Rajasthan is a land of
Maharaja's, splendid palaces and magnificent forts. Rajasthan is famous
for its romantic ruins and its enchanting art and craft.
Rajasthan is a treasure house
of tourist places. Jaipur Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Mount Abu, Sariska
tiger sanctuary, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Chittaurgarh and Bharatpur are main
attractions.
The capital city, Jaipur, also known as pink city houses three hill forts and a plethora of
palaces.
Rajasthan comprises of the
Aravalli Range of hills running south west to north east. The harsh and
arid southern part is the Thar desert, which houses Bikaner,
Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, all forming a picturesque view of the deserts.
Mehrangarh is Rajasthan's greatest hill top fort, which lies in Jodhpur.
From here the onlooker can view the spectacular palace of Umaid Bhawan
built of Golden sandstone in the early part of 20th century. The Fort of
Jaisalmer, with its four gateway, is the heart of the city. Pathways
paved with cobbles and hairpin bends together formed a defensive ground
against enemies. This golden stoned fort is one of the chief attraction
of these desert. The elaborately sculptured Jain Temples, the fine work
on stones on facades of private houses are an amazing view. Bikaner also
holds its medieval charm with it's spectacular display of sand stone
palaces, temples and cenotaphs.
Sekhawati : The frescoes in the deserted
mansions of local merchants depict a range of subjects and a variety of
style. These are located in the northern parts of Rajasthan. Even the
rough-hewn forts of Dundlod and Mandawa, is a major
tourist attraction, especially now due to its conversion into hotels.
These hotels have a unique touch of the ancient times.
The Dara wildlife sanctuary
in the south west of Rajasthan houses a range of animals, from tigers,
bears, spotted deer, and wild boars. These lush green jungles are a major
attraction for animal lovers. Bundi, Kota and Jhalawar
are known for the abundance of exquisite palaces, galleries with exotic
wall paintings and the astounding temples.
Amongst the most popular
Pilgrimage places is 'Pushkar' located 14 kms from Ajmer. Thousands of
pilgrims from all over India, come to bathe in the sacred lake, on the
'Purnima'
day in November (Called Pushkar Punam). The largest cattle fairs are also held during this
occassion. Ajmer is the most sacred sites of Muslim Pilgrimage.
Udaipur has been the former
royal house of Mewar. Lavished with palaces, lakes, cenotaphs and
temples, it provides many interesting places to see, like the City Palace,
Pichola Lake, Jag Niwas, Jagdish Temple, Eklingji
Temple, Nathdwara, Rajsamand and Jaisamand. Chittaur,
Kumbalgarh and Mandalgarh.
Mount Abu, located 1200 meters
above sea level on an isolated plateau is one of the chief attractions
of Rajasthan. In summer as well as winter it is flooded with tourists.
The Jain temples display intricate designs. Especially Adinath and
Neminath of the Dilwara Jain temples display exquisite carvings
in white marble.
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