Rajasthan Travel Guide

Rajasthan is the state of northwestern India. Rajasthan’s capital city is Jaipur, situated in the east-central part of the state. Along with Jaipur, there are other vibrant cities: Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Ajmer. The word Rajasthan means “The Abode of Rajas.” The state was previously called Rajputana, which means “The Country of the Rajputs” (sons of rajas or princes). 

The history of human settlement in India is old, almost like any other part of India. There is archeological evidence that 100,000 years ago early humans lived on the banks of the Banas River. With its geographical location, Rajasthan attracted the interest of many republics such as Arjunyas, Kushans, Malavas, Saka Satraps and Yaudheyas.

As for its people, Rajasthan’s population consists of various social, religious, and occupational backgrounds. The Rajputs (clans of landowning rulers and their descendants) are the most notable category of the population, although they are a small percentage of the residents. Rajasthan’s population is dense compared to other states in India; three-fourths of its population live in rural settlements.

Rajasthan state's climate varies from extremely arid to humid. The southeast and the south areas fall under the humid zone. However, in the hills, the heat is intense everywhere during summer. June is the warmest month when it comes to temperature. Furthermore, daily maximum temperatures vary between upper 60s to mid-70s F, whereas minimum temperatures are in the mid-40s F in winter, especially in January- the coolest of months. Although the western desert of Rajasthan has little rain, there are some areas in the south-east that may receive some heavy rain. As recommended, the best time to visit Rajasthan is during the period between November and February.

Rajasthan’s culture is very rich. The state has a rich tradition of oral narrative and written literature. Rajasthan’s most famous song is called “Kurja.” It narrates the story of a woman who hopes to send a message to her absent husband through a Kurja (a type of bird); the bird is promised a priceless reward for this. Rajasthan has a typical dance called “Ghoomar.” This dance is performed on festivals by women only. There is also a dance called “Kacchi Ghori,” performed by male dancers who ride dummy horses. Additionally, there are other famous dances such as “Geer,” performed by men and women, and a dance called “Panihari,” which is a graceful dance for women.

Rajasthan have a plenty of objects concerning antiques. In the southeastern district of Jhalawar, Early Buddhist rock inscriptions and carvings are found in caves. Moreover, Ajmer contains a number of mosques and Muslim tombs; one of them dates back to the 12^th century. Throughout the state, there are decorated splendid princely palaces, most notably is the the palace of Udaipur.

Rajasthan’s culture life is noted for a plenty of religious festivals. For instance, the Ganguar festival, in which women worship clay images of Mahadevi and Paraveti for 15 days and are then taken out to be immersed in water. In addition, there is a festival held at Pushkar near Ajmer which is considered as a mixed religious festival. The tomb of the Sufi mystic Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer is one of the most-sacred Muslim shrines in India.