Eagles, Grey Partridge, Bush
Quail, Sand Grouse, Tree Pie, Golden backed Wood Pecker and
the Great Indian Horned Owl, give these animals an enviable
company.
» Ranthambore National Park :
The Ranthambore National Park is located at a distance of 14
km from the town of Sawai Madhopur. Though the major
attraction of the park is the Tiger, there is also a
commanding presence of other animals here. Some of these
animals include Leopards, Caracal, Jungle Cat, hyena,
Jackal, Sloth Bear, Wild Boar, Marsh Crocodile, Porcupine,
Common Langur, Spotted Deer, Indian Gazelle, Sambar (Asiatic
stag) and Nilgai (bluebull). The bird population of the park
include Bonelli's Eagle Crested Serpent, Spoonbills,
Partridge, Quail, Parakeets, Kingfishers, Owls and Storks,
Geese Ducks and Peacock.
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary :
The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is a wonderful place to enjoy
seeing the playful activities of a large number of birds as
they go about their usual routine. Located in the north
western part of the state in the area of Bharatpur, the
sanctuary houses a number of species of birds like Cranes,
Pelicans, Geese, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints,
Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks
and Pipits, etc. Walks, cycle rickshaw ride, boat trip, all
are extremely pleasurable way of discovering the residents
and the guests (migratory birds) of the park.
Fairs & Festivals of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is considerably a desert region, however, the
people of the state do not betray even a slightest sense of
drabness and monotony. Right from the dazzling colour of
their dresses to the festivals they celebrate, all are
indicative of their ebullient and spirited nature. Different
parts of the state celebrate their regional fairs &
festivals, which have now become a sort of identity for
them. The characteristic feature of all these festivals is
the zest that seems to float in the air. For the people,
these festivals are an opportunity to get away from the
dreariness of their life while earning some extra bucks as
well. For tourists, however, these festivals are a glimpse
into a colourful aspect of the Indian culture. Some of the
most important festivals of the state are the Desert
festival (Jaisalmer), Elephant Festival (Jaipur), Camel
Festival (Bikaner) and Pushkar Fair (Pushkar). Apart from
these, there are numerous other festivals that fill the
lives of the people with remarkable enthusiasm.
Camel Safari Rajasthan
For anyone visiting Rajasthan, camel safari is an
overbearing attraction. The trip seems grossly incomplete
till the time tourists mount on the back of a camel and take
a trip to the forts and sand dunes of the state. Camel
Safari is one unique way to discover the rural life of
Rajasthan. Interacting with people, singing along with the
folksingers and matching the steps of the dancers, all are
included in a camel safari expedition in Rajasthan. The
major areas where camel safari can be enjoyed are the ones
in and around Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Shekhawati.
How to Reach Rajasthan
By Air : The capital of Rajasthan (Jaipur) has a domestic
airport for those who wish to reach by air. In addition,
there are airports in various other cities of Rajasthan like
Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur.
By Rail : All the important cities of Rajasthan are well
connected with each other and other major places in the
country by train.
By Road : Rajasthan is well connected by roadways to both
within its area as well as outside. RTDC runs coaches that
take tourists to various locations in the state. It is also
possible to drive down to the state on one's own vehicle. |
