Jaipur, the largest city of Rajasthan is popularly known as Pink City. It was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, after whom the city has been named. The city today is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets and five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites and is an extremely popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.
Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan, located 335 kilometres (208 miles) west from the state capital, Jaipur and 200 kilometres from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the Jodhpur and the capital of the kingdom Marwar. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts, and temples. Jodhpur is known as the "Sun City" for the bright, sunny weather and is also referred to as the "Blue City" due to the blue-painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. The old city encircles the fort and is bounded by a wall with several gates although the city has expanded greatly outside the wall over the past several decades. Jodhpur lies near the geographic centre of Rajasthan, making it a convenient base for travel in the region.
Pushkar is a temple town, near Ajmer City and headquarters of Pushkar tehsil in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated about 10 km northwest of Ajmer and about 150 kilometres southwest of Jaipur. It is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Sikhs. Pushkar has many temples. It is famous for its annual fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) featuring a trading fete of cattle, horses and camels.
Mount Abu, located in Sirohi district, is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur and forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1,722 metres. It is referred as 'an oasis in the desert', as its heights are home to rivers, lakes and evergreen forests. The ancient name of Mount Abu is "Arbudaanchal" and is said to be original abode of the famous Gurjaras. The area has several Hindu and Jain temples. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctury covers major portions of the mountains. The Nakki Lake in the Achalgarh fort is a popular tourist attraction.
Jaisalmer, also nicknamed 'The Golden City', is located 575 km west from Jaipur. The city stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are perfectly sculptured. The city lies in the heart of the Thar Desert and is one of the driest places in India. The city is well connected to Delhi by roads and trains and hence can be easily visited by tourists. "Jaisalmer" means "The Hill Fort of Jaisal" and it is named after its founder Maharawal Jaisal Singh.
Udaipur, also known as the City of Lakes, is located 403 kilometres southwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Udaipur is the historic capital of the kingdom of Mewar in the former Rajputana Agency as Guhils clan ruled the Mewar. The city was founded by Maharana Uday Singh. Apart from its history, culture, and scenic locations, Udaipur is known for its palaces. The Lake Palace covers an entire island in the Pichola Lake and many of the palaces have been converted into luxury hotels.
Bikaner is located in the north-west of the state of Rajasthan. Bikaner city was founded by Rao Bika. Today it has developed into the fifth largest city in Rajasthan. It is famous for the Junagarh Fort which has the Laxmi Niwas Palace in its complex. There are many other temples and palaces in the fort complex. The Karni Mata Temple is in the vicinity of the city. Bikaner is famous for sweets and namkeens. The Royal Family of Bikaner still lives in Lalgarh Palace, which has been converted into a heritage hotel.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a state in northern India. It covers 342,239 square kilometres or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population.
