Rajasthan India

Rajasthan is a vibrant, exotic state where tradition and royal glory meet in a riot of colors against the vast backdrop of sand and desert. It has an unusual diversity in its entire forms - people, customs, culture, costumes, music, manners, dialects, cuisine and physiography. The land is endowed with invincible forts, magnificent palace havelis, rich culture and heritage, beauty and natural resources. It is a land rich in music, Dance, Art & Craft and Adventure, a land that never ceases to intrigue & enchant. It is one of the 26 states that, along with seven union territories, form the republic of India. So rich is the history of the land that every roadside village has its own tales of valour and sacrifice, the winds sing them and the sands shift to spread them. Rajasthan is spicy, but then, what is life after all without little bit of spice, Rajasthan provides abundant scope to explore it.

The panoramic outlook of the state is simply mesmerizing, with lofty hills of Aravali's - one of the oldest mountain ranges of the world and the golden sand dunes of the Great Indian Desert - the only desert of the sub-continent. No other region in the country is a conglomeration of so many paradoxes. It is a land of superlatives, everything over here is breathtakingly beautiful, impressive and fascinating!

Location
Rajasthan is located in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. It is bounded on the west and northwest by Pakistan, on the north and northeast by the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, on the east and southeast by the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and on the southwest by the state of Gujarat. The Tropic of Cancer passes through its southern tip in the Banswara district. The state has an area of 132,140 square miles (342,239 square kilometers). The capital city is Jaipur.

History
History of Rajasthan is marked by story of bloodshed, heroism and scarifies as the erstwhile Rajputana kings were perpetually locked in armed conflict with their neighbors. Many of these legends have come to us in the form of ballads sung by folk singers or in the accounts of bards and court poets. Many more find mention in history. The Rajputs rose to prominence in the 9th and 10th centuries, and were a major force to reckon with in medieval India.

There are many heroes among the Rajputs, such as Prithviraj Chauhan, who fought successfully against the invader Muhammad Ghori in the battle of Tarain (1191). Or the great Rana Pratap of Mewar, who defiantly withstood the might of the Mughals, and continued to make raids on them even after his defeat. At present there are 32 districts (including the new district of Karauli), 105 sub-divisions, 241 tehsils, 37889 inhabited villages and 222 towns in the State.

Culture
In Rajasthan, the spectacular is commonplace. Many civilizations forged by waves of settlers ranging from ancient Indus Valley urbanites to pastoral Aryan herdsmen, Bhil forest dwellers, Jain merchant princes, Jat and Gujjar cultivators, Muslim craftsmen, and the Rajput warrior aristocracy have all shaped this region called the land of kings. Colorful costumes, festivals, and customs relieve the tedium of coping with a harsh, demanding land. People come here to savor its splendors, and imbibe its enviable heritage. Discover it all in the fairs and festivals like Pushkar and Desert Festival, dances like Kalbelia, Rajasthani cuisine, and crafts of Rajasthan.