Hotels in Rajasthan

Destinations in Rajasthan

Culture of Rajasthan
With exceptionally good architecture, Rajasthan dance and song, delectable cuisine, vibrant fairs and festivals, your Rajasthan cultural tour allows you to get an insight of this land of valor and gallantry. This desert jewel of the country is blessed with rich and colorful cultural heritage. From folk music to handicrafts and from festivals to paintings, the culture of Rajasthan speaks high of vibrancy and richness.

Music and Dance of Rajasthan
A tour with About Rajasthan offers an opportunity to learn more about the folk dance and music of Rajasthan. The folk dance and song of Rajasthan represent an important part of the cultural heritage of the state. Gair Ghoomar, Gauri, Raika and Jhoria are few folk dances of the state. Ghoomar dance is particularly performed by women and Gair is only performed by men on the occasion of Holi. Matka-bhawai, Kachhi Ghodi, Kalbeila and terah taali are other dance performances.

Fairs and Festivals
Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan bring life to the barren land. All fairs and festivals of Rajasthan are an important part of the culture and fill the colors in air. The people of Rajasthan celebrate every festival with great joy and enthusiasm. These festivals give a peek into the lifestyle of people. Be it teej or diwali, every festival has its own importance. Camel race and horse race are other traditional and local festivals that attract travelers.

Art and Craft of Rajasthan
Rajasthan boasts of its splendid art and craft. Paintings, pottery, woodcarving, jewellery making and fabric weaving have their own places in the growing tourism industry. Many travelers from the corners of the country are charmed by the handicraft of Rajasthan.

History of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the abode of Maharajas and has rich cultural heritage. It is the largest state of the country. With uncountable forts, palaces and monuments, the history of Rajasthan attracts several history buffs.

Rajasthan was formerly known as Rajputana as it was ruled over by Rajputs. Rajput refers to 'son of rulers'. They emerged in the beginning of 8th century and established their kingdom. Around 1200 AD, Muslim invaders entered in Rajasthan. A number of states fall into the hands of Mughal rulers. Mewar was the most powerful and impressive state of Rajasthan at the offset of 13th century. Never before the reign of Akbar, Rajasthan was united as one political unit. Mughal Empire started declining after 1707.

In 1755, Marathas conquered Ajmer and marked their entry into Rajasthan. In 1817-18, Rajasthan witnessed the rule of the British with the conclusion of alliance treaties with the British government. After independence, Rajputana (now Rajasthan) consisted of 18 princely states, 2 chieftains and the province of Ajmer-Merwara. After the integration of all the princely states, Rajputana came to be known as Rajasthan in the year 1956.

There are myriad forts and havelis that tell the history of Rajasthan. The architectural splendor of yesteryear is still visible within the walls of these palaces, forts and havelis. Endowed with exceptional architecture and intricate carvings, these palatial manors remind of grandeur and elegance of bygone era.

----- Places to visit -----

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur
This 29 sq km bird sanctuary has the largest concentration and variety of water birdlife in Asia, including nesting indigenous water birds as well as migratory water birds and water side birds. From October till December the indigenous water birds nest in the acacia trees around the lake. However, the sanctuary has gained worldwide attention as being the winter home of several migratory species including the endangered Siberian crane.

Ranthambore National Park
Rajasthan's first Project Tiger reserve is named after a 1000 year old fort which stands in the park. Its' habitat is home to the stately sambar, the largest of all Asiatic deer. Tigers, cital, and wild boar are also found here. Woodland, ground and water-birds, including the uncommon red jungle fowl and varieties of eagles, abound.

Sariska National Park
The second tiger reserve of Rajasthan is a royal hunting lodge that has been converted into a hotel. The 27,300 hectares of dense dry deciduous forests, make it an ideal habitat for the tiger, leopard, panther, deer, porcupine, chowsingha, rhesus and langur.

Gajner
Gajner Lake is surrounded by palaces. Drive through the famous Gajner Wild Life Game Sanctuary where you can see and photograph black buck, chinkara, wild boar, blue bulls and other animals in large herds. It is a unique place for watching and photographing the famous Siberian Imperial Sand Grouse in the mornings, in the winter months, when they come to the lake for drinking water.

Bundi
This city rises from a narrow gorge in rows of terraced gardens and arched Rajput houses. Visit the palace with its intricate spy- holes, secret trap doors and under ground passages. Check out the ingenious water supply system.

