Rajasthan

terezakmarketing
Nov 16
3 min read

If India had a stage, Rajasthan would be its grand performance. Palaces gleam like mirages, forts rise from golden rock, and desert winds carry stories older than memory. It’s the India most people picture first — the colours, the music, the camels, the chaos — and yet, it never feels like a cliché when you’re there. It feels alive.

Basic Facts

Area: ~342,239 km² (roughly the size of Finland)
Population (2024): Approximately 81.9 million
Capital / largest city: Jaipur

Main Cities

Jaipur – the “Pink City”, famous for its forts, palaces and lively bazaars.
Jodhpur – the “Blue City” of western Rajasthan.
Udaipur – the romantic “City of Lakes” in the south.
Jaisalmer – the “Golden City”, shimmering on the edge of the Thar Desert.
Bikaner – a desert city rich in heritage and home to the famous Rat Temple.
Ajmer and Kota – both notable cultural and industrial hubs.

Top 10 Things to Do

Amber (Amer) Fort, Jaipur – explore the palaces, courtyards and sweeping city views.
City Palace and Hawa Mahal, Jaipur – wander through royal halls and bustling bazaars.
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur – climb its ramparts and look down over a sea of blue houses.
Udaipur – glide across Lake Pichola at sunset, palace lights flickering in the water.
Jaisalmer – sleep under desert stars after a camel ride through the dunes.
Bikaner – visit forts, the camel breeding farm, and the famous Karni Mata Temple.
Pushkar Camel Fair – held each October or November, it’s part pilgrimage, part carnival, and pure spectacle.
Ranthambore National Park – a chance to see wild tigers and explore crumbling jungle forts.
Handicraft markets – blue pottery, silver jewellery, hand-blocked textiles, and endless treasures.
Desert nights – folk music, firelight, and stars that seem impossibly close.

Fun & Quirky Facts

Rajasthan has a flair for the extraordinary. In Bikaner, the Rat Temple is home to thousands of revered rodents — not everyone’s cup of chai, but unforgettable all the same. At the Pushkar Fair, moustache competitions are serious business — some reach over four metres long. Many ancient forts were designed with defence in mind: narrow staircases and twisting alleys built to confuse invaders. And it’s not just palaces — Rajasthan also rules the underground. It’s India’s sole producer of lead and zinc, giving it a “king of minerals” crown.

Oh, and Bikaner hosts an annual camel beauty contest — proof that glamour, like charm, comes in many shapes.

Regional Food Trail

Jaipur: Dal Baati Churma, Ghevar (sweet).
Jodhpur: Mawa Kachori, Mirchi Bada.
Jaisalmer: Ker Sangri — a tangy dish made from desert berries.
Udaipur: Gatte ki Sabzi, Laal Maas (fiery mutton curry).
Bikaner: Bikaneri Bhujia, Rasgulla.
Shekhawati: Bajra Roti with Lassi.

Nicola’s Story: Around a Corner in Rajasthan

Rajasthan is the India most people imagine first — colour, grandeur, history. So many chances to experience the magic and wonder of Incredible India.

Cal and I were travelling the classic way: a car, a driver, a guide — and the beginnings of our “Princess” state of mind. It’s hard not to, when you’re staying in beautiful old hotels and being looked after with such care and grace.

Somewhere between A and B — I truly couldn’t tell you where — our guide suddenly said, “Look, look! A procession to a temple.” Before we knew it, we were out of the car, shoes off, hopping across blazing-hot marble like puppets on strings. Lesson learned: white tiles good, black tiles absolutely not.

Locals stared and giggled, and honestly, who could blame them? Two foreigners tiptoeing into a rural temple like we’d stumbled into a secret. We settled on the floor among Rajasthani women dressed in dazzling reds, greens, oranges and pinks, bangles chiming, veils sparkling. But the real brilliance was in their smiles — bright eyes, curious glances, soft laughter shared between them.

Then one woman caught my eye and grinned — a flash of gold teeth. I grinned back, showing my own single gold cap. And just like that, the place erupted — laughter, pointing, approval, and a warm hug.

A tiny, shared moment in a little corner of Rajasthan — and somehow, one of the brightest of them all.