Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Land of Maharajahs and Gandhi, GUJARAT & RAJASTHAN


RAJASTHAN - THE LAND OF WARRIORS AND MAHARAJAS

Land of Kings, jewel of the Indian architectural heritage, and astonishing visual delight, Rajasthan is, by far, the most colorful state of India. Every city, like any other in the world, has its own traits and character. In the land of Maharajas, where the spice route, silk route and Mogul battles took place, some cities can be remarkably distinguished by their color. While Jaipur, the capital city and jewel of Rajasthan, was built of pink sandstone, the rarest color of its kind.
Jodhpur, a true mosaic of all shades of blue, was painted as such, to distinguish the homes of Brahmins, its largest population, from others. As if to blend into the desert of Thar, Jaisalmer dressed itself up in the same nuances of yellow. Udaypur, with its majestic palaces, its multitude of lakes, and houses painted in white, is the most elegant and lush city of them all.
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As picturesque as it can be, Rajasthan, famous for its gigantic forts, castles and intricately carved temples, is rife with contrasts of colors beyond imagination. Women dressed in saris of all colors, covered with semi-transparent veils in an infinite variety of tones, are sumptuously painted as if to amaze passers-by. It is no wonder, that kings made it their land, as we make it our playground today!
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Land of desert, where the oldest and once highest mountains in the world, have now passed-on their glory to the Himalayas. The Aravelis, now, no higher than hills, bow with modesty, making the Thar desert a land of oasis. The Aravelis, a country ruled by many Great Kings, is known for its fierce and fearless sword warriors, the Rajputs, for its stone carvings, and vast selection of semi-precious stones, for its most authentic gypsy music, and for its surreal atmosphere.

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