Traveling to India is something that we should all do once in a lifetime. Its landscapes, its smells and colors, its people, its nature, its traditions, its palaces, its history…there are many reasons for us to make a trip to India . And one of the unavoidable visits on this trip is Rajasthan.
Rajasthan, a territory of marajás, palaces and jungles, was the home of the Rajputas, warrior princes, who were vassals of the Mongols and the Persians. We find here an enormous desert, a natural border between India and Pakistan, and an extension of dunes and scrub, with villages of adobe houses and walls decorated with floral and geometric paintings.
Only in this region do you have enough palaces and fortresses to lose yourself for two weeks, between mustaches, turbans and marble delicacies. Visiting these must see places in Rajasthan can be done comfortably by using a Taxi Service in Jodhpur or Jaipur and travel all around Rajasthan, enjoying the breath taking views along the way.
Udaipur
Romantic fantasy also known as the “City of Lakes” or the “Venice of the East” because it has several lakes and a spectacular palace on an islet, which today houses a luxurious Hotel. A city built around Lake Pichola where you will fall in love with the palaces of the Thousand and One Nights and the temples whose silhouettes are reflected in the waters of the lake. In Udaipur we can also enjoy the bazaars where we can buy the most elaborate handicrafts . Must-sees are the City Palace, the Lake Palace and the Garden of the Maidens .
Jaipur
One of the most important visits to do in Rajasthan . Jaipur, also known as the Pink City due to the color of the buildings in the oldest part of the city, is home to such majestic places as the Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds . Built by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, this beautiful place served for the women of the Maharaja’s harem to see how daily life went on in the streets of the city without being seen.
Jaisalmer
The city of gold founded around the fort built in the Thar desert in 1156, was mainly a military post. Its geographical location allowed the city to control the main trade routes to Arabia and North Africa. It experienced increasing prosperity that attracted wealthy merchants. They built sumptuous houses, sandstone dwellings, which give it its nickname.
The best thing about Jaisalmer for fans of the real thing is:
Desert Festival. January or February. Mister desert and his mustache.
jodhpur
The blue city was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha at the gateway to the Thar desert. This city was then on the Silk Road and therefore received a large number of travellers. The old town is surrounded by a 10 km long wall with seven gates. It still occupies a key geostrategic position today due to its proximity to Pakistan. Some essentials: Meherangarh Fort This majestic and impressive citadel dominates the city from the top of a 120 m high hill. Some walls are more than 5 m thick and more than 20 m high. The Jaswant Thada This white marble cenotaph was erected in 1899 in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Portraits of some Jodhpur leaders are visible inside. A day tour of Jodhpur is a perfect way to explore this beautiful city.
Pushkar
Also located at the gates of the desert, Pushkar is a sacred city of Hinduism , one of the oldest in India. About 400 temples and shrines around a lake, with the stairs called ghats, used by Hindus to submerge themselves for the purification bath.
According to legend, in the Puranas (sacred texts of Hinduism) Vishnu would have appeared at the Varah Ghat in the form of a boar and Brahma would have made a sacrifice.
In addition, the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were submerged at the bottom of the Gau Ghat.
At night, worshipers place oil lamps on trays in the water: a spectacular view of the lake at sunset.
In this city we can attend another unique event: the Camel Fair. Now already known worldwide in October or November. Basically a royal cattle fair (or mela), considered one of the largest on the Asian continent, and which still retains its medieval style and various attractions that make it unique.
Camels, horses, herders, and cattle dealers stream into the city for the first few days, camping on the surrounding dunes. Normally, these people make long trips that can even last up to three weeks.
Farmers and nomads also arrive on foot from all over the country, either on horseback or in ox-drawn carts. There are others, the most comfortable, who prefer to arrive by tractor.
Other things to see in Rajasthan
Other things to see and more tips for traveling to Rajasthan and surroundings besides exuberant architecture:
Ranthambore National Park near Jaipur railway station, about 120km, is one of the largest parks in India and one of the best for tiger spotting.
Temple of the rats , enter the Karni Mata barefoot, which owes its name to a wise Hindu warrior. It is 30km from Bikaner.
Motorcycle Temple : Get closer to the incredible story of Om Banna and his motorcycle, an old Royal Enfield from the 1980s that is now worshiped and venerated in his own temple in India, 50km from Jodhpur.
The Chand Baori is an incredible stepped well built over a thousand years ago in Abhaneri, in the Rajasthan region. It is one of the largest wells in the world and also one of the most beautiful.
