Travel India: 10 Things to Know about Rajasthan

Image Courtesy: Pablo Nicolás Taibi Cicare

 The word Rajasthan in India is associated not just with the popular state but also with abstract emotions of happiness, a serene landscape filled with color, and culture. With desert land stretching across a majority of the state, the state of Rajasthan remains one of the most preferred tourist destinations in India. Here are ten things you need to know about Rajasthan.

1. Land of color

It is a well-known fact that Rajasthan is a land of color. Even the cities are given names that depict the same, as the capital, Jaipur famously referred to as the Pink City, Udaipur as India’s White city, Jaisalmer as India’s Golden city, and Jodhpur as India’s Blue city!

INFORMATION

• Jaipur is the largest city of Rajasthan hosting the infamous Hawa Mahal
• Yellow sandstone architecture marks Jaisalmer as the Golden city

2. Not all sand

Even though a major portion of the land of the state of Rajasthan is covered in sand like the Thar Desert near Jaisalmer, there is no lack of greenery in the state. Most of the cities have profound greenery that contributes to India’s biodiversity.

INFORMATION

• Rajasthan is host to one of India’s famous parks, Gulab Bagh in Udaipur
• The government of India had recently launched a new green energy program for Rajasthan

3. Myriad of grains

The state of Rajasthan contributes heavily to India’s production of grains, playing a major role in import and export. The outskirts of the state has numerous fields lined up one-by-one cultivating crops like Bajra, Maize, Jowar, Pulses, Groundnuts, and other oil seeds.

INFORMATION

• Rajasthan is home to one of the most renowned Agricultural research institutes, ICRISAT
• Rajasthan is the leading producer of Bajra in India

4. Serene and bucolic landscape

 

Rajasthan’s primarily known for non-urban lifestyle has a great bucolic landscape that resembles a painter’s canvas especially in seasons like the monsoon when the contrast between the sky above and the land below paint a beautiful picture.

INFORMATION

• The Aravalli Range is located on a plateau and is surrounded by forest all around
• Mount Abu is a beautiful hill station in Rajasthan state located near the Gujarat border

5. The pop-culture references

The people of Rajasthan do not have the word ‘shy’ in their dictionary. They are outgoing and can easily adapt to situations and conditions, even make new friends. They are quite open, which is reflected in their trucks that openly endorses sultry images of female Bollywood actors.

INFORMATION

• As of 2016, Rajasthan’s population is 74.79 million
• The female to male ration in Rajasthan is 926:1000

6. Love for the golden age

A trip to Rajasthan will make you relive all the classics in Bollywood. Songs written by renowned writers, sung by legendary singers, performed by wonderful actors are all a part of Rajasthan’s present culture. This is evident in the songs played by on the radio, by taxi drivers, truck drivers, and even the restaurants in Rajasthan.

INFORMATION

• Asrani, one of the most famous classic comedians in India hails from Rajasthan
• Rishi Kapoor, one of the greatest classical actors hails from Rajasthan

7. Hospitality

People in Rajasthan are known for their friendly nature and the hospitality they offer to tourists. They welcome you to their place with respect and do not let you leave without a hearty meal. Even strangers are offered a glass of water.

INFORMATION

• Rajasthan is the current leader of the Hospitality Industry in India
• Udaipur is known for its hotels and resorts

8. Values and ethics

The values of people from Rajasthan are reflected in their culture as well as in their nature. They are strict followers of religion with their culture heavily influenced by religion. The attire they wear, with women covering their face with a veil and the men wearing a turban on their head are all hallmarks of Rajasthani culture.

INFORMATION

• Ghaghra, Choli or Kurti are worn by Rajasthani women
• Pagiri, Pyjama or Dhoti are worn by Rajasthani men

9. Sites of attraction

The history associated with Rajasthan is immense and deep-rooted. Palaces that were home to the kingship of Rajasthan are now sites of attraction for tourists like the Jal mahal in Jaipur, surrounding lakes like the Rajsamand Lake in Udaipur, Pushkar Lake in Ajmer, and the Chambal River near Kota.

INFORMATION

• Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber lived in Jal Mahal
• Pratap Singh was the architect behind Hawa Mahal

10. Pushkar mela

Hosting one of the biggest fairs in India with attendance in lakhs, the Pushkar Mela in the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan is a five-day fair wherein there are shows, plays, stalls, and other entertainment facilities offered from people around the world.

INFORMATION

• Pushkar mela was originally a livestock and camel fair
• It is still the largest Camel fair in the world

Rajasthan is a land of mystery that is waiting to be uncovered. Are you next in line to discover such facts about Rajasthan?

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