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THE LAND OF RED SANDSTONE

The small city of Karauli that has recently caught the attention of tourists is an exquisite home to well decorated havelis, peaceful shrines, picturesque views and imprinted chhatris that dot the entire city. This beauty of a place in Rajasthan shares its borders with the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh and is surrounded by Dausa, Dholpur and sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. This city resonates with Mughal architectural panache and is world renowned for its pale red sandstone that surrounds the entire city with strong and sturdy wall. Apart from its royal history, Karauli offers its visitors a rural and tranquil ambience with warm and hospitable behaviour, echoing the true old Rajasthani culture

HISTORY COMES ALIVE

Located around 400 km from Delhi, Hanumangarh is a city best known for its temples and its historical significance given that it was once part of the Indus Valley Civilization. Recent excavations in the area have revealed some stunning artefacts belonging to an era of great significance to human history.
The city is also known to be an agricultural marketplace where cotton and wool are woven on handlooms and sold. The primary tourist attraction of Hanumangarh is the Bhatner fort, a beautiful structure whose history dates back thousands of years.

Formerly the kingdom of Bhati kings, Hanumangarh was originally called Bhatner. However, when Raja Suraj Singh of Bikaner captured the city he rechristened it ‘Hanumangarh’. The reason being that the city was won on a Tuesday, a day considered auspicious to the Hindu god Hanuman. The Hanumangarh area is steeped in history and is believed to have once been part of the Indus Valley Civilization. This region was also important due to its location on Delhi-Multan highway as traders from Central Asia, Sindh and Kabul used to travel to Delhi and Agra via Bhatner. Several artefacts, coins and even entire buildings belonging to the era have been found upon excavation in the area.

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GATEWAY TO RANTHAMBORE

Cuddled up in the eastern zone of Rajasthan, Sawai Madhopur is one of the prominent conurbations of Rajasthan. Popularly known as the ‘Gateway to Ranthambore’, the town has seen many historic episodes and reigns. Sawai Madhopur has partly plain and partly undulating hilly terrain. The South and south east part of the district has hills and broken ground which form a part of a vast track of rugged region enclosing the narrow valley of the Chambal river. Surrounded by Vindhyas & Aravalis, this place is a treat for adventure enthusiasts as well as the ones with a fascination for history, with the Ranthambore National park- the most renowned national park in northern India and the Ranthambore Fort which was recently included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, being the main attractions.

Passed on from the Chauhan Rajput king, Govinda to Vagabhatta, from RanaKumbha to Akbar and Aurangzeb, the city has been patronized by almost all the rulers. Beautification and renovation of the city has been regularly undertaken in almost all the regimes. Under the rule of Rao Hammir, the last Chauhan ruler the Ranthambore region prospered magnificently. In ancient India the region was more popularly known as Ranthambore. It was much later that it received the name, Sawai Madhopurfrom Maharaja SawaiMadhoSinghji I who is believed to have given the city its current plan in 1765 AD. During the British Rule Sawai Man Singh built a railway line between Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. As a result it became accessible from a central spot in the state of Rajasthan. Today it has grown as one of the popular tourist destination in India.
Former state of Karauli, Ranthambore was amongst the strongest forts of medieval India and is linked to Prithviraj, the ruler of Shakambhari who has golden cupolas put on the Jain temple of Ranthambore. To check the increasing incurious of the Marathas, Madho Singh, the ruler of Jaipur State requested for the grant of the fort of Ranthambore but did not succeed.

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THE FOOD BASKET OF RAJASTHAN

The northern-most city of Rajasthan, Sri Ganganagar is located near the border of the state of Punjab and also the international border of the nation of Pakistan. It is often referred to as “the food basket of Rajasthan” due to its fertile plains similar to those one would find in Punjab. The area was once barren and dry but was converted to a green town thanks to Maharaja Ganga Singh who constructed the Gang Canal to carry excess water from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the town.
Today, Sri Ganganagar is famed for its produce of wheat, mustard, cotton, bajra, sugarcane and grams. Kinnow, a hybrid citrus fruit is a popular horticultural product that is grown here. Majority of the industries in the area are based on agriculture and it provides a livelihood to a majority of the residents of Sri Ganganagar.

In ancient times, two mighty rivers i.e. the Saraswati and the Drishadvati flowed through the area making it home to tribes similar to those belonging to Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. However, in due course the rivers started to dry up causing a natural calamity that wiped out the tribes and caused Sri Ganganagar to turn into a barren wasteland. During the 15th century, Rao Bika established Bikaner and the territory of Sri Ganganagar was part of the princely State of Bikaner. Finally in 1927, the overhaul of Sri Ganganagar was complete thanks to the Gang Canal constructed by Maharaja Ganga Singh as the city was restored to its former glory.

THE LAND OF TEXTILES

Famous as the ‘city of textiles and looms’, Bhilwara is home to the world renowned Ramdwara of Ramsnehi Sampraday. The founder Guru of the Sampraday, Swami Ramcharanji Maharaj, preached to his followers here and later decided to move to Shahpura. The present day headquarters of the Ram Snehi Sampraday, known as Ram Niwas Dham are located in Shahpura.

