Rajasthan is rightly called the land of palaces and forts. It is in some ways a fairytale land with people in colorful dresses and tales of valor and chivalry.
Rajasthan may be visited at any time of the year except during the harsh desert summer that lasts from the beginning of March till July.
Travel to Rajasthan may be a little hot by road, but by air it’s very comfortable and close to the capital of India, Delhi.
There are 3 airports, at Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. The Jaipur airport is international. There is an airport in the desert town of Jaisalmer that is open from 1st October to 31st March.
Comfortable, though slightly expensive, accommodation is available in all tourist centers. Rajasthan is the ultimate destination for the history buff, although there are other delights such as the tiger sanctuary at Ranthambore, the Kaldeo Ghana bird sanctuary at Bharatpur, and the great camel fair at Pushkar.
Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is replete with medieval monuments in distinctive pink sandstone, earning for it the sobriquet “Pink City”. Some of these are the Hawa Mahal, with its scores of jharokas (latticed windows), the City Palace, the Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory and the hilltop fort at Amber (pronounced Aamérr).
Tourists to Amber are advised not to carry any valuables, food or attractive trinkets in their hands lest they be snatched away by the bold and ubiquitous langur monkeys! Jaipur is also a center of blue pottery and richly embroidered dresses, many with mirror work on them. Jodhpur is another city of forts and monuments.
|