Rajasthan is a state rich in heritage, traditions, palaces, and natural beauty. As the name indicates, it is the land of many great kings and Rajaputra warriors. Hindu scriptural epics refer to many sites in the present day Rajasthan.
Pushkar, the holy pilgrimage site, is mentioned in both the
Mahabharata and
Ramayana.
The new state of Rajasthan was defined in 1948, encompassing the south and south-eastern states of Rajputana with Udaipur as the capital. It has a total area of 342,214 sq km and is bounded in north and north-west by Pakistan, in the north-east by Punjab and Haryana, in the east by
Uttar Pradesh, in the east and south-east by Madhya Pradesh, and in the south-west by
Gujarat. Rajasthan has 32 districts with a total population of about 44 million.
Hindi and
Rajasthani are main languages spoken in the state.
Hinduism is the predominant religion and other major religious communities are Muslims, Jains, and Sikhs. Rajasthan is known for its exciting festivals and fairs such as camel, elephant and desert festivals, Baneshwar, Pushkar and Kaila Devi fairs and Dussehra mela.
Rajasthan is the driest part of India. The Aravalli Ranges stretch diagonally across from the north-east to south-west to separate the desert and semi-desert areas. The
Chambal River runs along the eastern boundary. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and it remains the crucial factor in the economy. Rajasthan has large deposits of non-metallic and metallic minerals and ornamental stones including marble, sandstone, Kota stone, Jodhpur stone, Dhaulpur stone, Karoli stone, slate, and granite.
Rajasthan is famous for its traditional handicrafts: gems and jewellery, metal-ware, textiles and embroidery, leather, and marble processing. Main industries are leather, ceramic and glass, wool, electronics and telecommunication.
