Essence
Author: Anothertravelguide.com0 COMMENTS
Squalor, poverty, cows wandering among cars, beggars, illnesses, Taj Mahal, snake charmers, curry, outrageously magnificent palaces, ramshackle fortresses and women in bright-coloured saris: that's a few of the stereotypes that come to mind thinking of Rajasthan and India in general. And it's deceptive, like so many others.
Although, thanks to its history and splendid architecture, Rajasthan is one of the most popular destinations in India, you only have to take a couple of steps off the beaten path to discover something new and at least seemingly undiscovered. India is a miracle that never ceases to surprise. Where its scope, variety and feel are concerned, it is more like a separate continent than just a country. It is a place to come back to again and again only to realise that it is impossible to get to know during a single lifetime
In the pre-independence era - during the British Raj or until 1947 - there were 18 kingdoms in Rajasthan. The main source of income for most maharajas was originally taxes collected from the merchants who travelled from Pakistan to India via the Thar Desert. They spent their wealth quite extravagantly by building splendid marble and stone palaces and fortresses with countless courtyards, gardens and fountains. Part of them have been transformed into the so-called heritage hotels, each of them renovated more skilfully and lavishly than the next one. To an extent it has also been a matter of survival for the descendants of the royal families: in post-independence India local rajas lost the greatest part of their privileges and many found themselves unable to maintain their properties. The dilapidated buildings were either sold for ridiculously small sums of money or turned into hotels; some ghost palaces still remain silently looming on hilltops, awaiting their chance of a new life. By the way, the hot desert climate of Rajasthan has also been of great help in preserving the unique architecture.
Rajasthan is one of the most colourful Indian states: you won't see saris of such vivid and vibrant colours anywhere else (and they stand out beautifully against the backdrop of the surrounding desert landscape). Even each city has a colour of its own: Jodhpur is blue and Jaipur is pink: the maharaja Ram Singh ordered to paint it in honour of the visiting Prince of Wales, the later King Edward VII, pink being a colour of hospitality. And if there is one thing Rajasthan has in abundance, it's definitely hospitality. You will be received with great dignity: not a trace of servility.
Reviewed by Una Meistere
SHARE:
ABOUT US • CONTACTS • RSS • FOLLOW US: 
ENG LAT
© anothertravelguide.com 2015
Anothertravelguide.com is an internet resource for independent travellers. All addresses listed on anothertravelguide.com - hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. have been tested and evaluated by our authors. All opinions are subjective and anothertravelguide.com takes no responsibility if any of these locations don't live up to your personal expectations, taste or mood, or has undergone serious changes since visited by authors and experts of anothertravelguide.com.