FACTS & FIGURES

Area : 342,239 Sq Km
Population : 44,005,990
Religion : Hinduism, Jainism
Capital : Jaipur
Languages : Rajasthani, Hindi
Literacy rate : 39%
Per Capita Income : Rs 9819 (at current prices in 1997-98)
Urbanization Ratio : 22.88%
Best Time To Visit : October to March

INTRODUCTION
Rajasthan- the Land of Kings, is a majestic tapestry of camels plodding over soft sand dunes of the Thar Desert. It is a kaleidoscope of brightly turbaned men with proud moustaches and women with twinkling anklets in colorful swirling ghagras. The landscape is dotted with island palaces shimmering on idyllic blue lakes; temples and fortresses situated on hilltops of the rugged and rocky Aravalli; exquisite palaces built during the reign of some of its many erstwhile Rajput dynasties; and well laid out gardens with pavilions and kiosks, all of which add to the splendor and whimsical charm of this majestic land.

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Location
Located in northwest India, Rajasthan borders Punjab in the north, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the east and Gujarat in the south. On the western side it shares a long stretch of border with the neighboring country Pakistan. Situated on the Thar Desert, Rajasthan protects the western border of the country standing as the sentinel who never tires.

Physical Feature
Rajasthan is diagonally divided into the hilly and rugged southeastern region and the barren Thar Desert, which extends across the border into Pakistan. Within these divisions however, it is a storehouse of varied physical feature or topographical diversity. The arid Thar also boasts of Mount Abu the only hill station in the state famous for its flora and fauna. While the Aravali hills provide the much-needed relief to this arid land, the wide spread sand dunes of the desert and arid region make it one of the toughest terrains in the world. Jodhpur (the second biggest city of the state) is the edge of the dry and shifting desert land from where on the not so arid but cultivable land starts. Moreover, the rocky range of Amber, hilly range of Mewar, river basin of Bharatpur and fertile Aravali range gives the topography of the state a unique look.

Climate
Rajasthan is one of the driest regions in India. Except in the hills of the Aravali range, temperature in most other parts of the state reaches the 40°C mark during the summer months. Winters are mild in Rajasthan with the temperatures ranging between 22°C and 8°C. The climate of Rajasthan is characterized by dry and hot winds. The rainfall, which is characteristically scanty, comes during the month of July and September. However rainfall is comparatively high in the hilly Aravalli range. The southwest region of the state, being on the tropical region is considerably humid.

Flora and Fauna
The unique state of Rajasthan offers some of the most unusual wildlife sanctuaries in the country, where the roar of jungle animals merges with the whisperings of time. The dry deciduous forests of the state stalk their wildlife from tigers and panthers to deer and wild bear. The rock formations of the Aravali hills and the surrounded dense forests and lakes are the natural habitat of a number of rare tree as well as animal species.

HISTORY
The past flavor lingers on. However, Rajasthan is much more than the imagination of few rulers. It is an identity created by people, who enjoy life and have ample proof to show for it.

The earliest inhabitants of Rajasthan belonged to the Great Harappan Civilization. This area saw the arrival of the horse riding Aryans from central Asia in about 2000 BC. The Mauryan dynasty-one of the first dynasties to rule over large parts of India controlled this area in about 400 AD. With the passing of time however this arid region became the scene of the ravaging onslaught brought about by the Huns and the Scythians. The settling of the Scythians in Rajasthan set the stage for the rise of the Rajputs who were the offspring’s of the Indo-Scythians. With the passing of time this new race proliferated into a number of new clans. Rajasthan thus became the homeland of these groups of warrior clans, collectively called Rajputs, who dominated this region for over a thousand years. They carved out small kingdoms in this region during the 9th and 10th century AD that were often at war with each other. Due to this lack of unity, the Rajputs were unable to present a combined front against a common aggressor. This weakness ensured that every foreign aggressor in India created enough trouble for the Rajput rulers of Rajasthan. All this resulted in them being defeated or subjugated by the Mughals, who reduced them to the status of a vassal.

Nevertheless the bravery and, sense of pride and honor amongst Rajputs is unparallel in the history of India. Chivalry was the hallmark of the Rajputs. They fought with courage and determination. Death to defeat was the theme of Rajput warring ideology. They would face the enemy with all the might even if defeat were imminent; in which case jauhar was performed. In this grim ritual women and children would commit suicide by immersing themselves in a huge funeral pyre. It was for these qualities that some of the Rajputs rulers and chieftains adorned the court of most of the Mughal rulers especially Akbar. There warring skills were used to the fullest by Akbar who very effectively used the services of these brave fighters for the protection of his vast kingdom by inducting into his standing army. He also entered into matrimonial alliances with prominent Rajput families most important being the one with princess Jodha Bai, daughter of the Maharaja of Amber.

