Rajasthan

Rajasthan(/rɑːdʒəˈstɑːn/;Hindi:[raːdʒəsˈtʰaːn];lit.'Land of Kings')is astateinnorthwestern India.It covers 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is thelargest Indian state by areaand theseventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitableThar Desert(also known as theGreat Indian Desert) and shares a border with thePakistaniprovinces ofPunjabto the northwest andSindhto the west, along theSutlej-IndusRiver valley. It is bordered by five other Indian states:Punjabto the north;HaryanaandUttar Pradeshto the northeast;Madhya Pradeshto the southeast; andGujaratto the southwest. Its geographical location is 23°.3' to 30°.12' North latitude and 69°.30' to 78°.17' East longitude, with theTropic of Cancerpassing through its southernmost tip.
Its major features include the ruins of theIndus Valley civilisationatKalibanganandBalathal, theDilwara Temples, aJainpilgrimage site at Rajasthan's onlyhill station,Mount Abu, in the ancientAravalli mountain rangeand eastern Rajasthan, theKeoladeo National ParkofBharatpur, aWorld Heritage Siteknown for its bird life. Rajasthan is also home to three nationaltigerreserves, theRanthambore National ParkinSawai Madhopur,Sariska Tiger ReserveinAlwarand theMukundra Hills Tiger ReserveinKota.
The State of Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949 when the states of theRajputana Agencyof the erstwhileBritish Empire in Indiawere merged into the newIndian Union. Itscapitaland largest city isJaipur. Other important cities areJodhpur,Kota,Bikaner,Ajmer,Bhilwara,Sawai Madhopur,BharatpurandUdaipur. Theeconomy of Rajasthanis theseventh-largest state economyin India with₹10.20 lakh crore(US$120 billion) ingross domestic productand a per capitaGDPof₹118,000(US$1,400).Rajasthan ranks22ndamongIndianstates inhuman development index.
Rajasthan means "The Land of Kings" and is aportmanteauofSanskrit"Rājā" ('King') and Sanskrit "Sthāna" ('Land') orPersian"St(h)ān", with the same meaning.The oldest reference toRajasthanis found in a stone inscription dated back to 625 CE.The first printed mention of the nameRajasthanappears in the 1829 publicationAnnals and Antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajpoot States of India, while the earliest known record ofRajputanaas a name for the region is inGeorge Thomas's 1800 memoirMilitary Memories.John Keay, in his bookIndia: A History, stated thatRajputanawas coined by the British in 1829, John Briggs, translatingFerishta's history of early Islamic India, used the phrase "Rajpoot (Rajput)princes" rather than "Indian princes".
Parts of what is now Rajasthan were partly part of theVedic Civilisationand theIndus Valley civilisation.Kalibangan, inHanumangarh district, was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilisation.Topsfieldwrites that theRajputsfirst entered India from the north west in the first millennium A.D. They established kingdoms in western India in the region that is now known as Rajasthan.
Anarchaeologicalexcavation at theBalathalsite in Udaipur district shows a settlement contemporary with the Harrapan civilisation dating back to 3000–1500 BCE. Stone Age tools dating from 5,000 to 200,000 years were found inBundiandBhilwaradistricts of the state.
TheMatsya kingdomof theVedic civilisationofIndiais said to roughly corresponded to the former state ofJaipurin Rajasthan and included the whole of Alwar with portions of Bharatpur.The capital of Matsya was atViratanagar(modern Bairat), which is said to have been named after its founder KingVirata.
Bhargavaidentifies the two districts ofJhunjhunuandSikarand parts ofJaipurdistrict along with Haryana districts ofMahendragarhandRewarias part ofVedicstate ofBrahmavarta. Bhargava also locates the present daySahibi Riveras the VedicDrishadwatiRiver, which along withSaraswati Riverformed the borders of the Vedic state of Brahmavarta.Manu andBhrigunarrated theManusmritito a congregation of seers in this area. The ashrams of Vedic seersBhriguand his son Chayvan Rishi, for whomChyawanprashwas formulated, were nearDhosi Hill, part of which lies in Dhosi village ofJhunjhunudistrict of Rajasthan and part of which lies inMahendragarhdistrict ofHaryana.
