JAIPUR:Jaipur dressed itself in pink to welcome Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria and earned the epitaph PINK CITY' . The ancient forts and palaces create a dramatic picture replete with images of a bygone era and gives a stunning backdrop to the city. Jaipur, with its colourful bazaars (markets), festivals and fairs throbs with life.

KOTA: The main point of attraction here is the fort which houses the museum and has some elaborately painted chambers. There are other prominent buildings from the early days and some built in the beginning of the 20th century like Jagmandir, Brij vilas palace. Kota abounds in lakes and gardens, thanks to the presence of Chambal river.

PUSHKAR: Located just 11 kms. from Ajmer, the holy lake of Pushkar is believed to have been created by Lord Brahma himself. It is as important as Benaras or Puri. Devout Hindus believe that it is essential to visit Pushkar at least once in their lifetime. it is also the venue of one of the country's most colorful cattle fairs - the Pushkar Fair.

JAISALMER: Rising from the heart of the Thar Desert like a golden mirage is the city of Jaisalmer. This captivating sandy outpost has been called the Golden City because of the honey colour imparted to its stone ramparts. Its desert fort, which resembles a gigantic sand castle, is straight out of The Arabian Nights. Centuries ago, Jaisalmer's strategic position on the camel train routes between India and Central Asia brought it great wealth.

JODHPUR: Jodhpur is affectionately referred to as the 'Blue City' because of the indigo coloured houses in the old town The lifestyle in Jodhpur is unusually fascinating with folks wearing lovely multihued costumes artistically designed.

MANDAWA: In the heart of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan lies the beautiful small town Mandawa, known throughout the state for its forts and havelis.

MOUNT ABU: The only hill station in Rajasthan, Mount Abu is more than just a summer retreat. Its stunning array of exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples, dating back 11th- 13th centuries, make it a popular pilgrimage centre.

AJMER: Situated in the green oasis wrapped in the barren hills has been a witness to an interesting past. Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage center for the Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti,which is equally revered by the Hindus and Muslims.

UDAIPUR : The white city built around the azure waters of crystal clear lake Pichola, is popularly known as the city of lakes. It has another sobriquet to its credit - "the Venice of the East." Its intricately carved temples, majestic palaces and lush green surroundings all contribute to making it a much sought after destination. Added to this the place is also culturally very rich.

RANAKPUR :The extreamly beautiful Ranakpur complex is situated in the remote and peaceful Arravali valley. One of the most important, and biggest, jain temple in India is in Ranakpur.

RAJASTHAN GEO DETAILS AND INTRO:
Situated in northwestern India is the colorful state of Rajasthan, bordered on the north and northwest by Pakistan, on the northeast by Punjab and Haryana, on the east by Uttar Pradesh, on the east and southeast by Madhya Pradesh, and on the southwest by Gujarat.
Area: 342,239 Sq km
Capital: Jaipur
Climate: Mostly dry with extreme temperatures
Winter- 8° to 28° C
Summer- 25° to 46° C
Average rainfall also varies; the western deserts accumulate about 100 mm (about 4 in) annually, while the southeastern part of the state receives 650 mm (26 in) annually, most of which falls from July through September during the monsoon season.
Population (1997 estimates): 50 million Spread About 70 percent of the population lives in the eastern and south-eastern regions.
Religion(s): Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs
Language: Spoken Hindi and associated dialects
Literacy: 20.43 percents

Rajasthan is the land of desert, the land of palaces, colourful people, the home of warriors. Immensely rich in culture, history and natural beauty it attracts tourists from all parts of the world.
Its a land of contrast with desert and lakes, gardens and hilly regions which are a pleasure to the eye.
Each city of this magnificient state has still kept alive its rich and vibrant culture which are echoed by the colourful and lively people, festivals and dance and music and the bazaars that are held in the city, also its past glory is experienced through the impressive forts and palaces.