With the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Rajputs were gradually able to recover their lost territories and status. These turn of events were however short-lived, as very soon the British set foot on the Indian mainland marking the beginning of one of the most eventful phase of Indian history. The British Raj, as it was popularly called, was characterized by many anew trends and practices. One of these was their policy of signing articles of alliances with most of the princely states in India that ensured their independent existence subject to certain political and economic restrictions. This marked the decline of the once mighty and powerful Rajput dynasties of this region.

After independence Rajasthan became an integral part of the Union of India under the new constitution.

PEOPLE

Ethnicity
The ethnicity of Rajasthan is a blend of fusion and tradition. The Rajputs of Rajasthan were a major force to reckon with in medieval India. Most of the leading Rajput clans married into Mughal royalty and nobility, and went into direct State service of the Mughal Empire. This made a big difference as people of two different ethnicities merged, influencing the ethnicity of the state. Rajasthan also has a number of tribal groups such as the Bhils, Minas, Gaduliya Lohars, Sahariyas, Damors and Sidhis etc., which account for 12% of the total population of the state.

Arts and Crafts
Rajasthani art and crafts, with its staggering variety, beauty and color has contributed the most to the crafts collage of the country. Rajasthan has also given the world famous phad paintings, pichwais, and exquisite miniature paintings that are the pride of serious collectors all over the world. Rajasthani jewellery, mostly the silver embellished with meena work; fabulous fabrics; the arrestingly lovely costumes; traditional items of furniture; traditional art of tie-and-dye textiles; Laheriyas or the delicately created patterns in waves, the pachranga or five colored bhandej (tie -and-dye) on sarees, odhnis; or mantles and safas or turbans; sarees from Kota; hand block printing; geometric ajraks; historic jajam prints; feather-soft and feather-light Jaipuri razai (quilt); handmade paper; blue pottery; jootis or remarkably sturdy footwear; lamp shades, vases; perfume vials; photo frames; gesso work in floral designs; hand-knotted woolen carpets and extensive range of cotton rugs called durries are some of the mention worthy work of art and craft that have always attracted the attention of the people all over the world.

Music and Dance
The music of the desert is vibrant with haunting rhythms. The music and dances of Rajasthan are heady, exciting, hypnotic and compelling… and very much a part of the eternal appeal of this strange and wondrous land. The popular music and dance of this desert State is so enchanting, that it has won devoted admirers on an international scale. There are songs for every occasion, every mood, and every moment. Of the many types of communities of professional folk musicians, Bhopas (singing priests), Nats, Bhat puppeteers, Kalbelias and Kanjars, who pursue music as an ancillary vocation and operate in a rustic ambience, have made some vital contributions in this field. Apart from classical forms like khayal and dhrupad, a unique form of singing called maand also flourished in the royal courts of Rajasthan. This was a semi-classical form with a milieu, text and structure of its own that had an affinity with both the classical thumri and tappa forms as the popular folk music.

A perfect complement to the music could be found in the lively folk dances of Rajasthan. Among the best known is the ghoomar dance in which the dancer pirouettes gracefully and her full Ghaghra (skirt) flares out in a blaze of color and movement. The tera tali performed sitting, is an exercise in rhythmic dexterity. It is performed by a group of two to three who have manjiras or metal cymbals tied to their limbs. Wizened old bhopas and dholis, jogis and miraasis-all traditional singers-chant ditties about folk heroes of yore-Baba Ramdeo, Gogaji, Tejaji, Dhola Maru and Jethwa Ujli-in voices surprisingly strong and passionate. Performances open with the stirring call of the imposing trumpet, the bankia. Musicians use ancient, unsophisticated instruments that produce strangely mesmeric sounds-twin flutes called algoza, the hypnotic Jewish harp or morchhang, the stringed instrument with a tinkling cluster of bells called the ravanhatta and the earthen pitcher or matka turned in the hands with amazing dexterity and used as a percussion instrument are some of these instruments. The chang is yet another percussion instrument which is made of sheepskin pasted onto a large circular or octagonal wooden frame. This is used as a rhythmic accompaniment to the erotic songs and dances performed on the colorful festival of Holi. The khanjari is a tambourine used traditionally by the Kalbeliya women who belong to the snake charmer community.