TheWestern Kshatrapas(405–35 BCE), theSakarulers of the western part of India, were successors to theIndo-Scythiansand were contemporaneous with theKushans, who ruled the northern part of theIndian subcontinent. The Indo-Scythians invaded the area ofUjjainand established theSaka era(with theircalendar), marking the beginning of the long-lived SakaWestern Satrapsstate.
ThePratiharasruled for many dynasties in this part of the country; the region was known asGurjaratra.Up to the 10th century CE, almost all ofNorth Indiaacknowledged the supremacy of the Imperial Pratiharas, with their seat of power atKannauj.
TheGurjara Pratihar Empireacted as a barrier forArabinvaders from the 8th to the 11th century. The chief accomplishment of the Gurjara-Pratihara Empire lies in its successful resistance to foreign invasions from the west, starting in the days ofJunaid. HistorianR. C. Majumdarsays that this was openly acknowledged by the Arab writers. He further notes that historians of India have wondered at the slow progress of Muslim invaders in India, as compared with their rapid advance in other parts of the world. Now there seems little doubt that it was the power of the Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of the Arabs beyond the confines ofSindh, their only conquest for nearly 300 years.
TheGhuridshad made an attempt to invade India through southern Rajasthan, however they were defeated in theBattle of Kasahradaon 1178 by a confederacy of Rajputs underMularaja IIof theKingdom of Gujarat.Prithviraj Chauhanled a confederacy of Rajput clans and defeated the invading Ghruids underMuhammad Ghoriin theFirst Battle of Tarainin 1191. In 1192 CE, Muhammad Ghori decisively defeated Prithviraj at theSecond Battle of Tarain. After the defeat of Chauhan in 1192 CE, a part of Rajasthan came under Muslim rulers. The principal centers of their powers wereNagaurand Ajmer.Ranthambhorewas also under their suzerainty. At the beginning of the 13th century, the most prominent and powerful state of Rajasthan wasMewar. Since the invasion of the Muslim Turks from the 13th century onwards, the Rajputs resisted the Muslim incursions into India, and preservedHindu cultureat their courts.
The Rajputs put up resistance to the Islamic invasions with their warfare and chivalry for centuries. The Ranas of Mewar led other kingdoms in their resistance to outside rule. RanaHammir Singhdefeated theTughlaq dynastyand recovered a large portion of Rajasthan. The indomitableRana Kumbhadefeated the Sultans ofMalwa, Nagaur andGujaratand made Mewar the most powerful Rajput Kingdom in India. The ambitiousRana Sangaunited the various Rajput clans, including theMuslim Khanzadas of MewatunderRaja Hasan Khan Mewati, and fought against the foreign powers in India. Rana Sanga defeated the AfghanLodi Empireof Delhi and crushed the Turkic Sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat. Rana Sanga then tried to create an Indian empire but was defeated by the firstMughalEmperorBaburatKhanwa. The defeat was due to betrayal by the Tomar KingSilhadiof Raisen. AfterRana Sanga's death,Marwarrose as a power center in Rajasthan under RaoMaldeo Rathore. He conquered Jaisalmer, parts of Gujarat, Jalore, Nagaur, Ajmer, Sanchore, Bhinmal, Radhanpur, Bayana, Tonk, Toda and Nabhara. He expanded the territories of Marwar up to Sindh-Cholistan in west and his northern boundary was just fifty kilometres from Delhi.After defeating Humayun, Sher Shah came towards Rajputana. He defeated Chiefs of Rathore army by trickery inBattle of Sammeland captured some territory of Marwar but it was recovered by Rathores in 1545.
Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, the Hindu emperor,was born in the village of Machheri inAlwar Districtin 1501. He won 22 battles against Afghans, fromPunjabtoBengalincluding the states ofAjmerandAlwarin Rajasthan, and defeated Akbar's forces twice, first atAgraand then atDelhiin 1556 atBattle of Delhibefore acceding to the throne ofDelhiand establishing the "Hindu Raj" inNorth India, albeit for a short duration, fromPurana Qilain Delhi. Hem Chandra was killed in the battlefield atSecond Battle of Panipatfighting against Mughals on 5 November 1556.
DuringAkbar's reign most of the Rajput kings accepted Mughal suzerainty, but the rulers of Mewar (RanaUdai Singh II) and Marwar (RaoChandrasen Rathore) refused to have any form of alliance with the Mughals. To teach the Rajputs a lesson Akbar attacked Udai Singh and killed Rajput commander Jaimal of Chitor and the citizens of Mewar in large numbers. Akbar killed 20,000–25,000 unarmed citizens in Chittor on the grounds that they had actively helped in the resistance.
Maharana Prataptook an oath to avenge the citizens of Chittor; he fought the Mughal empire till his death and liberated most of Mewar apart from Chittor itself.Maharana Pratapsoon became the most celebrated warrior of Rajasthan and became famous all over India for his sporadic warfare and noble actions. According toSatish Chandra, "Rana Pratap's defiance of the mighty Mughal empire, almost alone and unaided by the other Rajput states, constitutes a glorious saga of Rajput valor and the spirit of self-sacrifice for cherished principles. Rana Pratap's methods of sporadic warfare were later elaborated further by Malik Ambar, the Deccani general, and by Shivaji".
RanaAmar Singh Icontinued his ancestor's war against the Mughals underJehangir, he repelled the Mughal armies at Dewar. Later an expedition was again sent under the leadership of PrinceKhurram, which caused much damage to life and property ofMewar. Many temples were destroyed, several villages were put on fire and women and children were captured and tortured to make Amar Singh accept surrender.
DuringAurangzeb's rule RanaRaj Singh I, VeerDurgadas Rathoreand PatshahAkheraj Singh Rajpurohitwere chief among those who defied the intolerant emperor of Delhi. They took advantage of the Aravalli hills and caused heavy damage to the Mughal armies that were trying to occupy Rajasthan.
After Aurangzeb's deathBahadur Shah Itried to subjugate Rajasthan like his ancestors but his plan backfired when the threeRajputRajasofAmber,Udaipur, andJodhpurmade a joint resistance to theMughals. The Rajputs first expelled the commandants ofJodhpurandBayanaand recoveredAmerby a night attack. They next killed Sayyid Hussain Khan Barha, the commandant ofMewatand many other Mughal officers.Bahadur Shah I, then in theDeccanwas forced to patch up a truce with the Rajput Rajas.TheJats, underSuraj Mal, overran the Mughal garrison at Agra and plundered the city taking with them the two great silver doors of the entrance of the famousTaj Mahalwhich were then melted down by Suraj Mal in 1763.
Over the years, the Mughals began to have internal disputes which greatly distracted them at times. The Mughal Empire continued to weaken, and with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the late 18th century,Rajputanacame under the influence of theMarathas. The Maratha Empire, which had replaced the Mughal Empire as the overlord of the subcontinent, was finally replaced by theBritish Empirein 1818.
In the 19th century, the Rajput kingdoms were exhausted, they had been drained financially and in manpower after continuous wars and due to heavy tributes exacted by theMaratha Empire. To save their kingdoms from instability, rebellions and banditry the Rajput kings concluded treaties with the British in the early 19th century, accepting Britishsuzeraintyand control over their external affairs in return for internal autonomy.
The State of Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949 when the states of theRajputana Agencyof the erstwhileBritish Empire in Indiawere merged into the newIndian Union. Modern Rajasthan includes most ofRajputana, which comprises the erstwhile nineteenprincely states, three chiefships, and the British district ofAjmer-Merwara.Jaisalmer,Marwar(Jodhpur),Bikaner,Mewar(Chittorgarh),AlwarandDhundhar(Jaipur) were some of the main Rajput princely states.BharatpurandDholpurwere Jat princely states whereasTonkwas a princely state underPathans. The three chiefships were Lawa, Neemrana and Kushalgarh.
