RAJASTHAN: THE TRAVELLER'S DELIGHT

Rajasthan continues to be one of the most favourite tourism destinations in the world witnessing an unprecedented growth of more than 50 percent in domestic and foreign tourist influx. With a record arrival of more than 6 lakh foreign tourists and 125 lakh domestic tourists during the year 2003, Rajasthan has been one of the most popular destinations for all. On one hand the beautiful sands of Jaisalmer saw the footprints of over 1.32 lakh domestic visitors while the City of Lakes, Udaipur enthralled more than 1.5 lakh foreign tourists with its capturing landscapes of serene waters and green hills. The charm of Mt. Abu and the sculptures of Dilwara continue to reign over the hearts of travellers with the number of arrivals being more than a lakh. The potential of Eco-tourism and wild life viewing has also grown with a constant increase in number of vacationers visiting Sariska, Bharatpur, Siliserh, Sawai Madhopur and other parts of the state. More than 6 lakh foreign and domestic visitors have relived the grandeur of impregnable forts and the stories of Rajput valour in the cities of Jodhpur, Chittorgarh, Kota and Bundi. The small city of world’s only Brahma Temple-Pushkar has witnessed a record 9.37 lakh domestic visitors and more than 31,000 visitors from abroad. Ajmer- the Khwaja’s City continues to be the second most popular tourist destination for domestic arrivals.The trends of the record arrivals reaffirm the growing popularity of Rajasthan as the most preferred tourist destination worldwide. For more details please visit our website http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in

HISTORY

The history of India dates back almost five thousand years, and Rajasthan plays a crucial and unique role, especially with regard to the development of Indian culture. Its impressive story reaches through a heroic past. Its extravagant splashes of bright hues against the desert landscape and the purity of its dry and sandy reaches, the miniature elegance of its small villages and impeccably maintained forts brings alive the story of the yore. The appearance of its grand forts perched on rocky hills still tell the story of the bravery of its men and the stoic sacrifice of its women, and the chivalrous old world manners of all.

RHYTHM AND RESONANCE

Rajasthan is culturally rich and has extensive tradition in art and culture, which reflects Indian way life. The dance, music and art forms have been watchfully cultivated and patronised by the erstwhile courts. An equally rich and varied folk culture from villages is both fascinating & mesmerising. The music is of uncomplicated innocence and songs depict day-to-day relationships and chores more often focal around bring of water. Rajasthan's cultural tapestry takes in simple folk to highly cultivated classical music and dance in its own distinct style.

The Architecture of RajasthanThe mixture and brilliance of Rajasthan's architectural heritage can amaze a visitor. Majestic forts, intricately carved temples and havelis (meaning mansion) and even step well make Rajasthan a paradise for an architecture buff. The desert state of Rajasthan is a land of irony and extremes. This vibrant and striking region is the home of the Rajput warrior clans who had ruled here for many years. Rajasthan is also home to some of India's most romantic cities. The Rajputs were prolific builders and have dotted the arid Aravali landscape with their legacy of some most imposing and magnificent forts and palaces in the world. Today the structures defy time to tell the story of gallantry, courage and tragedy of the bygone era and its story of survival in the harsh Thar Desert.

PEOPLE & RELIGION

The PeopleRajasthan according to the 2001 census has a population of 56.5 million. Rajasthan has a large indigenous populace Minas (Minawati) in Alwar, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Dholpur areas. The Meo and the Banjara are travelling tradesmen and artisans. The Gadia Lohar is the Lohar meaning ironsmith who travels on Gadia meaning bullock carts; they generally make and repair agricultural and household implements. The Bhils are one of the oldest peoples in India, inhabit the districts of Bhilwara, Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur, and Sirohi and are famous for their skill in archery. The Grasia and nomadic Kathodi live in the Mewar region. Sahariyas are found in the Kota district, and the Rabaris of the Marwar region are cattle breeders.

CUISINE

Land of Princes, as Rajasthan is called, shows off, many a fine gastronomic both within the palaces and outside. The royal kitchens of Rajasthan, the preparation of food was a very complex matter and was raised to the levels of an art form. Thus the 'Khansamas' (the royal cooks) worked in the stately palaces and kept their most enigmatic recipes to themselves. Some recipes were passed on to their descendants and the rest were passed on as skills to the chefs of semi states and the branded hotel companies.Rajasthani cooking was inclined to the war-like lifestyle of the medieval Rajasthan and the availability of ingredients of the region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetables have had their effect on cooking. In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use a minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. A distinct feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the use of mango powder, a suitable substitute for tomatoes, scarce in the desert, and asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onions.

SAFETY & SECURITY

Rajasthan is a peaceful state and its people are friendly and well meaning. This piece of an advice is meant to caution but you should not be paranoid otherwise you miss knowing about the very vibrant people and culture of Rajasthan. Like anywhere else, reasonable caution is your best weapon against theft or worse. Rajasthan is very safe and there are no civil disturbances.

* It is advised never to leave your valuables unattended in train, station platforms or airports.

