Rajasthan - The Princely state of India

Rajasthan - The Princely state of India

          Rajasthan is a state located in the northwest of India. Rajasthan is also known as the land of Rajputs. It has strong roots and connections with the royal history of India. The moment you step into this land, you'll feel the history still imbibed in the atmosphere.

  

          Rajasthan covers a total area of 342,239 sq.km, with the population of 74,692,571(as per 2016 census). Languages spoken here are Hindi, Rajasthani(Marwari) and Punjabi. Mainly Hinduism is followed in Rajasthan with other religions like Islam, Sikhism, and Jainism.   

           People here have a royal lifestyle, highly influenced by the ancient history. Most of the people speak Hindi and Rajasthani and sometimes broken English. They speak mainly Rajasthani but, they can understand Hindi and sometimes English too. The trained tourist guides and educated ones can speak English. Rajasthani language resembles Hindi to some extent and people use Sanskrit words also while communicating. 

   

          Traditionally, Rajasthani men wear turbans, which is the most traditional part of the male dressing. The turban is commonly known as Pagri. The Angarakha made of cotton textile and Dhoti or Pajama is worn by the men. Women wear the traditional suit which consists of a top, a Ghaghra, and a Dupatta.

Must visit places in Rajasthan

          Rajasthan has artistic traditions which can be seen in the massive sculptures and historic places of Rajasthan. It has lots of Tourist attractions and good tourist facilities.

1)Jaipur: Jaipur is the capital and also the largest city of the princely state of Rajasthan. It is also known as Pink city. It is famous for its heritage, massive and artistic forts, shopping and cuisine. Major attractions of Jaipur are the City Palace, The Amerfort, and Pink city bazaars.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

2)Udaipur: Udaipur is termed as Venice of the east, Commonly known as the city of Lakes. It is famous for its heritage, Beautiful Lakes, and the Weddings. Major attractions for tourists in Udaipur are Lake Pichola and Lake Palace.

Lake Palace, Udaipur

3)Jodhpur: Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan, widely known as Blue city. Jodhpur is also called as Sun city as it enjoys bright sunny weather all year round. It is famous for many palaces, fort, and temples which are set in the perfect landscape of Thar Desert.

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur

4)Sawai Madhopur: It is the city and Municipal Corporation(Nagar Parishad) in the Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan. It is famous for Trinetra Ganesh temple and Guavas, known as "Madhopur guavas". Just the two attractions have made Sawai Madhopur a must visit place which are The Ranthambore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site and The Ranthambore National park famous for the tigers and wildlife.

Ranthambore Fort, Sawai Madhopur

5)Chittorgarh: Chittorgarh is an ancient city known for its history, heritage, and The forts. The most famous and the most beautiful places to visit here are The Chittorgarh Fort and The Rani Padmini Palace. Chittorgarh has many such beautiful forts and has a marvelous history too.

Chittorgarh Fort, Chittorgarh

6)Mount Abu: It has a pride of being the only hill station in Rajasthan which makes it a must visit place. It is famous for the hill station, Serene Nature and Jain temples. The major attractions are the Dilwara Jain temple and Nakki Lake.

Sunset Point, Mount Abu

Amazing and unique festivals of Rajasthan 

          The dazzling festivals and fairs in Rajasthan offer a chance for travelers to get a glimpse of the art, culture, and history of the state.

1)Rajasthan International Folk Festival, Jodhpur: It is celebrated at Mehrangarh Fort on Sharad Purnima(Brightest full moon night of the year). It promotes the traditional folk music and arts. More than 200 musicians from around the globe attend this festival.

Rajasthan International Folk Festival

2)Desert Festival, Jaisalmer: This festival is celebrated for three days in the month of February. Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation provides lightings everywhere and the environment gets filled with dance and music. Artists wear bright colored dresses and take part in various activities like Camel races, Gymnastic stunts and unique competition like Mr.Desert, Longest Moustache, etc. are part of this festival.

Desert Festival, Jaisalmer

3)Pushkar Fair, Pushkar: Pushkar Fair is supreme in all desert festivals. It is celebrated at Pushkar Lake. It is the cultural bonanza of art, music, dance, puppet shows, and also livestock fair for the buying and selling of camels.

