Cultural Tour of Royal Rajasthan

India is a very colorful and exotic place for travelling because it has diverse culture. It has variety of food, costumes, traditions, etc. It is a perfect destination for all the tourists since many years. The history of India is very vibrant and ethnic from many years. Among its many states, Rajasthan is one the popular and famous state. Tourists among various countries and itself India are attracted towards the beauty of this state. Museums are also one of the attractions of Rajasthan where tourist can get knowledge of the ancient times. The culture of Rajasthan is very vast and dynamic. Historical places in Rajasthan speak a lot about its culture, tradition, socio-economic customs.

Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur (Image by Anil Khubani on Flickr)

Interior area of Albert hall museum (Image by i2n2 on Flickr)

Painting of Albert hall museum (Image by John McCAbe on flickr)

Sculpture of Albert hall museum (Image by Shashi Rajput on flickr)

In cultural tour of Rajasthan, one can visit places likes:-

•    Forts are the places that remind us about our culture and traditions. They are symbol of old civilization and they are very valuable archeological assets of our country.

•    The various temples depict the Hindu tradition and their culture.

•    Palaces of Rajasthan are beautifully designed and their artistic works are well known in the whole country.

 

Chittorgarh Fort

 

Dadhimait Mata temple (Image in Wikipedia)

 

City Palace, Jaipur 

Tradition and lifestyle

Many religions are found in Rajasthan but Hinduism is the dominant religion. Different people practice their own customs rituals, beliefs and behavior. All this depicts that Rajasthan has unity in diversity. The festivals of this state are the symbol of its rich heritage. Various festivals are celebrated throughout the year like pushkar fair, desert festival, camel festival and teej. Through these the visitors can enjoy the true colors of Rajasthan.

Desert festival, Jaisalmer (Shobha yatra), Image by anupama kinagi on flickr

Desert festival, Jaisalmer (Image by anupama kinagi on flickr)

 Art and literature

Rajasthan has a magnificent architecture .The stone work of this state is very popular and this is the best place where the tourists can shop handicrafts, paintings & work of art.

 

Handicrafts in Celebration Mall, Udaipur

Dance and music

It is the prime part of Rajasthan culture. The devotional and classical songs of Rajasthan talks about it rich past. The folk dance like Ghumar, kathputli etc is the source of great enjoyment for the tourists.

Bhavai folk dance, Rajasthan (Image by selvin kurian on flickr)

Various instruments like Ektara, dholak, sitar etc attracts the music lovers. 
 

Ektara seller man in Jaisalmer

Food and Flavours

The tourists can enjoy delicious food & Snacks in Rajasthan. Lassi of Jodhpur, milk sweets of bharatpur, sohan halwa of Ajmer are one of the specialties of Rajasthan.

Special Makhania Lassi, Jodhpur 

A Visit to Rajasthan is a complete package for the Tourists to enjoy all aspects of life. www.ercotravels.com

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "T"

Fascinate in the Incredible Sights of Rajasthan

Rajasthan, a larger state (Area wise) in India popular all across the globe due to its historical stories related to kings, monuments, wildlife, culture, sand dunes, heritage sites, festivals, folk dances, etc.  “Land of Kings” is the another name of this state. Many kings conquer this state and reign there for some time. So, many trails of kings collected there, which can be heard now from the mouth of local populations. Even the palaces which they used to live is also located there and are in the glamorous look. Some places of this state like Bikaner and Jaiselmer are full of deserts. Sand dune activity is the popular one of these places.

Camel Safari in Jaiselmer

Mount Abu Hill Station (Image on Wikipedia)

Dilwara Temple Near Mount Abu(Image by Sensaos on Flickr )

Interior view of Dilwara Temples (Image by Rakhee on Flickr )

City Palace, Udaipur

Hill Stations like Mount Abu and Udaipur are famous tourist places in Rajasthan. The large number of tourists travel there to seek the beauty of this state. Mount Abu is famous for its hills, climate and religious temples like the famous group of temples known as Dilwara temples. Aravalli mountain ranges give a unique view of nature at this place. Udaipur is also known as the City of Lakes and Palaces as many Lakes and Palaces are there. Serene atmosphere makes anyone captivate to this place for a long time. One of the Palaces is City Palace of Udaipur, located on the bank of the famous Lake Pichola. This palace itself tells the history behind the Rajasthan especially the Udaipur. Like City Palace, many palaces are there that located in the lake or on the side of a lake. The boat ride is available there to visit all the palaces.