* If you have to leave your belongings in a train, please pad lock them with the loops hanging from the bottom of your seats. In case of hotel room use additional locks on the cupboard in the room or if possible on the rooms door also. It is well worth if pack a couple of padlocks and a one metre long chain with loops on its ends.

* It is recommended that you keep your passport, ticket or money safely stashed in a belt pouch fastened around your waist.

* Thieves and Thugs are prevalent on routes crowded by tourist, be careful not to accept food or beverages from a friendly co-passenger. It may contain sleeping pills for possible drugging to relieve of your baggage.

* While engaging in an interesting discussions with a co-passenger, stay alert about your baggage as his accomplice might be stealing your baggage. Be generally alert of bag pickers.

* If you have hotel accommodation in mind, do not let Taxi or auto rickshaw driver mislead you, as he may only be a tout for another hotel and poor bargain.

Udaipur's massive citadel is four centuries old, it looks exactly as a palace should: immense, impressive, imposing-the very picture of majesty. Yet we hardly suffer in its shadow. Munching grapes and dates, we snuggle on exquisitely embroidered pillows by the bay windows of the Lake Palace Hotel's Sarva Ritu Suite. We feel like king and queen-appropriate because this 250-year-old palace has always served royalty. Built entirely of marble and filling every inch of Jagniwas Island, the ethereal pearl-white inn is like a cloud floating on the lake's surface. And we have been on Cloud Nine since checking into our capacious, chandelier-bedecked suite, once the sitting room of a princess.

Converted to a hotel in 1961, the Lake Palace instantly became one of the world's most famed inns. Real kings and queens flocked to this floating palace, along with Hollywood royalty like Vivian Leigh and Sean Connery. It was Roger Moore, though, who cemented the Lake Palace's place in the collective consciousness by using the heavenly hotel and its surreal setting for the fantasy island retreat in 007's Octopussy.

Such fame and opulence don't come cheaply, or easily. Despite room rates starting at $250, the plush Lake Palace is booked a year ahead for peak season. The seven historic suites, each uniquely outfited-one with a golden swing-cost $650 a night, plus tax. Turbaned boatmen ferry hotel guests to the exclusive island, as well as to other palaces dotting Lake Picola, but many visitors have been politely turned away with the sad refrain: "No reservation!"

Still, majestic Rajasthan can make such slights seem trivial. The one-of-a-kind Lake Palace sets a lofty standard, but in India's wild western state, kingly living is commonplace. Nearly every hill is lined with a stone wall leading to the local version of Camelot. The castles are only part of the allure of this historic land, named for the Rajputs, warrior clans that ruled scores of kingdoms for centuries. With a highly evolved code of chivalry and honor, they were often likened to the Knights of the Round Table. Indeed, there is more than a bit of King Arthur-style enchantment in this storybook realm of castles, swords and camels.

The desert backdrop only makes the population more mesmerizing. Women sport scarves and sarongs in every color under the sun. Men don plain white robes, but top them off with turbans in luminescent shades of yellow, red, orange and maroon. And every Rajasthan male prides himself upon possessing the state's signature facial feature: a magnificent, thick, wavy mustache.

Visits to Rajasthan usually begin in Jaipur, the state's largest city and a corner of the Golden Triangle (with New Delhi and Agra) that is India's major tourist route. Nicknamed the Pink City, Jaipur is a rose-tinted wonder, from the walls of its enormous castle to the houses that climb pell-mell up the hills.

As befits a capital, Jaipur claims a surfeit of palaces, including perhaps the single most spectacular: Rambagh, a sprawling estate that is still a royal-family residence. With its enormous polo grounds, occasionally still used for quaint, if tedious, bouts of elephant polo, Rambagh was the first Raj palace to make the conversion to tourist quarters in 1957, not long after the Rajpramukh rulers were abolished in favor of elected governors.

The palace still sets the tone, treating guests to the splendors that defined the Raj of old. There are puppet shows for children on the lush lawns, and guests can trundle the grounds in old royal carriages or marvel at architectural oddities like a dance floor on springs. The Rambagh's transformation into a hotel by flamboyant Maharaja Mansingh-a jetsetting polo player-was termed scandalous at the time. Soon a few other monuments followed suit, but it wasn't until the tourist boom of the past quarter-century that such conversions became the norm.

Part of the fun of visiting Rajasthan is seeking out its remote castles. In Pokaran, rooms in the ancient fort go for $20 a night. Rohet Garh, south of Jodhpur, is a delightful lodge ($30 to $40 a night) with intimate family photos hanging alongside swords. The havelis (manors) once owned by wealthy Shekhawati Valley merchants boast marvelous murals in their mini-palaces. Enormous suites with big poster beds can be found for $25 to $50 a night. For those with a taste for the flavor of the past, but no stomach for rustic inconveniences, there is Raj Villas, a palatial retreat outside of Jaipur. Part of the posh collection of the Oberoi boutique chain, it is set inside a mock fort topped with Moghul turrets that Lara Croft would love to swing from. The property manages to fuse modern conveniences such as hot showers and five-star dining with historic ambience. Who could resist a right royal pampering in a building fit for a king?