Rajasthani dances are a spectacular celebration of life and color. The Kachhi-ghodi is a particularly vigorous dance in which the bridegroom’s party boisterously sings folk ballads and stages a mock fight with much nimble side-stepping, sharp pirouetting and brandishing of swords; dancers are ensconced within the figure of a horse with just their torsos showing. A statelier dance is the ghair performed mainly in the Mewar region; regal men in fulsome, gathered white ankle-length skirts and brilliant turbans swirl slowly in alternately clockwise and anticlockwise motions, clicking long, painted sticks with each other, the periodic clash of sticks creating its own fevered cadence. The charee dance, on the other hand, is full of drama. In this performers deftly execute intricate choreographic patterns, balancing brass pitchers containing smoldering cottonseeds on their heads. The sapera (snake charmers) dance of the Kalbelias, a snake charmer community, is sensuous and riveting in the extreme. The gavvi dance performed by males in honor of Lord Mahadeo, an incarnation of Lord Shiva and his consort, the spectacular community dances of the Meena and Bhil tribals, the wanton uninhibited dances of the dhobi (washerwomen) and the raasmandal performed by mammoth congregations of villagers in honor of Lord Krishna in the Krishna country of Karauli constitute some of the other dance forms of Rajasthan.

Fairs and Festival
Rajasthan has all the usual Hindu and Muslim festivals, some celebrated with special local fervor as well as a number of festivals of its own. The exact dates, determined by the lunar calendar have specific religious significance.

Major festivals in the state are Camel Festival at Bikaner in January, Nagaur Fair in January - February; Desert Festival of Jaisalmer in February; Elephant Festival Jaipur; Gangaur Festival celebrated all over the state in March - April; Mewar Festival in Udaipur; Urs in Ajmer Sharif; Teej in the months of August; Marwar Festival at Jodhpur in October; and Camel and Cattle Fair of Pushkar in November

Attire
Starting from brocade garments of the royal family to the typical tie and dye ghagra choli of the locales the variety of Rajasthani clothing is endless. The cotton hand painted fabric from Sanganer, silk brocades, dupattas and odhni with Zari work, mirror worked blouses, tied and dyed dresses for both men and women, tying design and motifs in mehandi mandana are some of the those related to the traditional attire of the state. Besides clothing, the accessories that Rajasthani people wear are characteristic of the state. The silver karas (bangles) worn by the women on her hand and feet, the jootis made of camel skin, the turban worn by the male are some of the things that add to the colorful image of Rajasthan

Cuisine
Scarcity of in Rajasthan rainfall, which is not conducive for the growth of vegetables, has resulted in increased stress on the cultivation of, pulses especially moong, moth and gram. Most Rajasthani cuisine uses pure ghee (clarified butter) as its medium of cooking. A favorite dish is prepared with broken wheat (dalia) sautéed in ghee and sweetened. Bikaner ki Bhujia is a savory that is world famous and unlike in other parts of India is prepared out of a pulse called moth (a type of lentil). Similarly a sweet made from pumpkin is a Bikaner specialty affectionately named as petha.

The list is endless, the palate insatiable.

ECONOMY

INFRASTURE
Power Deficit : 920 million KW
Plant Load Factor : 75.60%
Installed Captive Capacity : 25.66%
Projected Power Deficit/Surplus : -5.40%
Tariff (Industrial) : Rs 1.24/KW
Number Of Phones : 3,45,092
People Per Phone : 127
Phone Services : DOT, Tele link Network
Cellular Services : Air cell, Hexacom
Radio Paging : ABC Communications, Mobile, Modi Tel
Railway Track Length : 5,740 km
Domestic Airports : 4 (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur)
Cities Linked : Delhi, Mumbai Road length 61,520 km
National Highway Length : 2,846 km
State-Identified Priority Sectors : Agro-Processing, Ceramics & Glass, Electronics, Food- Processing, Leather-based Industries, Mineral-based Industries

Industry
The mineral rich state has number of mineral based industries besides textile, chemicals etc.

Rajasthan has rich deposits of zinc concentrates, emerald, garnet, gypsum, silver ore, asbestos, felspar and mica. The State is also abundant in salt rock phosphate, marble and red stone deposits

Agriculture
The major crops of the State are rice, barley, jowar, millet, maize, gram, wheat, oilseeds, pulses, cotton and tobacco.

