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            RAJASTHAN TRAVEL GUIDE

       AJMER       BIKANER    JAIPUR     JAISELMER     JODHPUR      MOUNT ABU
                                PUSHKAR       UDAIPUR

Rajasthan  is the largest state 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.

he state capital is Jaipur. Geographical features include the Thar Desert along north-
western Rajasthan and the termination of the Ghaggar River near the archeological
ruins at Kalibanga, which are the oldest in the subcontinent discovered so far.

One of the world's oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, cradles the only hill
station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu, and its world-famous Dilwara Temples, a sacred
pilgrimage for Jains. Eastern Rajasthan has two national tiger reserves,
Ranthambore and Sariska, as well as Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur,
famous for its bird life.

Historical traditions are that Rajputs, Nath, Jats, Bhils, Ahirs, Gujars, Meenas and
some other tribes made a great contribution in building the state of Rajasthan. All
these tribes suffered great difficulties to protect their culture and the land. Millions of
them were martyred for this land. ‘The Hinduan Suraj’ title to Udaipur was due to
Bhils. Jats had been fighting since beginning. Gujars had been exterminated in
Bhinmal and Ajmer areas fighting with the invaders. Bhils once ruled Kota and
Bundi. Gujars were sardars in Alwar, Jodhpur and Ajmer areas.  Meenas were ruler
of Dhundhar. The earlier contributions of warriors and protectors of the land Jats,
Bhils, Gujars and Meenas were neglected and lost in history.

Rajasthan includes most of Rajputana, comprised of a number of Rajput kingdoms
as well as Jat kingdoms and a Muslim kingdom. The Jats were rulers in Bharatpur
and Dholpur. Tonk was ruled by a Muslim Nawab. Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, and
Jaipur were some of the main Rajput states. Rajput families rose to prominence in
the 6th century CE. The Rajputs resisted the Muslim incursions into India, although a
number of Rajput kingdoms eventually became subservient to the Delhi Sultanate
and the Mughal Empire during those empires' peak of expansion.

Mewar led others in resistance to Muslim rule: Rana Sanga fought the Battle of
Khanua against Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire; and Maharana Pratap
Singh resisted Akbar in Haldighati. Other rulers like Raja Maan Singh of Amber were
trusted allies. As the Mughal empire weakened, the Rajputs reasserted their
independence. With the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Rajputana
came under attack from the Marathas and Pindaris, and the Maratha general Scindia
captured Ajmer. The Rajput kings concluded treaties with the British in the early 19th
century, accepting British sovereignty in return for local autonomy. Following the
Mughal tradition as well as its strategic location Ajmer became a province of British
India, while the autonomous Rajput states, the Muslim state [Tonk]), and the Jat
states (Bharatpur and Dholpur) were organized into the Rajputana Agency.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Time zone         IST (UTC+5:30)
Area                   342,236 km² (132,138 sq mi)
Capital              Jaipur
Largest city      Jaipur
District(s)          32
Population        56,473,122 (8th)
Density              165/km² (427/sq mi)
Language(s)    Hindi, Rajasthani, Gujarati is also spoken