Chittoragarh
113 kms. from Udaipur, the Fort of Chittor was originally built by mighty Bhim, one of the Pandava heroes of Mahabharata. The Vijay Stambh, 37 metres high and having nine storeys, was built by Maharana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over the muslim rulers of Malwa and Gujarat in 1440. Kirti Stambh, the Tower of Fame, 22 meters high is covered with figures from the Jain Pantheon.

Deeg
32 kms from Bharatpur, Deeg is an 18th century stronghold, whose massive fortifications are surrounded by luxuriant gardens, woods and pools. It is known for its palaces which have richly carved columns, cornices and eaves..

Mandore
Mandore, the ancient capital of Marwar (8 kms from Jodhpur), was abandoned for strategic reasons. At the foot of the hills, amidst gardens, commemorative cenotaphs line the silent city. A shrine reputedly of 300 million Gods, contains life size statues of local deities and heroes.

Osian
This former temple city has an 8th century Surya (Sun) temple with carved pillars which support a conical roof. The temple also has an image of Goddess Durga. The 12th century Sachiya Mata temple has a large assembly hall with an elaborately carved ceiling and exquisitely sculptured figures of several Gods. The Mahavir Jain temple stands on a wide terrace with a three-tiered roof and a `torana' gateway.

Mandawa
Mandawa was founded in 1755 by Thakur Nawal Singh and is still home to his descendants. It houses a collection of armories, costumes, canons, ancient coins, and many other interesting items. Mandawa fort, one of the finest in Rajasthan, is now a charming hotel. Mandawa also has beautiful frescoes, havelis and mansions.

Ramgarh
32 kms to the north-east of Jaipur, Ramgarh is a favorite picnic spot for the locals during the monsoons, when the huge artificial lake fills up. The ruins of the old fort and the temple of Jambwa Mata bear testimony to the first settlement of the Kachhawahas before they moved to Amer.

Ranakpur
98 kms from Udaipur are 15th-century Jain Temples situated in the lovely valley of the Aravali. Ranakpur has grand structures and beautiful sculptures. There are 1444 pillars in the temple and none of them are similar. The Surya Temple is another attraction.

Samode
40 kms north-west of Jaipur, the old palace of Samode is now a luxurious hotel surrounded by hills. It has a most exotic hall embellished with paintings and mirror work.

Pushkar
This sleepy temple town (it has one of the very few temples dedicated to Brahma the Creator), with its placid lake, is catapulted into prominence for 10 days every November, when it becomes home to India's most splendid camel fair.

Shekhawati
In the north of Rajasthan, Shekhavati is approachable by road from Jaipur. The greatest attraction here are the havelis (deserted mansions) of local merchants decorated with a profusion of wall paintings. The subjects and styles vary greatly, and are not encountered elsewhere in India.

Barmer
Journey through the sun-drenched sands of rural Rajasthan. Stop and see the mud-walled houses decorated with delicate folk motifs. Barmer, once on ancient camel trade routes, is today a centre of wood carving, carpets, embroidery and block printed fabrics.

----- How to Reach Rajasthan -----

With glittering palaces, rich culture and heritage, majestic forts, colorful fairs and festivals, and vibrant life style, Rajasthan is one of the finest tourist destinations of India. This desert jewel of the country is well connected by air, road and rail. Its accessibility factor makes it more popular with travelers. We, at About Rajasthan, offer opportunity to make advance bookings to reach Rajasthan. For international travelers, Delhi is an important entryway.

By Air
The capital city of Rajasthan, Jaipur, is an important gateway to Rajaathan. Jaipur Airport is well connected with major part of the country such as Delhi, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Udaipur and other major cities of India. Besides Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur are other major airports in Rajasthan. Airlines like The Indian Airlines, Sahara and Air India, etc. connects Rajasthan with other part of the country. Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Kota and Sanganer (Jaipur) are other airports that are serviced by several flights to and from major cities or town of India.

By Rail
Reaching Rajasthan by rail is an amazing experience to cherish throughout a life. With the advancement of technology, Traveling by rail to Rajasthan is no longer a tiresome and slow process. The Palace on Wheels is the royal train of Rajasthan that assures to make your journey to Rajasthan into a royal journey. The Palace on Wheels from Delhi covers Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota, Bikaner, Alwar, Bundi, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, Chittorgarh, Jaisalmer and Agra. Get pampered with royal facilities and hospitality while traveling Rajasthan.

By Road
Traveling by road to Rajasthan showcases the ever-changing colors of Rajasthan. You may travel by rented car with an advantage of stopping in the middle to experience camel or horse safari. A number of private buses operate in Rajasthan. Rajasthan Roadways and private buses operate to and from Rajasthan to offer comfortable journey.