Some people say that Bhilwara got its name from the Bhils (tribal people) who lived there during the days of yore. As per a story, the city of Bhilwara had a mint that minted coins known as ‘bhiladi’. This is supposedly the origin of the district’s name. Bhilwara’s cultural history can also be traced back to the Nagar Brahmins mentioned in the Skanda Purana.

THE LAND OF THE CHAMBAL

THE LAND OF THE CHAMBAL

Kota is the third largest city in the state of Rajasthan and is one of the popular tourist destinations. Situated on the banks of the Chambal River, the city of Kota is famous for its distinctive style of paintings, palaces, museums, and places of worship. The city is known for gold jewellery, Doria sarees, silk sarees and the famous Kota stone.

The history of Kota dates back to the 12th century when Rao Deva conquered the territory and founded Hadoti. The independent Rajput state of Kota was carved out of Bundi in 1631. The kingdom of Kota had a turbulent history as it was raided by various Mughal rulers, Maharajas of Jaipur and even the Maratha warlords. The city of Kota is well known all over the world for its architectural splendour comprising beautiful palaces, temples and museums which exhibit the grandeur of the foregone era.

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THE HISTORICAL CITY

Jhalawar, once called Brijnagar is known for its rich natural wealth of vibrant flora and fauna. However, unlike other cities of Rajasthan, Jhalawar has a rocky but water-laden verdant landscape. Red poppy fields and orange laden orchards are strewn across Jhalawar, lending it a colourful look. They also contribute a major share to the production of citrus in the country. This place has a varied cultural heritage that includes many forts and palaces from the Rajput and Mughal periods. It is solely famous for the large numbers of temples and religious sites.

Jhalawar was named after its founder, Jhala Zalim Singh in 1838. He was the Dewan of Kota State and established the town as a cantonment, then known as Chaoni Umedpura near the existing Jhalrapatan Fort. At that time, the township was surrounded by dense forests which were home to many exotic species. The Dewan often came here to hunt and grew so fond of the place that he decided to turn it into a township. It was later turned into a military cantonment when the Maratha invaders passed through the city to capture Hadoti states.

ATTRACTIONS & PLACES TO VISIT AND EXPLORE IN JHALAWAR

THE LAND OF WOODED HILLS AND VALLEY

 separate area carved out of the beautiful region of Kota, Baran is located further in the Hadoti province of Rajasthan. A traveller’s dream, Baran is the land of picturesque wooded hills and valleys, where one can stumble upon old ruins that tell stories of an era long gone. The city is known for its Ram- Sita temples, serene picnic spots and vibrant tribal fairs and festivals.
The history of Baran dates back to the 14th century when Solanki Rajputs ruled over the region. In 1949, Baran became the head-divisional quarter of Kota when Rajasthan was reconstituted. It became an established district of Rajasthan in 1991.Baran is popular for attracting tourists who prefer exploring the non-commercial aspects of the State. Its architectural marvels, a beautiful collection of temples dedicated to Ram and Sita and mighty fortresses add to Baran’s natural beauty.

THE CITY OF GRANITE AND GRANDEUR.

Famed for its numerous quarries, Jalore has risen to prominence for producing some of the finest granite in the world. Originally a small town, industrial growth has helped Jalore grow by leaps and bounds in recent times.
The ‘tope khana’ or cannon foundry at Jalore Fort is the foremost tourist attraction of Jalore and it provides stunning views of the city. The city is also famed for the Sundha Mata Temple which was built around 900 years ago and is sacred to the devotees of goddess Chamunda Devi.

Believed to be founded in the 8th century AD, Jalore was originally called Jabalipur in honour of the saint Maharishi Jabali. The town was also known as Swarngiri, after the hill at the foot of which it is situated. Over the centuries a number of clans ruled over Jalore including the Gurjara Pratiharas, the Parmars and the Chauhans until the city was captured and destroyed by the Sultan of Delhi, Ala-Ud-Din-Khilji. After 4 centuries the city was finally restored back to the rulers of Marwar in 1704.

HOME TO INDIA’S LARGEST SALT WATER LAKE

Nagaur is located in the north western Marwar region of Rajasthan. It is an area with a forest belt of thorn scrubs that circles the Thar Desert. It’s surrounded by Churu District in the north, Bikaner District from the northwest andSikar District in the northeast. Pali lies in the south and Jodhpur District to the southwest and west. Jaipur is located on its east, while Ajmer is in the southeast. In the south eastern stretch of this district lies the magnificent Aravalli Range while India’s largest salt lake, ‘Sambhar Lake’ lies at the southwestern corner of the district.

This city was known as Jangladesh in Mahabharata era. Its fort stands testament to the great battles and rulers who fought them. This town was granted to Raja Amar Singh Rathore by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Nagas, Chauhans, Rathores, Mughals and even the British laid claim on this city. The dargah of Sufi saint Hamiduddin Chisti Faruqui Nagauri, one of the chief disciples of Khwaja Moinuddin, is also located here. Nagaur is also the birthplace of Saint Poetess Meera Bai and Abul Fazal.