The land of sand – The land which rises in the sand dunes with ray of sun reflecting on them is RAJASTHAN. The place Rajasthan is the state whose corners are the embodiment of Indian history, culture, traditions. It is in itself the pillar of authenticity. Rajasthan displays both- the huge and splendid Desert, as well as the oldest mountain ranges, called the ARAVALLIES. This state reveals the numerous hues of the country India in all its form. This is a northwestern state of the country covering almost 10.4% of the total Indian area in landmass. The largest state of the country in terms of the area. While seventh largest in terms of the population. it is sharing its border with Pakistan in the north and Sindh in the west.
How to reach Rajasthan?
India’s largest state Rajasthan, is well connected with other parts of the country in all means of communication.
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By AIR:
The easiest way to travel Rajasthan without spending much time in traveling. We have to board a flight and reach Jaipur International Airport. This is the main airport of the state. Apart from Jaipur, two other airports are there – one in Udaipur and one in Jodhpur. From the Jaipur airport, one have to take a car to reach Rajasthan which is 203.4 km. It takes 4hours and 8 minutes to reach.
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By Railways:
Rajasthan connects to railway stations like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and Ajmer. The busiest of them all is the Jaipur railway station but the other three are also equally popular. Trains to avail can be many. To experience the essence of kings and prince one should avail trains like ‘Palace on Wheels’, ‘Heritage on Wheels’. These trains take almost seven to eight days to reach and will give you a royal experience while continuing the journey. These trains cross important places like Hawa Mahal, Ranthambore National Park, The Hill Fort Palace, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Taj Mahal, Jantar Mantar. Other trains available are Maharajas’ Express, Royal Rajasthan on wheels, The Indian Maharaja- Deccan Odyssey.
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By Road:
Twenty national highways bear a well-connected network with Rajasthan. The best connected is the NH-8 which connects cities like Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Vadodara. You can avail bus services which is taken care by RSRTC to travel to different parts of Rajasthan.
Temperature and Weather of Rajasthan:
Rajasthan being the North-Western state experiences a variety of climatic changes. It depends on the topography. In the western section of the state, we experience the dry climate while in the southwestern part we experience rainfall.
Summer: This time of the year the state experience the most terrified weather. It is the hottest season which extends from April- June. The temperature in this season ranges from 32° C to 46° C. The Average temperature is 38°C with hot winds blowing in the day time.
Monsoon: This season continues from June – September with a temperature range from 35°C to 40°C along with this it even experience 90% rainfall. This continues from 6-42 days depending on the areas. It collects 200-400mm average rainfall.
Winter: A post monsoon time which is from October- November is experienced in this state with an average temperature from 33°C to 38°C. Winter is between December to March. This time of the year the state witness a drastic fall in temperature ranging from 4°C to 22°C. At Mt. Abu in winter temperature falls at 0°C also.
The most suitable time to visit Rajasthan is from October to March as this time we can have a favorable temperature to roam around.
Desert of Rajasthan:
The Thar Desert popularly known as The Great Indian Desert is a largely arid area in the state of Rajasthan. It covers an area of 200,000km² forming a natural boundary and separating Pakistan and India and the world’s 17th largest desert. It is in the state of Rajasthan but extends to Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana in India to the Sindh province of Pakistan.
Culture of Rajasthan:
Rajasthan is popularly called Rajputana the land of Rajputs. It has many Nuha artistic cultures that reflect the ancient forms of Indian life. Dances and Music of Rajasthan are of great importance. Ghoomar and Kalbeliuya have got international acclaim while folk music like Kathputali, Bhopa, Teratali are of equal importance.
Rajasthan is a consist of all major religions followed in India. Many festivals are followed in Rajasthan with bright colors and attractions like Deepawali, Teej, Gangaur, Holi, Gogaji, Makar Sankranti, Janmasthami, and many more.
Food and Cuisine of Rajasthan:
Rajasthani cuisine is a combination of the lifestyles of the people of Rajasthan. The warlike lifestyle, scarcity of water, and rich culture are the reason for such cuisine. They used to make foods that last for long. Bikaneri Bhujia, Mirchi Bada, and authentic vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian dishes reflect the Marwari and Jain religious sect while the non-vegetarian reflect the Rajput sect.
Places to Stay in Rajasthan
Being such a huge state Rajasthan has great accommodation availability. People can easily get a range of hotels with a variety of rooms to experience the royal tour. Not only 5-star hotels but also several homestays and resorts are also available. Hotel price ranges vary from cities to cities depending on their cultural importance.
Places to visit in Rajasthan:
- Jaipur: The capital city of Rajasthan which is also called The Pink City. This is the city which has a good combination of old and new culture. This place has a golden history of Rajputs ruling and cravings and sculptures of the past. Places to visit here are Amer Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Nahagarh Fort, Chokhni dhani and many more such places. Best time to visit is from October- March.
- Udaipur: It is also called the city of lakes. It is the crown of the state Rajasthan and has Aravalli in all the sides. This proves to be ‘the Venice of the East’ and located in a valley surrounded by four lakes. Lake Pichola is enough to prove why Udaipur is the crown. Places to visit here are Lake Pichola, City Palace, Udaipur, Fateh Sagar Lake, Sajjangarh Palace, Eklingji Temple, Vintage Car Museum, Jaisamand Lake
- Jaisalmer: It is one of the major cities of Rajasthan which attracts the tourist’s attention. It called the golden city. It is famous for the forts and temples of this place. The famous places to visit Jaisalmer are Jaisalmer Fort, Desert Safari in Jaisalmer, Kuldhara Village, Jain Temple in Jaisalmer, Gadisar Lake, Desert National Park and many more.
- Mount Abu: This is the only hill station in Rajasthan. Its soothing cool atmosphere and lush green scenic view make it one of the desired tourist spot for people. The places to visit in Mount Abu are Dilwara Temple, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Nakki Lake, Guru Shikhar, Achalgarh village and many more.
- Jodhpur: It is also called ‘The Blue City’ or ‘Gateway of the Thar’. The Mehrangar Fort and the blue houses are the major attractions of this place. The famous places to visit in this place are Mehrangar Fort, Jaswant Thada, Mandore Garden, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Ghanta Ghar and many more.
- Many such places are there in whole Rajasthan which attracts the attention of the tourist and make Rajasthan the most attractive tourist visit in the whole country. Places like Ajmer, Ranthambore, Bikaner, Pushkar, Bahratpur, Chittorgarh, Alwar, Shekhawati and many more.
To end with I can state that Rajasthan is not only a state but a rich treasure of Indian lifestyles of Kings. The historical images give us a sense of od pride. I am mesmerized by the beauty of the state and hope all will be equally enthralled by the rich background of this state.