Tell about Rajasthan?

This state can be easily seen in various Bollywood movies and it is one of the much loved film shooting destination in Bollywood. Movies like Paheli, PK, Lamhe, Dor, Nanhe Jaisalmer etc were shot here.

They are the famous marwaris from Rajasthan. The people of Rajasthan are of course, a lot more than the popular marwari. The term marwari is used rather sweepingly over a diverse set of people.

Rajasthan not just houses architectural marvels but this state is also home to some of the famous religious sites including Karni Mata Temple in Udaipur, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti Dargah in Ajmer and Brahma Temple in Pushkar etc.

Equally famous are the Rajput chieftans of Rajasthan. These are the ones who built the grand forts, palaces and havelis of Rajasthan. History is replete with legends of their bravery, their romantic forays and their adventures. Local ballads sing songs of their valour and their sacrifices.

The state covers an area of 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4 percent of the total geographical area of India. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population.

Equally famous are the Rajput chieftans of Rajasthan. These are the ones who built the grand forts, palaces and havelis of Rajasthan. History is replete with legends of their bravery, their romantic forays and their adventures. Local ballads sing songs of their valour and their sacrifices.

Rajasthan comes alive with exuberant folk dances, melodious music and spectacular festivities.

Rajasthan is located on the northwestern side of India, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the "Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus river valley.

Typically, men still wear twirling moustaches and women adorn themselves in multihued costumes.

Elsewhere it is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest.

The people speak local dialects, and an old saying explains that the dialect and the men's turban change every 24 miles. The group of dialects spoken in Rajasthan is called Rajasthani.

Major features include the ruins of the Indus Valley Civilisation at Kalibanga; the Dilwara Temples, a Jain pilgrimage site at Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu, in the ancient Aravalli mountain range; and, in eastern Rajasthan, the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site known for its bird life.

Traditional Rajasthani music is very typical. The folk music has a very melodious and typically local flavour. Bards sing ballads of local heroes in this musical style

is has also attracted the attention of modern day music composers. Music also received the patronage of the kingdoms of Rajasthan till recently. This led to the development of classical Hindustani music in the courts of the Palaces.

Rajasthan which is also known as the “Land of Maharajas” is the largest state of India, covering an area of about 342,239 sq. km. It comprises of 33 districts and its largest city is Jaipur, which is also its capital.

Being located on the western side of the country, it shares its border with Pakistan to its northwest and to the west it shares its border with Sindh.

The people of Rajasthan work hard, are peaceful and law abiding and enjoy their culture, their music, festivals and fairs.

To its north it has Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to its northeast; to its southeast it has Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to its southwest.

The glory of the state is retained by its majestic palaces, forts and monuments. The vibrant culture and rich heritage of this princely state draw innumerable tourists from across the globe.

Rajasthan has a fair for every religious occasion, for every change of season and for every harvest. The people of Rajasthan work hard, are peaceful and law abiding and enjoy their culture, their music, festivals and fairs

The 2001 Census of India enumerated 56.5 million people in Rajasthan. About 70 per cent of these live in eastern and south-eastern regions of the State.

Its major attractions include the ruins of Indus Valley Civilization, the oldest mountain range- Aravalli, a Jain pilgrimage site known as Dilwara Temples, Karni Mata Mandir, the only hill station of Rajasthan- Mount Abu, Keoladeo National Park (formerly known as Bharatpur National Park, the Ranthambore National Park and the Sariska Tiger Reserve.

Hindi is the predominant language spoken. Besides, Rajasthan and several dialects of Hindi are widely spoken. Business is conducted in Hindi and English. Literacy is 61 per cent. The prominent religions practised are Hinduism, Islam, Jainism and Sikhism.

There are 32 administrative units, Districts, in Rajasthan. Jaipur is the Capital of the State. The Congress party has been elected to power.

The camel festival is organised by the Department of Tourism of the Rajasthan Government in January every year in Bikaner.