Another exciting experience for a traveller is camel, horse or elephant rides which are very native to this place. Apart form this the state has many beautiful temples and monuments, and also some of the finest parks and sanctuaries are located here. It is a Shopper and Gourmet paradise with lovely and ethnic handicrafts and mouth watering delicacies it has to offer. The setting sun showers a golden light upon the fine sands of the desert. And this is about time when Rajasthani folklore is out to captivate the tourist's attention with some gorgeous traditional wear accompanied by soul stirring Maand or the like(variety of ragas in the Rajasthani music). All this leaves the visitor in complete tranquil and a state of fulfillment. The rich cultured and colourful Rajasthan has to offer a lively atmosphere to the tourist.

CUISINE : The state of Rajasthan is very well known for the delicacies it prepares. Dating back to the times when Royal Palaces were present, food was very serious business and raised to the level of an art-form. Hundreds of cooks worked in the stately palaces and and passed their recipes to their heir. The monthly budget ran into lakhs of rupees and the royal guests were treated to such delicacies as stuffed camels, goats, pigs and peacocks….it was perfectly normal to have live pigeons and other birds fly out of elaborately decorated dishes. Serving unusual dishes to guests was a regular feature and royal cooks were encouraged to experiment. The tales of how cooks tried to impress their guests by presenting at least one unforgettable item on the menu have now become legends. Food was served in gold and silver utensils and the number of dishes at one meal ran into hundreds. It was usually never possible to taste all the delicacies served. Even in the present times, one can witness about the same variety in a Rajasthani wedding. The finest cooking in India was derived from the Mughals and did influence the royal kitchens of India, as did European cooking. But the common man's kitchen remained untouched, more so in Rajasthan. Cooking here has its own unique flavour and the simplest of ingredients go into the preparation of most delicacies. As Rajasthani cooking was influenced by the war-like lifestyle of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this region, food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice.
Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on the cooking. In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks make minimum use of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. Dried lentils, beans from indigenous plants like sangri, ker, etc. are liberally used. Gram flour is a major ingredient here and is used to make some of the delicacies like khata, gatta ki sabzi, pakodi, powdered lentils are used for mangodi, papad. Bajra and corn is used all over the state for preparations of rabdi, kheechdi and rotis. Various chutneys are made from locally available spices like turmeric, coriander, mint and garlic. Perhaps the best known Rajasthani food is the combination of dalbati and churma but for the adventurous traveller, willing to experiment, there is a lot of variety available. Besides spicy flavours, each region is distinguished by its popular sweets-laddoos from Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, Malpuas from Pushkar, Jalebies from most big cities, Rasogullas from Bikaner, Dil Jani from Udaipur, Mishri Mawa and Ghevar from Jaipur, Mawa Katchori from Jodhpur, Sohan Halwa from Ajmer, Mawa from Alwar…… the list is unending. Most people from Rajasthan have a natural liking for sweets (or Mithai as is called) and people residing in Rajasthan prefer Jalebis and Fafda with a large glass of hot milk in the morning.

