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The State has an area of 343,000 sq km. The capital city is Jaipur. The Aravalli Range runs across the state from southwest Guru Peak (Mount Abu), which is 1,722 m in height to Khetri in the northeast. This divides the state into 60% in the North West of the lines and 40% in the southeast. The northwest tract is sandy and unproductive with little water but improves gradually from desert land in the far west and northwest to comparatively fertile and habitable land towards the east. The area includes the Great Indian (Thar) Desert.
The south-eastern area, higher in elevation (100 to 350 m above sea level) and more fertile, has a much diversified topography. In the south lies the hilly tract of Mewar. In the southeast a large area of the districts of Kota and Bundi forms a tableland, and to the northeast of these districts is a rugged region (badlands) following the line of the Chambal River. Further north the country levels out; the flat plains of the northeastern Bharatpur district are part of the alluvial basin of the Yamuna River.
The Aravalli outlines Rajasthan’s most important division. The Chambal River, which is the only large and perennial river in the State, originates from its drainage to the east of this range and flows northeast. Its principal tributary, the Banas, rises in the Aravalli near Kumbhalgarh and collects all the drainage of the Mewar plateau. Further north, the Banganga, after rising near Jaipur, flows east-wards before disappearing. The Luni is the only significant river west of the Aravalli. It rises in the Pushkar valley of Ajmer and flows 320 km west-southwest into the Rann of Kachchh. Northeast of the Luni basin, in the Shekhawati tract, is an area of internal drainage characterized by salt lakes, the largest of which is Sambhar Salt Lake.
In the vast sandy north-western plain extending over the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jalor, Sirohi, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Pali, and Nagaur, soils are predominantly saline or alkaline. Water is scarce but is found at a depth of 30 to 61 m. The soil and sand are calcareous (chalky). Nitrates in the soil increase its fertility, and, as has been shown in the area of the Indira Gandhi (formerly Rajasthan) Canal, cultivation is often possible where adequate water supplies are made available.
The soils in the Ajmer district in central Rajasthan are sandy; clay content varies between 3 and 9 per cent. In the Jaipur and Alwar districts in the east, soils vary from sandy loam to loamy sand. In the Kota, Bundi, and Jhalawar tract, they are in general black and deep and are well drained. In Udaipur, Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, and Bhilwara districts, eastern areas have mixed red and black and western areas red to yellow soils.
Rajasthan is a northwesterly state of India. It is bound 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.
Getting around the state is rarely problematic, though there’s no avoiding some tedious long hauls. The state-run bus company, RSTDC, has regular services between cities, but since it hiked its prices by fifty percent in 1997, private operators have become a more popular option, offering cheaper fares and greater comfort. For those who don’t want to subject themselves to sleepless nights on buses, trains connect all major cities and many smaller towns - always book ahead for night journeys. The most luxurious way to travel in Rajasthan, however, has to be the Palace On Wheels, a rolling five-star hotel that takes in the state’s highlights over a week-long whistle-stop tour.
Jaipur’s Sanganer airport, 15km south of the centre, is served by domestic Indian Airlines and Jet Airways flights from Delhi and Mumbai. An airport bus into town costs Rs.30/-, taxis charge more like Rs.250/-
The railway station is 1km west of the Pink City, very close to the main concentration of hotels, while state buses from all over Rajasthan and further a field pull in at the more central Inter-state Bus Terminal on Station Road. Arriving from Delhi, you skirt the south side of the city, stopping briefly at an intersection called Narayan Singh Circle, where rickshaw-wallahs frequently board the bus saying it’s the end of the line ("bus going to yard"); it isn’t, only a ploy to get you on to their rickshaws and into a hotel that pays generous commission. Rackets like this thrive in Jaipur, so brace yourself for a barrage of auto-rickshaw drivers wherever you arrive.
Rajasthan’s climate reaches the extremes common to desert regions. Temperatures can rise unbearably to over 45°C between May and June, before the heavy skies over central and east Rajasthan break with a fierce monsoon that revitalizes the arid land and fills empty-river beds. The fierce summer heat lingers until mid-September or October, when night temperatures drop considerably. The best time to visit is between November and February, when daytime temperatures rarely exceed 30°C; in midwinter, you’ll need a shawl or thick jumper if you’re outdoors, and a thin sleeping bag for night journeys and hotels that don’t provide blankets.
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.
1. It is advised never to leave your valuables unattended in train, station platforms or airports.
2. 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 meter long chain with loops on its ends.
3. It is recommended that you keep your passport, ticket or money safely stashed in a belt pouch fastened around your waist.
4. 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.
5. While engaging in an interesting discussion with a co-passenger, stay alert about your baggage as his accomplice might be stealing your baggage. Be generally alert of bag pickers.
6. 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.