Rajasthani Flok dance

Rajasthani cuisine

Ghevar

The culture of the Rajasthan is famous worldwide. Either it is classical music or the folk dances depicts the reflection of its culture. Folk dances include Ghoomar, Kalbeliya, Bhavai, Kuchchi Ghodi, etc. reflects the proper culture as the dancers wear the traditional dresses that bewitched the eyes of the people. Music is also traditional like the famous ones are Bhajans, Banis, etc. all sung with the traditional instruments like Dholak, Sitar, Sarangi, etc. Food of this state, also influenced the visitors. Bikaneri Bhujia, Mirchi Bada, Pyaaj Kachori and Ghevar are the famous dishes of Rajasthan that reflects the old culture of the state. Marwari Bhojanalayas are most common and located at very least distances.

Deer Family in Ranthambore National park (Image by Saran Vaid on Flickr)

Tiger in Sariska National Park (Image by Koshy Koshy on Flickr)

Wildlife of the state is another good way to explore this state. Many national parks and sanctuaries are available there that contains a variety of flora and fauna. Some of the popular parks include Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Ranthambore National Park in Jaipur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Tal Chhapar Sanctuary in Sujangarh, etc. All these contain the threatened species, rare species as well as extinct species of both flora and fauna.

handicraft Items shop in Jaipur, Rajasthan 

Handicraft items are also famous thing of this state. Wooden furniture, carpets, pottery, etc. all dubbed with block prints, tie & die, bagaru prints, sanganer prints, zari embroidery, etc. that attracts anyone towards it and made to purchase it once at least.

Shopping in Jaipur (Image by Eric Parker on Flickr)

Camel Race in Pushkar, Rajasthan (Image by thijsvanbokkem on Flickr)

Festival time is the best to visit this place as the whole state is covered with colors of joy and happiness. Fun and amusement surround the state from everywhere. Some of the main festivals include Deepawali, Gangaur, Teej, Gogaji, Makar Sankranti, Holi and Janmashtami. Desert festival of Rajasthan held once in a year during winter period. Ladies and gents dressed traditionally and dance to the rhythm of the famous songs. Fairs are also held in this period of time. Local population displays the shows of puppeteers, acrobats, camel race, snake charmers and many more. So, at this time, anyone dwell in this region for a long time.

Climate of mount about

Climate of Rajasthan varies from place to place like in Udaipur and Mount Abu, it is very cool and placid while in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, it is very hot in summers and very cold in winters. Thus, Rajasthan is a state having all the qualities either it is desert or a hill station, one can find it there in a best possible mood.

Following the blog ABC Wednesday for "S"

Qutub Minar – The Tower that Survived History

Rome wasn't built in a day! The same is also true about Qutub Minar in Delhi, the capital of India. This amazing tower is a five-story brick Minar, whose construction was started in 1192 AD by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak. Iltutmush completed this monument during the time period of 1211-36 AD. Qutub or Qutb Minar is made of marble and red sandstone and is the tallest standing minar in India. Qutub Minar is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a major tourist attraction of Delhi.

Image by AnkurDauneria on flickr.com

Some basic information about Qutub Minar is as follows:

Year of Foundation  – 1192 AD

Commissioned by – Qutbu'd-Din Aibak

Total Height – 72.5 meters

Base diameter – 14.32 meters

Diameter at the top – 2.75 meters

Number of stairs – 379

Listed as World Heritage Site – 1993

Qutub Minar – Image by Sharkawi Che Din on flickr.com

The purpose of its constructed is doubtful as many believe it was created to mark the victory over Delhi by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak while many others say that it was just a minaret to call for Islamic prayers. There are many tombs and ruins near the Minar belonging to different rulers and kingdoms. Other attractions around Qutub Minar are Iron Pillar, Alai Minar, Alai Darwaza and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.

Iron Pillar – Image by gwashley by flickr.com

Alai Minar in Qutb Complex

Qutub Minar was damaged multiple times because of natural cause like earthquakes and lightning strikes. Many rulers repaired it time and again to preserve this wonderful monument.

Our Entry for ABC Wednesday - Q is for Qutub Minar