The geographic features of Rajasthan are theThar Desertand theAravalli Range, which runs through the state from southwest to northeast, almost from one end to the other, for more than 850 kilometres (530 mi).Mount Abulies at the southwestern end of the range, separated from the main ranges by theWest Banas River.Although a series of broken ridges continues intoHaryanain the direction ofDelhiwhere it can be seen as outcrops in the form of theRaisina Hilland the ridges farther north. About three-fifths of Rajasthan lies northwest of the Aravallis, leaving two-fifths on the east and south direction.
The Aravalli Range runs across the state from the southwest peakGuru Shikhar(Mount Abu), which is 1,722 metres (5,650 ft) in height, toKhetriin the northeast.This range divides the state into 60% in the northwest of the range and 40% in the southeast. The northwest tract is sandy and unproductive with little water but improves gradually from desert land in the far west and northwest to comparatively fertile and habitable land towards the east. The south-eastern area, higher in elevation (100 to 350 m above sea level) and more fertile, has a very diversified topography. In the south lies the hilly tract of Mewar. In the southeast, a large area within the districts ofKotaandBundiforms a tableland.To the northeast of these districts is a rugged region (badlands) following the line of theChambal River. Farther north the country levels out; the flat plains of the northeasternBharatpur districtare part of analluvialbasin.Merta Citylies in the geographical center of Rajasthan.
The Aravalli Range and the lands to the east and southeast of the range are generally more fertile and better watered. This region is home to theKhathiar-Gir dry deciduous forestsecoregion, withtropical dry broadleaf foreststhat includeteak,Acacia, and other trees. The hillyVagadregion, home to the cities ofDungarpur,Pratapgarh, andBanswaralies in southernmost Rajasthan, on the border with Gujarat andMadhya Pradesh. With the exception of Mount Abu, Vagad is the wettest region in Rajasthan, and the most heavily forested. North of Vagad lies theMewarregion, home to the cities ofUdaipurandChittaurgarh. TheHadotiregion lies to the southeast, on the border with Madhya Pradesh. North of Hadoti and Mewar lies theDhundharregion, home to the state capital ofJaipur.Mewat, the easternmost region of Rajasthan, bordersHaryanaandUttar Pradesh. Eastern and southeastern Rajasthan is drained by theBanasandChambalrivers, tributaries of theGanges.
The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry. Most of this region is covered by theThar Desertwhich extends into adjoining portions of Pakistan. The Aravalli Range does not intercept the moisture-giving southwestmonsoonwinds off theArabian Sea, as it lies in a direction parallel to that of the coming monsoon winds, leaving the northwestern region in arain shadow. The Thar Desert is thinly populated; the City ofJodhpuris the largest city in the desert and a major metropolitan area of India which is known as the gateway of the Thar desert. The desert has some major districts likeJodhpur,Jaisalmer, Barmer,Bikaner, andNagaur. This area is also important from a defence point of view.Jodhpurairbase is one of the largest airbases in India, BSF and Military bases are also situated here. Currently four civil airports are located here: Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Nagaur, of which Jodhpur is the major civil airport, being the 44th busiest airport in India and one of the oldest air strips of India, being built in the 1920s.
TheNorthwestern thorn scrub forestslie in a band around the Thar Desert, between the desert and the Aravallis. This region receives less than 400  mm of rain annually. Temperatures can sometimes exceed 45 °C in the summer months and drop below freezing point in the winter. TheGodwar,Marwar, andShekhawatiregionslie in the thorn scrub forest zone, along with the city of Jodhpur. TheLuni Riverand its tributaries are the major river system of Godwar and Marwar regions, draining the western slopes of the Aravallis and emptying southwest into the greatRann of Kutchwetland in neighbouringGujarat. This river is saline in the lower reaches and remains potable only up to Balotara inBarmer district. TheGhaggar River, which originates inHaryana, is an intermittent stream that disappears into the sands of the Thar Desert in the northern corner of the state and is seen as a remnant of the primitiveSarasvati river.