7. Senior citizens are treated with respect but they should select their itinerary that is comfortable as far as their health permits.
8. Traveler’s cheques are easily replaceable by American Express or Thomas Cook as the case may be however always keep emergency cash stacked at several places.
9. Rajasthan is very children friendly destination and children often enhance local contact in their own way.
10. It is also counseled that you take a good insurance policy. Keep your bills as good evidence since you may have to report the matter to police.
11. Local police is helpful and a police station or an out post is always near you. A police station is called a ‘Thana’ and an out post is called a ‘chowki’. Lookout for the sign below which is prominently displayed on police stations. Even patrolling Police Jeeps or Gypsies can be hailed in case of trouble. In all town for contacting the nearest police post or petrol dial 100.
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. The cuisine of Rajasthani was highly influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in the desert region. Scarcity of water and lack of fresh green vegetables also had their effect on Rajasthani cooking. 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.
In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use a minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, butter milk 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 asafetida, to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onions. Generally, Rajasthani curries are a brilliant red but they are not as spicy as they look. Most Rajasthani cuisine uses pure ghee (clarified butter) as the medium of cooking. A favorite sweet dish called lapsi is prepared with broken wheat (Dalia) sautéed in ghee and sweetened.
The passion for shikar (hunting) of the Maharajas has been largely responsible for shaping the culinary art in Rajasthan. In the world of good eating, game cooking is easily the most respected art form, largely because the skills required to clean, cut and cook game are not easily acquired. With the Pathani invasions, filtered in the art of barbecuing which has now been honed to perfection and the quintessential chula-smoked kebabs or skewered boneless lamb-can be prepared in 11 different ways.
Perhaps the best-known Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma (dal is lentils; bati is baked wheat ball; and churma is powdered sweetened cereal), but for the adventurous traveler, willing to experiment, there is a lot of variety available. Besides, each region is distinguished by its popular sweet - Mawa Kachori from Jodhpur, Alwar ka Mawa, Malpuas from Pushkar, Rasogullas from Bikaner, Ghevar from Jaipur to name a few. Bikaner also has a whole range of other savories and snacks like the world famous Bikaner ki bhujia. Contrary to popular belief, people of Rajasthan are not all vegetarians. The unique creation of the Maharaja of Salwar is the Junglee maas. Junglee maas was a great favorite among the Maharajas and due to the paucity of exotic ingredients in the camp kitchen, the game brought in from the hunt was simply cooked in pure ghee, salt and plenty of red chilies. However, now this dish has been adapted to the less controversial ingredients like kid/lamb, pork or poultry.
The personal recipes of the royal Khansamas still rotate around their generations and are the highlights of regal gatherings. Each state of Rajasthan had their own style of the recipes, and are continued in the Rajput households. It was mainly the men folks of the family that prepared the non-veg. Some of the Maharajas apart from being great hunters relished the passion of cooking the shikars themselves for their chosen guests and the trend continues among the generation.
The People
Rajasthan 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.
The Oswals hails from Osiyan near Jodhpur are successful traders and are predominately Jains. While the Mahajan (the trading class) is subdivided into a large number of groups, some of these groups are Jain, while others are Hindu. In the north and west, the Jat and Gujars are among the largest agricultural communities. The Gujars who are Hindus dwell in eastern Rajasthan. The nomadic Rabari or Raika are divided in two groups the Marus who breed camels and Chalkias who breed sheep and goats.
The Muslims form less than 10% of the population and most of them are Sunnis. There is also a small but affluent community Shiaite Muslims known as Bhoras in southeastern Rajasthan.
The Rajputs though represent only a small proportion of the populace are the most influential section of the people in Rajasthan. They are proud of their martial reputation and of their ancestry.
Religion
Hinduism, the religion of most of the population, is generally practiced through the worship of Brahma, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, and other gods and goddesses. Nathdwara is an important religious centre for the Vallabhacharya sect of Krishna followers. There are also followers of the Arya Samaj, a reforming sect of modern Hinduism, as well as other forms of that religion.
Jainism is also important; it has not been the religion of the rulers of Rajasthan but has followers among the trading class and the wealthy section of society. Mahavirji, Ranakpur, Dhulev, and Karera are the chief centers of Jain pilgrimage.
The Dadupanthi forms another important religious sect the followers of Dadu (D. 1603), who preached the equality of all men, strict vegetarianism, total abstinence from intoxicating liquor, and lifelong celibacy.
Islam, the religion of the State’s second largest religious community, expanded in Rajasthan with the conquest of Ajmer by Muslim invaders in the late twelfth century. Khwajah Muin-ud-Din Chishti, the Muslim missionary, had his headquarters at Ajmer, and Muslim traders, craftsmen, and soldiers settled there. The State’s population of Christians and Sikhs is small.
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