INCENTIVES

15% capital investment subsidy, up to Rs 15 lakh, in towns with less than 2 lakh population
20% capital investment subsidy, up to Rs 20 lakh, for SSI units
20% capital investment subsidy, up to Rs 25 lakh, for NRI units, OCBs, and EOUs
Sales tax incentive/deferment of 100% & 125% of fixed capital investment for large and medium units & SSIs
Sales tax exemption of 90%, 80% and 75% of total liability for ceramics, glass, and telecom units respectively
Sales tax exemption of 75% of total liability for up to 7 years for expansion or diversification
Sales tax exemption of 50% and 75% of total liability for sick-units and pollution- control-equipment-makers
Sales tax exemption on all plant and machinery of new industries to be set up before March 31, 1997
25% subsidy in freight charges paid for transporting containers to ports
50% exemption from electricity bills for large industrial consumers in first year of operation
Special incentives on land purchase tax and equity participation for electronics industry
Sales tax exemption of 100% of total liability of EOUs for up to 9 years

TOURIST CENTRES
Rajasthan is a classic blend of beauty and historicity. Indeed, the State has so much going for it that it’s difficult to decide where to start. The very images that it conjures up are steeped in romance and beauty. A line of supercilious camels silhouetted against a magnificent desert sunset. A blur of swirling color as a Rajasthani belle dances to hypnotic music. The handsome, hawk-like face of a Rajput man, fiercely mustachioed, regally turbaned, reflecting an arrogance and power that can be traced several centuries back. It is the unyielding facade of a splendid fort or the delicate kiosks and balconies embellishing a palace wall. The bold, colorful sweep of a phat painting, depicting sword-bearing chieftains going off to battle, rainbow-hued dupattas, ghagras and cholis, twinkling with the light of a hundred tiny glinting mirrors. All of which add to attractions of this wonderland we call-Rajasthan.

Rajasthan’s almost 80% of the places are regarded as the places of tourist interest. The old city of Jaipur, capital to the state of Rajasthan, painted pink that gives a magical glow to the city, is one of the must visit places of the state. The 250-year-old city of Jaipur, also known popularly as the Pink City is a startling blend of forts and palaces, teeming markets and all the bustle and modernity befitting the capital of India’s second largest State. The Hawa Mahal, the exquisite City Palace and the incredible observatory of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II Central Museum, Nagar Garh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Amber, Albert Museum, Birla Mandir Planetarium, Sisodia Rani Park, Lakshmi Narain Temple, Kanak Vrindavan, The Rajmahal Palace, Rambagh Palace (now a Luxury hotel) and the Jantar Mantar are some of the sites that say about their contemporary time.

In the bleak desert that is Rajasthan, there is also a green oasis-Mount Abu, a cool hill station, a holy mountain retreat, the Aravali range; the verdant forests alive with a variety of flora and fauna; the stunning Dilwara Jain temples; the Nakki lake at 1,200 m above sea level; the city of Ajmer; the Dargah or tomb of the popular 13th-century; a number of monuments belonging to the Mughal era; the well-fed camels and citadels; the exotic camel safaris; the worship of thousands of holy rats at Mata Kali temple are some of the most interesting aspects of the state in general. The golden city of Jaisalmer, which lies courageously as the western sentinel of India, is a place worth visiting. Major points of attraction are Jaisalmer Fort, Manakchowk, Jain Temple, and different havelis.

Even further off the beaten track is the relatively unexplored Hadoti area of Rajasthan, comprising Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar. The princely State of Jhalawar, or the land of the Jhalas, was created in 1838, and unlike much of Rajasthan, has a rocky, but green and water laden landscape.

HOW TO REACH
By Air: Rajasthan is well connected by air with almost all the major cities of India. A number of airlines both, government as well as private have regular flights connecting the state with rest of the country. The five airports of the state are, Sanganer, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Kota.

By Rail: Rajasthan is well connected by a good network of rail. It connects the state with almost all the places of interest in the country. But comparing to the railway option, the roadways are more preferable, as well as, recommended as the railway tracks are mostly meter gauge and hence time consuming.

By Road: The best way to visit Rajasthan is by road. A good number of Government and private buses ply to the state connecting it with its nearby places of interest. Moreover, taxis and other vehicles are also available on hire from many places to the state.