Delhi-
Delhi is the capital of India. It was from here that Hindu, Muslim, and
Mughal dynasties, as well as the British ruled. The modern treasures we
will see are the house of parliament, president's house, Qutab Minar and
India gate a memorial to India's soldiers. We will also visit the Hindu
temple Birla Mandir and the fabulous red fort, a fortified palace built
by shah Jahan. the gateway of the India, the bustling old city of Delhi
with its Mughal fort contrasts with Lutyens's spacious and elegant new
Delhi, a 20th-century capital for the jewel in the crown of the British
empire and now the capital of the largest democracy in the world.
Jodhpur-
Jodhpur is one of the great desert kingdoms of old. This is the former
capital of Marwar state which was founde d by Rae Jodha who claimed descent
from lord Rama(the hero of the epic Ramayana). The massive fort---Mehrangarh---came
first and around it grew the city Jodhpur protected by a high stone wall
with seven gates and countless bastions. The two 
most
memorable stops here are the Mehrangarh fort and the Umaid Bhawan palace.
The fort is very impressive spreading over 5 km. And looking down from
about a height of about 125 meters. It holds a wonderful museum full of
artifacts from the past maharajas. The Umaid Bhawan an palace is the only
palace to be built in the 20th century, it was meant to be a famine relief
project which gave employment to citizens for sixteen long years. An impressive
sandstone structure, the palace is today run as a hotel while a part of
it is still retained by the royal family.
Pokaran-
The junction where the Jaisalmer-Bikaner and Jaisalmer- Jodhpur roads split
is the site for another magnificent Rajasthan fortress. The yellow sandstone
fort rises from the yellow desert sands and shelters a tangle of narrow
streets with balconies houses decorated with parrots, elephants, and Rajasthan's
inevitable peacocks. The usually quiet town springs to life at it's annual
cattle fair. In Pokaran you will also find wonderful mud pottery unique
to India. It is a simple
style that is decorated
by white and blue paint.
Jaisalmer-
Much has been written about Jaisalmer but nothing can prepare the visitor
for the sheer magic and brilliance of this desert city. Very few cities
can boost of the magnificence which surrounds Jaisalmer. Here is a fort
that seems to rise out of the desert haze, , it's yellow sandstone walls
and bastions takes on a golden hue in the afternoon sun. Over the years
the remote location of Jaisalmer kept it almost untouched by outside influences
and during the days of the British "Raj", Jaisalmer was the last to sign
the instrument of agreement with the British. This remote desert citadel
is today famous for it's carved Havelies, its cobbled streets and its ancient
Jain temples.
Shri
Badriya- This temple's story lies in it's Baba or priest, Baba Shri
Bhadariya Maharaj. This Baba went to the Himalayas for two years in search
of inner peace he later returned to the desert and meditated for nine years
without food or drink. He then emerged to found this temple where many
have come to know him as a powerful and even magical mentor. You may even
have the chance to shortly met him even though he meets nearly two hundred
visitors a day. There is also a huge underground library where many devotees
start intense research into religious studies.
Lake
Gadisar- This was the sole source of water for the inhabitants of
Jaisalmer
and also for the camel caravans of old. There is a Krishna temple located
on a bank of the river and it is a prime location to see the sunset.
Bhikhodai-
This wonderful desert village is our base for all the camel safaris we
offer. Here the people live as their ancestors did. They are very warm
and welcoming. Located in the heart of the Thar desert you will come into
the India which has not been changed for centuries.
Camel
safari- The people of the desert have been using the camel for years
now; sometimes it is their only means to transport and no man can think
of surviving in the Thar desert without the hardy camel. Started some years
ago, the camel safari takes the tourist through the villages of Thar desert
where there is ample opportunity to gain the first hand experience of the
rustic environment, admire the real Rajasthan and mingle with the local
villagers. The ride can be exhausting but the thrill of this safari has
made it quite popular with tourists.
Nakoda
temple- This is one of the holy sites for
worshippers of the Jain faith. There is
an
Asharam located here where you will have the opportunity to share a meal
and find out about the history of this religion which has it's roots in
Hinduism.
Udaipur
This
is the world famous City of Lakes. Nestled in a valley of the Aravalli
Mountains. There are two lakes in this city. It is known as the most romantic
city in the state of Rajasthan. There is a great marketplace located here,
you are sure to find some treasures to bring home with you.
Ranakpur-
Ranakpur is one of the five main holy places of the Jain community. These
500 years old temples are in good condition. The main temple is dedicated
to the first Jain saint, extensive in architecture, is located in a quite
and picturesque valley, deep in the Aravalies, has 1444 pillars, 80 domes
and 29 halls. No two pillars are same and are very beautiful carved.
Kumbhalgarh-
Built
by Rana Kumbha in the mid-15th century, this is the one of the most important
forts of the Mewar region. Covering an area of 12 sq. km, this fort fell
only once to the army of Akbar and that was because the water supply of
the fort was contaminated by the enemy forces. Even today the fort is reached
with some difficulties so it's inaccessibility when it was built can be
imagined. It served as a refuge for the rulers of Mewar in times
of strife. The fort lies 1,100 meters above sea level and enclosed within
its fortified ramparts are palaces , temples, fields, water sources and
farms - fully self contained to withstand a long siege. Kumbhal Garh provides
an excellent view of the countryside where many fierce battles were fought.
