TOURIST SPOTS IN RAJASTHAN

Ajmer :- This city is as old as turbulent history. It is linked to Delhi, Agra, Ahamedabad, Mount Abu, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaipur through main highways. It was the capital along with Delhi of Chauhan'era. After the defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan at the hand of Mohd. Ghori(1193), it rendered to many invasion and gory battles. It is a great center of pilgrimage for Hindus and Muslims that gives a genuine amalgam.

In the heart of city, is the dargah of KHWAJA MOIN-ud-DIN CHISTI, `DARGAH SHARIF'-probably the most important Muslim Shrine in the India-Sub-Continent with tens of thousands of pilgrims flocking here especially during the URS celebrations. it is the second Mecca/Madena, for the South Asian Muslims.

Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra :- 

These are ruins situated on the outskirts of the town. Legend says that the construction of this mosque took 2¹/₂ days in 1153. Originally, this was the Sanskrit College but, this was demolished by Mohd. Ghori along with the other temples and built a mosque. Pillars from at least thirty temples, must have gone into the making of this elegant monument. A great example of Indo-Islamic architecture.

Taragarh :

It is a fort 3 kms from the dargah and command a superb view over the city.

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Daulat Bagh :

A park on the banks of Ana Sagar having a series of marble pavilions erected in 1637 by Shah Jahan.

Pushkar

This small township and the sacred lake of Pushkar is II kms. away from Ajmer. The road to Pushkar winds through the Nag Pahar (Snake Mountain), leading to the ancient lake. According to religious texts this lake is supposed to have appeared miraculously when a lotus flower fell from the hands of Lord Brahma and dropped into this valley.

Pushkar lake, believed by the Hindus to be as old as creation, has been a place of pilgrimage through the centuries. Pushkar has stood witness to the procession of history from the time of Rama, the hero of the earliest Hindu epic the Ramayana, to Fa-Hien's accounts of Pushkar in the 4th century A.D. and to the time of the Muslim invasions.

There are 52 bathing ghats, built around the lake. The water around each ghat is supposed to have special powers. The Naga Kund is believed to give fertility, Roop Tirth beauty, Kapil Vyapi Kund water helps in curing leprosy and a dip in the Mnkand Muni Kund grant the boon of wisdom.

Annually on Kartik Pumima (the full moon day), the famous Pushkar fair is held. Devotees come to take a holy dip in the lake water. Folk dancers and folk musicians of different regions and culture come together to breathe new life into the town. Famous for it's camel fair which is held every year in November.

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Ranthambore National Park  

Ranthambore National Park is one of the best examples of the efforts in Project Tiger. It is located between Bharatpur and Kota near Sawai Madhopur. In the last census 27 tigers were counted. this park which provides a wonderful scenery is spread in the vast area of 400 sq. kms has a lot of lakes and rivers flowing through. On top of one of the inclined surfaces there is a well preserved Ranthambore Fort which was built in 10th century. A lot of ruins of pavilions, canopies can be found here. These were used by the maharajas for hunting. 

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KOTA

Kota is situated on the eastern banks of river Chambal.

City Palace and Fort :

This is one of the largest of complexes in the whole of Rajasthan.

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Rao Madho Singh Museum :

 Weapons, old costumes, stuffed beasts and very well preserved murals are the hallmark of this museum which is situated inside the city palace.

Jagmandir :

Constructed in 1346 lies the picturesque artificial tank, Kishore Sagar. In the middle of this tank, on a small island is the enchanting small palace of Jagmandir which was constructed in 1740 by a Maharani of Kota.

Brij Vilas Palace Museum :

It is near Kishore Sagar and has a collection of Stone idols and other fragments. These are mainly from the archeological sites at Baroli and Jhalawar.

Chambal Gardens and Chatar Bilas Gardens :

Considered as good Picnic spots. Chambal gardens are famous for a pond which is full of crocodiles and gharials. While Chatar Bilas has a collection of impressive and royal cenotaphs.     

Shah-Jahan's Mosque :

This is the most beautiful of all the structure, in the Dargah Precinct. it is made of white marble, delicately carved with trellis-work.

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Kuchaman Fort

ALWAR

Emerging in the 18th century it is one of the first Rajput States to make friends with the British Empire.

Bala Qila :

This fort has five kilometers of ramparts and stands 300 mts above the city. This fort can only be visited by special permission. The palace complex below the fort has huge gates and tanks and a chain of ghats and pavilions.  

