Rajasthan
Rajasthan – the desert state of India – the land of Rajputs `sons of Rajas’ the people famous for extraordinary chivalry, sacrifice and heroism. A land of battle scarred forts and palaces shimmering on idyllic lakes, temples of stunning artistry and sublime architecture carved from white marble or red sand stone. A land of colourful fairs and festivals, with streets painted where pageantry and colours walk out of life size frescos, pre-historic sites, historic battlefields and ravaged cities, where camels plod.
The Thar desert with its rolling sand dunes and blinding blaze of summer heat, logically one expects to be driest and vegetably most barren state of the country, devoid of great forests or mighty rivers, to be noticeably poor in its wild flora and fauna – the reverse is proved true by Rajasthan having two tiger reserves (under Project Tiger – Asia’s most successful conservation story) and the most famous water-bird sanctuary in Asia. This rocky and rugged arid land divided into two by the world’s oldest hill range Arravali – with its unique and scanty vegetation hosts variety of the desert animal life – tiger, panther, hyena, chowsingha, neelgai, sloth bear, sambhar, desert cat, chital, chinkara, black buck, water fowl, jungle fowl and many species of migratory birds too.
Rajputana – as Rajasthan was known, with its ancestry dating beyond B.C. – once inhabited by the local Bhil and Meena tribes and Gujjars – is the most colourful state of India – producing crowds of men with brightly coloured turbans and proud moustaches, women in their traditionally colourful and embroidered skirts with mirror work done, wearing silver ornaments and bangles. Soul stirring folk dance – Ghoomar and the folk music Maand – make the golden sands come alive and live vibrates to the sound of music and sways in the profusion of colours – and unforgettably emotional and overwhelmingly sensory experience. Nomadic tribes and traditional entertainers – minstrels, jugglers, puppeteers and performers come together at the colourful fairs seeking livelihood and to preserve artistic and cultural traditions in their folklore and handicrafts.