It also has the significance of being the birth place of Maharana Pratap.
Pushkar-
11
km west of Ajmer, Pushkar is sacred to the Hindus. The lake at Pushkar
is believed to have been created by Lord Brahma himself and has the same
sanctity for Hindus as Mansarover in Tibet. No pilgrimage is complete without
a visit to Pushkar. For most believers it is essential to visit Pushkar
at least once in their lifetime. Today, there are as many as 400 temples
in Pushkar and the lake is circled by
52 Ghats built over the years by several kings and nobles. The most important
temples are dedicated to lord Brahma, Shiva, Badri Narayan, Varaha, Gayatri
and Savitri. The important Ghats Are the Varaha, Brahma and Gau. Pushkar
is also the site for one of the largest cattle fair in the world, the sleepy
little town is taken over by hundreds of thousands of animals and visitors.
This is the most colorful animal fair in the world. Pushkar camel fair
is also well-known and marked with the largest participation of all the
festivals of Rajasthan, Pushkar is an important Pilgrimage as well as the
venue of a mammoth cattle fair.Bazaars, auctions, music and sports are
highlights of this event.
Shekhawati-
Shekhawati
is known most for it's exquisite frescoes that adorn the walls and ceilings
of the buildings there. It is an open
Air
art gallery. No other region, anywhere in the world has such a large Concentration
of frescoes. This is all the more interesting as the landscape here is
totally bare- flat and colorless. What is quite unusual here is the range
of themes to be found on the walls; mythological frescoes are interspersed
with influences of western paintings. Cars, trains, airplanes, ships and
telephones, Foreigners in hats, suits and gowns have been painted just
as painstakingly as gods, local heroes scenes from lord Krisna's life.
Jhunjhunun
Jaipur-
One
of the most important magnets for visitors to India, the " pink city "
of Jaipur and nearby amber fort. Visitors can find all the exotic majesty
of the Indian princely states ruled until recently by the bejeweled, 
Elephant
riding maharajas. This city was considered a marvel of town planning and
drew the peace loving merchants and craftsmen to it's wide streets and
Mohalls which were earmarked for them. Traditional crafts like jewelry,
metalwork, enameling, tie dye, stone carving, pottery, leather work and
miniature painting patronized by the rulers in the 18th century still continue
to thrive to this day. It is a city with a timeless quality to it, a city
where the ancient and the modern coexist in complete harmony. The palace
of winds "Hawa Mahal" is a remarkable structure which overlooks one of
the main streets and also provides some excellent views of the city. In
the not-too-distant past, ladies of the court found it convenient to watch
the activities on the streets below without being observed themselves.
Dedicated to lord Krishna, it is shaped like a Mukut, or crown, which adorns
the lord's head. It has over 900 ninches and is quite an unusual structure
the likes of which are not to be found anywhere else.
Silisherh-
The
most popular picnic spot, built as a summer retreat, it is a 
delightful
little palace set in a picture postcard location. Overlooking a tranquil
lake and surrounded by hills. Siliserh is a perfect point for a quite and
peaceful holiday.
Sariska-
Sariska
provides many fascinating spots for lovers of
wildlife
as well as those interested in art and archaeology. The Sariska tiger reserve
and national park is one of the few forested areas in the Aravalli Hills
and has a good population of sambhar, nilgai, chinkara, cheetah, leopard,
wild boar, jackal and tiger. Birds include parakeet, gray partridge, crested
serpent eagle, babbles and bulbuls. Within the sanctuary are several interesting
spots like Pandu Pol, Hanuman, Buddha and Nilkanth Mahadev "Shiva" temples.
Bharatpur-
Bharatpur
holds an important place in the history of Rajasthan. It is a small but
busy town. The Lohagarh fort "iron fort" is very different from any other
fort in Rajasthan. The most interesting point to visit is Keoladeo Ghana
national park. This 29 sq. km park is one of the world's greatest Heronries.
Its shallow, fresh water marsh attracts thousands of migratory birds. Over
10,000 nests of egrets, darters, cormorants, gray herons and Storks hatch
nearly 20,000 to 30,000 chicks every year.
Taj-Mahal-
Agra
holds the Taj Mahal, the essence of romantic India.
The
Taj was Shahjahan's homage to Mumtaz-i-mahal, his favorite queen who died
bearing their fourteenth child in 1629; it took 22 years to build and it's
said that Shahjahan planned a black marble counterpart for himself just
across the river. Alarmed at the further depletion of his inheritance
Aurangzeb
locked up his father in the red fort and seven years later buried him in
the Taj beside his beloved Mumtaz. Note how in all these tombs the occupants
are buried, in accordance with Muslim law, seven inches underground.
On
all higher levels there is a replica of each tombstone so that no-one shall
walk over the grave.
Thar
desert