TheDesert National ParkinJaisalmer, spread over an area of 3,162 square kilometres (1,221 sq mi), is an excellent example of theecosystemof the Thar Desert and its diversefauna.Seashells and massivefossilisedtree trunks in this park record the geological history of the desert. The region is a haven formigratoryand resident birds of the desert. One can see manyeagles,harriers,falcons,buzzards,kestrelsandvultures.Short-toed snake eagles(Circaetus gallicus),tawny eagles(Aquila rapax),spotted eagles(Aquila clanga),laggar falcons(Falco jugger) and kestrels are some of the raptor species seen in Desert National Park. Road traffic inside the Park is, however, a threat to several wild species of the park with several species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals reported to have died as roadkill.
TheRanthambore National Parklocated inSawai Madhopur,one of the well known tiger reserves in the country, became a part ofProject Tigerin 1973.
Tal Chhapar Sanctuaryis a very small sanctuary inSujangarh,Churu District, 210 kilometres (130 mi) fromJaipurin theShekhawatiregion. This sanctuary is home to a large population ofblackbuck.Desert foxesand thecaracal, anapex predator, also known as thedesert lynx, can also be spotted, along with birds such as thepartridge,harriers,eastern imperial eagle,pale harrier,marsh harrier,short-toed eagle,tawny eagle,sparrow hawk,crested lark,demoiselle crane,skylarks,green bee-eater,brown dove,black ibis, andsand grouse.Thegreat Indian bustard, known locally as thegodavan, and which is a state bird, has been classed as critically endangered since 2011.
Rajasthan is also noted for its national parks andwildlifesanctuaries. There are four national parks and wildlife sanctuaries:Keoladeo National ParkofBharatpur,Sariska Tiger Reserveof Alwar,Ranthambore National ParkofSawai Madhopur, andDesert National Parkof Jaisalmer. A national-level institute,Arid Forest Research Institute(AFRI) an autonomous institute of the ministry of forestry is situated in Jodhpur and continuously works on desert flora and their conservation.
Ranthambore National Parkis 7 km fromSawai MadhopurRailway Station. It is known worldwide for its tiger population and is considered by both wilderness lovers and photographers as one of the best places in India to spot tigers. At one point, due to poaching and negligence, tigers became extinct at Sariska, but five tigers have been relocated there.Prominent among the wildlife sanctuaries areMount AbuSanctuary, Bhensrod Garh Sanctuary,Darrah Sanctuary, Jaisamand Sanctuary,Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar Sanctuary, andSita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary.
The state is governed by a parliamentary system of representative democracy. The governor serves as the state's constitutional leader, whereas thechief ministerassumes the role of both the head of the government and the head of the council of ministers. TheLegislative Assemblyconsists of 200 members who are elected for five-year terms. The state contributes 25 seats toLok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and 10 seats toRajya Sabha, the upper house.
TheGovernment of Rajasthanis a democratically elected body in India with the governor as its constitutional head.Governoris appointed by thePresident of Indiafor a five-year term. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the council of ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of thechief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The council of ministers consists ofCabinet Ministers,Ministers of State(MoS) and Deputy Ministers. The Secretariat headed by the Chief Secretary assists the council of ministers. TheChief Secretaryis also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a minister, who is assisted by anAdditional Chief Secretaryor a Principal Secretary, who is usually an officer ofIndian Administrative Service(IAS), the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serve as the administrative head of the department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary etc. assisting the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary.
For the administration purpose, the state is divided into 07 divisions and 41 districts.Divisional Commissioner, is the head of administration on the divisional level.The administration in each district is headed by a District Magistrate/District Collector, who is also an IAS officer, and is assisted by a number of officers belonging toRajasthan Administrative Services. In Rajasthan, the police force is led by an IPS officer holding the position ofDirector General of Police. Each district is supervised by aSuperintendent of Police, also an IPS officer, who is supported by officers from the Rajasthan Police Services. Their primary responsibility involves maintaining law and order and addressing relevant issues within their respective districts. The management of forests, environment, and wildlife in the district is overseen by theDivisional Forest Officer, who is a member of theIndian Forest Service. This responsibility is carried out with the assistance of officers from theRajasthan Forest Serviceand Rajasthan Subordinate Service.