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BHARATPUR

Bharatpur is famous for it's Bird Sanctuary, the Keoladeo Ghanna National Park, which is Heritage-listed. October to February is when many migratory birds can be seen here. There are at least 415 kinds of birds which have been recorded here. Out of this 117 migrate from Siberia and China. Apart from being a wildlife rich city Bharatpur is also famous for it's Lohagarh Fort, which is said to be an 18th century fort and occupies the entire small artificial island in the center of the town. There are three palaces which are in decayed stage of which houses a museum whose exhibits include sculptures, paintings, weapons and animal trophies.

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DEEG     

The ancient town of Deeg is located 34 kms. form Bharatpur. It finds mention in Skanda Purana as Dirgha of Dirghapura. The place is now known for its famous palaces, gardens and fountains. The famous old fortress of Deeg, which contributed substantially in the making of the Jat principality, is now in shambles. Its formidable cannons now lie abandoned in the forlorn fort.

Deeg was the first capital of the newly carved out Jat state, when Badan Singh was proclaimed its ruler in 1722. The royal palace, built by Badan Singh, on the southern side of the garden is now called as Purana Mahal or the old palace. Deeg, because of its strategic location and proximity to Mathura and Agra was vulnerable to repeated attacks by invaders. In 1730, the Crown Prince Surajmal is reported to have erected the strong fortress with towering walls, bastions, a deep moat and high ramparts about 20 feet wide, in the southern portion of the town.

Although Surajmal shifted his capital to Bharatpur, his liking for Deeg did not diminish. He built elegant Bhawans clustered around a garden complex, with fountains in the front and enormous water bodies in the rear. The entire complex of places and gardens is marvel of engineering skill. The elegance of design and perfection of workmanship of these palaces is not seen elsewhere in India. The palaces form a quadrangle, in the centre of which is a garden, an oblong space of 145 meters by 107 meters, laid out with flower beds and fountains.

To the east and west are large masonry tanks, with another garden on the other side of the western tank beyond the buildings, forming the quadrangle. The building to the north is called the Nand Bhawan. The main building on the west is called Gopal Bhawan and is the largest of all palaces. On either side of the Gopal Bhawan are two smaller buildings, called the Sawan and Bhadon Bhawans. These building including the Gopal Bhawan command a view of the western tank and gardens beyond it. These three palaces, although single storey in the front, have in addition two more floors at the back. One of the storeys of these places is either partially or wholly submerged in water throughout the year.

On the southern side of the quadrangle are two places facing north. One of them, Suraj Bhawan, is built entirely of marble and is tastefully ornamented with stones of different colors. The other palace, built of grey sandstone, is called the Kishan Bhawan. One the roof of this place is a large water reservoir (41 mts x 32 mts. X 2 mts.) which feeds the fountains spread all over the garden. The reservoir was filled with water from two large wells. The engineering skill of this roof to hold such an enormous quantity of water has no parallel any where. James Fergussion in his History of Indian and Eastern Architecture says that the Deeg palaces have been built on a perfectly level plan and laid out with a regularity that would satisfy the most fastidious renaissance architect. The places lack the massive character of the fortified places of Rajput State but in grandeur of conception and beauty of details, they surpass them all.

These bhawans are built along the four sides of a garden. The Jat rulers of Deeg and Bharatpur were influenced by the grandeur of the Mughal courts of Agra and Delhi. They were keen on making their palaces better or at least equal to them. They brought all items like gates, stone slabs, beams, etc from Mughal areas and used them in the construction or decoration of the places. A fine marble swing was brought here as a war trophy by Raja Surajmal from the Mughal court of Delhi. Similarly, the black marble throne installed in front of Gopal bhawan is a trophy brought by Maharaja Jawahar Singh, who in 1764 A.D., secured it on his victory over Delhi.

This small town has massive fortifications and stunning palaces. The Maharaja Suraj Mahal's second capital also has an entire marble building which is his booty after he attacked the Red Fort in Delhi.

The Suraj Mahal's Palace (Gopal Bhawan), is one of India's most beautiful and proportioned buildings. The Maharajas were using it until the early 1970's, so the original furnishings can still be seen here.

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Rajasthan | Jaipur | Ajmer | Alwar | Bikaner | Bharatpur | Deeg | Jodhpur| Jaisalmer | Kota | Pushkar | Ranthambore | Wildlife | Hotels and Resorts | Shekhawati