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A place as diverse as Rajasthan is an enigma to
most. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Where the heck
is Rajasthan and what is it like?
Bordering Pakistan on the west, Rajasthan is the
north-western state of India and has an area of 0.342 million sq.
kms. The Aravalli range runs from south-west to north-east and
divides Rajasthan into two different regions. The western part is
the Great Indian Desert "Thar" and the eastern comprises
semi-arid as well as fertile green plains. The principal languages
are Rajasthani and Hindi, but English is widely understood.
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What's
the climate like and when's the best time to visit?
Extremes. Very hot during summers (May to July)
and cool to chilly in winters (November to February), with brief
monsoonal rains during July and August. Typical of the desert,
even during summers the nights are quite cool.
The best time to visit is between October and
April.
However, of late, tourist arrivals have also
increased in summers primarily because the off-season discounts
are substantial. Moreover, since the hotel rooms, tourist buses &
cars are air-conditioned, one feels the sun's glare only while
sightseeing or shopping. But then who doesn't mind a good tan on
the move!
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What
should I carry?
Cool cottons for daywear, Light woolens for the
evenings (a warm jacket if you plan to spend a night on the sand
dunes), a couple of pairs of shoes, shorts, sunglasses, anti sun
tanning lotion, camera and... lots of time and film rolls.
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So Rajasthan is
attractive. But what about its access?
Rajasthan is easily accessible in India. Well
connected by air, rail and road, the capital city of Jaipur is
only 258 kms. from New Delhi, India’s capital. New Delhi has
an International Airport served by important airlines of the world
and the embassies of almost all nations are located here.
Rajasthan has four domestic airports at Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur
and Jaisalmer. A good network of Roads and Rails make Rajasthan
highly accessible. Jaipur and other cities are also well connected
with Mumbai by rail and air.
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I’m
very particular about my kind of food. I think I’ll
face such problems.
Rajasthan is a tourism-oriented state. At almost
all places there are good restaurants serving Indian, Continental
and Chinese cuisine.
Italian, French and Mexican dishes are easy to find.
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Rajasthan
is famous for its palaces of ultimate luxury. Can I stay
there like a Maharaja?
Perhaps, Rajasthan has the maximum number of
palaces converted into Hotels where a
guest can find the luxuries only a Maharaja (King ) could boast
of. There are a few palace hotels which are internationally
renowned for their splendor and opulence like the sprawling
Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace in
Jaodhpur and the beautiful Lake Palace in Udaipur. The Palaces are
equipped with acres of Gardens, Swimming pools, Receration
centres, Billiards, Golf courses, Polo grounds, Luxury suites,
Royal courtyards, Royal welcome, Elephants, Camels, Horses and a
lot of other Royal Comforts. There is even a luxury train, Palace
on Wheels for the tourists!
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Can
I stay in the desert and explore on my own like in a safari?
Rajasthan is famous for its desert safaris on
Camels, Elephants, Horses and Jeeps. There is no definite routine
in a safari. The tourists are allowed to explore on their own. Of
course, there are a lot of things to explore. The tourists may
find on the way ruined fortresses and temples, isolated tiny
desert villages, herds of animals, water source, sand dunes,
solitary bastions and castles and a lot of other things. Very good
arrangements are done for the stay in the desert in tents where
one can experience the cool pleasure of night over the sands.
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Why
do the men wear turbans in Rajasthan?
There are climatic and social reasons for this
factor. Rajasthan remains hot during the days especially from May
to September. People working out during the day under the sun wear
turbans to protect themselves
from heatstrokes.
The people consider turban as a symbol of
prestige and pride. Anything which is kept over the head holds in
itself a lot of sanctity. The colour, size and style of a person’s
turban convey a lot about his social ranking.
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A lot of
fairs & festivals (hundreds in numbers) are held in
Rajasthan. Any particular reason?
The culture in Rajasthan is predominantly
medieval. Fairs and Festivals act as
important mode of socializing, meeting, trading, travelling and
entertainment. People from far off places come alongwith their
cattle to attend such fairs. The Fairs are generally held at some
pilgrimage place to mark some holy & auspicious day.
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The Havelis and
mansions in Rajasthan have a lot of Jharokhas (balconies),
Trellis, and very small windows. Why?
The sun is overcast all through the year in
Rajasthan. Jharokhas are made to let the people sit in there and
have the cool breeze inside. Intricately carved stone trellis are
put to obstruct the sunrays and at the same time keep the free
flow of cool air. Big windows bring a lot of heat inside, hence
they are avoided.
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