Pushkar Fair, Pushkar

4)Summer and Winter Festivals, Mt. Abu: This festival celebrates the culture of the people belonging to the only hill station in Rajasthan. Both the festivals are celebrated for three days in May and December respectively. There are competitions of folk dance and music and dazzling fireworks are shown to celebrate the spirit of the town.

Summer and Winter festivals, Mt. Abu

5)Camel festival, Bikaner: This festival is celebrated for two days in the month of January. Various Camel games and Camel races are performed. Rajasthani folk dances are also performed. All these are organized to honor the ship of desserts(Camel). This festival concludes with a breathtaking display of fireworks which illuminates the majestic skies of Bikaner.

Camel festival, Bikaner

6)Urs Festival, Ajmer: This festival is celebrated for 6 days in May and June at Sharif Dargah. Urs festival pays tribute to the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Followers from all over the world come to seek his blessings during these 6 days.

Urs Festival, Ajmer

7)Elephant Festival, Jaipur: This festival is celebrated to highlight the importance of Elephants in Rajasthan. Elephants are decorated very beautifully and many elephant activities like Elephant Polo, Elephant race, and Elephant Dance are performed.

Elephant Festival, Jaipur

Dance and Music

          A distinct style of classical music and dance is part of the cultural tradition of Rajasthan. The music is simple and songs represent day-to-day relationships and chores.

          

          The Ghoomar dance of Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have got the International recognition. The Bhopa, Kathputli(Puppets), Teratali, Kachchi Ghori, Parth dance are some of the beautiful and skillful dance forms of Rajasthan.

          Folk songs are commonly ballads which relate love stories and historic deeds are sung. Religious or Devotional Bhajans and Banis are also sung.

Delectable Foods of Rajasthan

          Rajasthani food is influenced by the scarcity of vegetable and water in this arid region. The lifestyle of local warriors gave rise to a wide range of innovative dishes and ingredients that can last for several days. Each region of Rajasthan has its own trademark dish. The most famous dishes are included in the following.

1)Dal Bati Churma: This is the classic signature dish of the state. Baati is hard, unleavened bread cooked in the deserted areas of Rajasthan. It is always eaten with Dal(lentil curry). Churma is a coarse ground mixture which is crushed and cooked in ghee and sugar or jaggery.

2)Panchkuta: This is a typical and classic curry made up of five ingredients which are found widely in the Thar desert. For a long time in the past, the travelers in the desert relied largely on the Panchkuta during long rides on carts and camels. The 5 ingredients are Sangri, Ker, Dry red chilies, Kumat(seeds from pod of a deciduous tree) and Gunda(wild berry).

3)Bajre ki roti: Bajra is black millet flour and is enjoyed all over the state. In villages, thickly rolled bajra rotis are cooked over cow dung cakes that gives smoked flavor to the rotis. Bajra roti can accompany any vegetable in the Rajasthani menu.

4)Ker Sangri: It is one of the most popular Rajasthani dishes. Ker is a wild berry that is tangy and peppery. While Sangri is a type of bean grown abundantly in the desert regions of Jaisalmer and Barmer. Sangri is the mainstay during the drought.

How to reach

          Various Transport Facilities are available.

i)Roadways: Road travel is the best way to reach here as it connects all the major cities and it is also a pleasant way to enjoy the beauty of Rajasthan.  

ii)Train: Trains are available from any major cities in India to reach here. Some special trains like The Maharaja Express and Palace On Wheels are specially made for the travelers.

iii)Plane: Cities of Rajasthan like Jaipur Jodhpur and Udaipur have direct airport links to major cities in India.

          Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, for both the Domestic and International tourists. Rajasthan has a glorious history which resembles one or the other fairy tale. Every foreign tourist visiting India also travels to Rajasthan as it is the part of Golden Triangle for tourists visiting India.

          If you are planning to travel with your family and friends to an interesting and beautiful place that you have never explored and wish to not just learn but to feel the history and unique culture, then Rajasthan is the best option for you to visit. I am a Rajasthani and I love Rajasthan and the tradition, culture, and beauty of Rajasthan.

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