Classic Rajasthan Itinerary

Classic Rajasthan Itinerary

Any Holiday to India is incomplete if Rajasthan was not a part of your travel itinerary .ONCE CALLED RAJPUTANA—"Abode of Kings"—this vast land consisted of more than 22 princely states before they were consolidated into modem Rajasthan in 1956. Each state was ruled by a Rajput, an upper-caste Hindu warrior-prince, and the Rajputs were divided into three main clans: the Suryavanshis, descended from the sun, the Chandra-vanshis, descended from the moon, and the agnikuls, who had been purified by ritual fire. When they were not fighting amongst themselves for power, wealth, and women, the Rajputs built the hundreds of forts, palates, gardens, and temples that make this region so enchanting to this day.

For centuries, many Hindu Rajputs valiantly resisted invasion, including attempts by the Muslim Moguls. Their legendary codes of battle emphasized honor and pride, and they went to war prepared to die. When defeat on the battlefield was imminent, the strong Rajput women would perform the rite of jauhar, throwing themselves onto a flaming pyre en masse rather than live with the indignity of capture. With the prominent exception of the princes of Mewar, major Rajput states such as Jaipur, Bikaner, Bundi, and Kota, eventually stopped fighting and built strong ties with the Moguls. The Mogul emperor Akbar was particularly skilled at forging alliances with the Rajputs; he offered them high posts in his darbar, or court, and sealed the deal with matrimonial ties. (He himself married two Rajput princesses.) Those kingdoms who sided with Akbar quickly rose in importance and prosperity.

Maharaja Man Singh of Jaipur was the first to marry his sister to Akbar. As the emperor's brother-in-law and trusted commander-in-chief, Man Singh led Mogul armies to many a victory. Both rulers benefited immensely, as a traditional saying indicates: jeet Akbar ki, loot Man Singh ki" ("The victory belongs to Akbar, the loot to Man Singh").

In addition to securing wealth, these marriages opened the gates of the royal Rajput households to the Moguls' distinctive culture. Ironically, the same people who initially sacrificed their lives to resist the Moguls quickly adapted themselves to Mogul domination and started borrowing heavily from Mogul aesthetics. Skilled craftsmen from the Mogul courts were enticed to Rajasthan to start craft schools, fomenting what would become a golden age of Indian art and architecture. The Moguls' influence in Rajasthan is still visible in everything from food to palace architecture, from intricate miniature paintings to new musical styles, and from clothing to the tradition of purdah (women covering their head and face with a veil).

The beginning of the 18th century marked the decline of the Mogul period, and with it came the decline of the Rajputs. The incoming British took advantage of the prevailing chaos. Not only did they introduce significant administrative, legal, and educational changes in Rajasthan, they also exposed the Rajputs to new levels of decadence. The British introduced polo and other equestrian sports, the latest rifles and guns, shikar (hunting) camps, Belgian glass, English crockery, French chiffons, Victorian furniture, European architecture, and eventually fancy limousines. The influence extended to Rajput children: sons were sent to English universities, and daughters to the best finishing schools in Switzerland.

Ironically, in their struggle to free India from British rule, many Rajput princes ended up defending the Raj. Unwilling to give up their world of luxury and power, they did their best to suppress rebellion in other pans of the country by sending their soldiers to help the British forces.

When India won independence, the Rajput princes and kings were forced to merge their kingdoms into one state as part of the new nation, but they still kept the titles to their palaces, forts, lands, jewels and other sumptuous possessions. Since then, the government has taken over much, of the land and many of the palaces and the forts. Stripped of their feudal powers, many of the maharajas have become hotel owners, while others have turned their properties over to leading hotel chains. A few have become paupers or recluses.

 Rajasthan's heritage goes well beyond the illustrious maharajas, however. The Marwari trading community is known far and wide for dynamic entrepreneurial spirit and its havelis (mansions with interior courtyards). Semi-nomadic indigenous tribes such as the ghats Meenas, Garasias, and Sahrias create a rich canvas of folk life and folk' lore, their art, dance, music, and drama contributing much to Rajasthan's vibrant, festive culture. The exquisite craft work of the state's rural artisan communities are celebrated around the world. The presence of saints and spiritual leaders from a variety of religious communities has, over the years, made Rajasthan a trove of shrines, temple art, and religions architecture. These and other communities give rise to tremendous revelry in fairs and festivals throughout the year.

Cultures within Rajasthan vary in everything from the colors of their sandstone buildings to the languages they speak. Though five principal Rajasthani dialects are spoken here (Marwari, Mewari, Dhundari Mewati, and Hadauti), a local saying has it that you hear a new language every 4 km. And despite the overwhelming spread of both English and Hindi, villagers continue to maintain the rich literary traditions, both oral and written, of their local tongues. Also regionally significant—and perhaps more noticeable to the traveler—are the brilliant colors of the women's lehangas (long skirts with separate veils), designed to stand out against the potentially maddening starkness of the desert. Women complete this garb with various forms of elaborate jewelry. Rajasthani men are famous for their turbans, which vary in style from region to region and caste to caste; the saafa style (high turbans with a tail) is preferred by Rajputs, for instance, while pagris (compact turbans, often orange) are worn by businessmen. Even facial hair is unique in these parts: Rajputs, in particular, sport long, Salvador Dali-like moustaches full of twists and turns.

Tourists visiting the region would find that the  natural variety is compelling. The Aravalli Hills divide Rajasthan into two natural parts, northwest and southeast. The northwest is characterized by arid sand dunes: The sizzling Thar Desert is referred to in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata as the Maru-Kan-tar, "Region of Death." The southeast belies Rajasthan's image as a desert state with its craggy hills, lush forests, and shimmering lakes. A rich array of birds, animal life, and insect species makes its home in each environment.

With all this color and tradition, Rajasthan is perennially one of India's most popular tourist destinations. Recent nuclear tests in Pokharan and continuing tensions with Pakistan have made some people wary of coming here, but there is really nothing to fear. The cities and people remain lively and unaffected.

The Classic Rajasthan Itinerary Customized by Swan Tours incorporates all the important elements and travel experiences  of the region which make this tour one of the most exciting tours while you travel to India.