SHOPPING: The colorful state of Rajasthan offers much more than a visitors paradise to the tourist. Shopping in Rajasthan is a must. And one must not miss the Bandhani and pottery and also the variety of articles in stone, clay, leather, wood, ivory, lac, glass, brass, silver, gold and also textiles found in various regions.
Carpets and Durries - Woolen carpets made in Persian style and cotton durries made in geometrical motifs can be bought from Bikaner and Jaipur.
Textiles - Rajasthani textiles are not to be missed and they come in fascinating range of dyed and block-printed fabric which are further embellished by embroidery. Each region has its own special colour scheme, design and technique. Hand-block printed textiles are best bought from townships of Sanganer and Bagru near Jaipur .
Bandhej - A type of textile famous from rajasthan,the best bandhej comes from Sikar and Jodhpur
Tie-and-dye textiles, called bandhani are an important Rajasthani craft. Different methods are used to tie the fabric into small points and produce various patterns like lehariya, mothda, ekdali and shikari. Best places from where Bandhani can be bought are Jaipur, Barmer, Pali, Udaipur and Nathdwara.
Zari work is also a speciality of Rajasthan and one should not forget to buy a saree or material having Zari embroidery on it.
Paintings - Anyone who is found of paintings should not miss out Rajasthani paintings which can broadly be classified as Wall, Cloth and Miniature Paintings.
Wall Painting - Walls and ceilings embellished with colourful paintings are a common sight in Rajasthan. Even huts have intricate mandanas on them. Some of the finest frescos adorn the havelis of the Shekhawati region and the ancient towns of Bundi and Kota. And some of the most humorous on the walls of houses tucked away in the lanes of Jaisalmer.
Cloth Paintings - They include the phad (scroll paintings illustrated with episodes of folk legends that the Bhopas narrate) and the pichwai (cloth hangings used behind the deity in Vaishnava temples such as the temple of Shrinathji at Nathdwara). Done in bright colours with bold outlines, these paintings have strong religious traditions.
Miniature Paintings - Different schools of this fascinating art have flourished here since the 16th century, each with its own distinctive style. The Kishangarh school is best known for its Bani Thani paintings. A totally different style with highly exaggerated features - long necks, large almond-shaped eyes, long fingers and the use of subdued colours.The verdant greenery of the Kota-Bundi region is reflected in the paintings of that region. The rulers of Amer-Jaipur were the closest to the Mughals and a strong Mughal influence crept into their paintings.
Jewellery - Rajasthan became famous for its jewellery industry from very early times, being an important source of precious and semi-precious stones such as emerald, garnet, agate, amethyst, topaz and lapiz lazuli. Though Jaipur is internationally renowned for its exquisite Kundan (the art of setting precious stones in gold) and meena (enamel) jewellery, meenakari is also done in Nathdwara near Udaipur. Lac and glass bangles are a special attraction of Rajasthan and are made in a variety of colours and designs in Jaipur and Jodhpur. Silver is commonly worn by rural women and one can pick up old tribal silver jewellery as well.
Pottery - Clay is extensively used for making pots, dolls and other objects. Brush-painted images of folk divinities are sold in village fairs during festive times such as Gangaur, Teej and Diwali. Jaipur is the home of glazed blue-pottery, which has its origin in Persia. Vases, flower pots, bowls, water pots and other objects are produced in traditional geometrical and floral motifs, as well as hand-painted details of Rajasthani legends.
Leather Articles - Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer and Jaisalmer are traditionally known for their footwear. Incredibly comfortable and sturdy, the jootis have artistically embroidered uppers. Leather is also an essential raw material for making musical instruments, especially percussion instruments (such as the tabla and dhol) and the stringed instruments (like kamaycha) used by Rajasthani folk musicians. Bikaner is known for its painted lampshades, shields and vases made from camel hide. Designer hand-bags, purses, belts, hats, stools and collapsible chairs with graphic emroideries from Tilonia village near Ajmer also make a good buy.
Wood Articles - Small carved wooden chests and boxes with brass inlay and laquer work are the some of the most popular items, together with sandalwood statues. For those who don't mind the extra bulk, there also is a wide range of grand furniture, reminiscent of the royal era. Tilonia (near Ajmer) furniture also stands out for its fine emroidery work done on leather. As also the extravagantly carved furniture from Barmer region.
Puppets - Puppets or kathputlis is a lovely thing that can be bought from Rajasthan. It can add a lively charm to a dull room.

MUSEUMS
A museum represents a collection of the history and culture of a place that represent the beautiful reminiscents of the history that has given shape to the present of the place. One can take a look at the following places:
Dolls Museum (Jaipur)
Jodhpur Museum
Rao Madho Singh Museum (Kota)
The Government Museum (Kota)
Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum (Udaipur)
Government Museum (Alwar)
Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum (Bikaner)
Government Museum (Bharatpur)
Bramha Kumaris Spiritual University and Museum (Mt Abu)
Museum & art Gallery (Mt Abu)