Rajasthan has itsHigh courtJodhpur which has its principal seat atJodhpurand a bench atJaipur, with district courts and session courts in each district or Sessions Division, and lower courts at the tehsil level.The president of India appoints the chief justice of the High Court of Rajasthan judiciary on the advice of theChief Justiceof theSupreme Court of Indiaas well as the governor of Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, the Subordinate Judicial Service is an essential component of the state's judiciary, and it is divided into two categories: the Rajasthan Civil Judicial Services and the Rajasthan Higher Judicial Service.The former includes Civil Judges (Junior Division)/Judicial Magistrates and Civil Judges (Senior Division)/Chief Judicial Magistrate. On the other hand, the latter consists of Civil and Sessions Judges. TheDistrict Judgehas control over the Subordinate Judicial Service in Rajasthan.
The politics of Rajasthan has mainly been dominated mainly by theBharatiya Janata Partyand theIndian National Congress.
Chief Secretary Of Rajasthan isUsha Sharmaand Director General of Police or DGP of Rajasthan is Umesh Mishra.
Rajasthan is composed of the following geographical, political and historical regions:
Rajasthan is divided into 41 districts within 7divisions:
Adistrict collectorordistrict magistrate, who is appointed by either theIndian Administrative Serviceor theRajasthan Public Service Commission, governs each district. Subdivisions (Tehsils) are responsible for governing districts and are overseen by sub-divisional magistrates. Additionally, districts are further divided into blocks. A block consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities. Tehsils are intermediate level panchayat between theZilla Parishad(district councils) at the district level and gram panchayat (village councils) at the lower level. Rajasthan has 5 cities with over one million population. The absolute urban population of the state is 17.4 million, which constitutes 24.87% of the total urban population of the state. There are 10municipal corporations, 34municipal councilsand 172 municipal boards ornagar pachayatsin the state.Jaipur,Jodhpur, andKotahave two municipal corporations each since October 2019, as their populations have exceeded 1 million.
Major internet service provider (ISP) and telecom companies are present in Rajasthan includingVodafone Idea,BSNL,Airtel,Jio,Data Infosys Limited,RailTel Corporation of India,Software Technology Parks of India(STPI). Data Infosys was the first ISP to bring the internet to Rajasthan in April 1999andOASISwas the first private mobile telephone company.
Rajasthan's economy is primarily agricultural andpastoral. Wheat andbarleyare cultivated over large areas, as arepulses,sugarcane, andoilseeds. Cotton and tobacco are the state's cash crops. Rajasthan is among the largest producers ofedible oilsin India and the second-largest producer ofoilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggestwool-producing state in India and the mainopiumproducer and consumer. There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from wells and tanks. TheIndira Gandhi Canalirrigates northwestern Rajasthan.
The main industries are mineral based, agriculture-based, andtextilebased. Rajasthan is the second-largest producer ofpolyesterfibre in India. Several prominent chemical and engineering companies are located in the city ofKota, in southern Rajasthan. Rajasthan is pre-eminent inquarryingand mining in India. TheTaj Mahalwas built from white marble which was mined from a town calledMakrana. The state is the second-largest source of cement in India. It has rich salt deposits atSambhar, copper mines atKhetri,Jhunjhunu, andzincmines at Dariba, Zawar mines and Rampura Agucha (opencast) nearBhilwara. Dimensional stone mining is also undertaken in Rajasthan. Jodhpursandstoneis mostly used in monuments, important buildings, and residential buildings. This stone is termed asChittar Patthar. Jodhpur leads in thehandicraftandguar gumindustries.
Rajasthan is also a part of the Mumbai-Delhi Industrial corridor set to benefit economically. The state gets 39% of the DMIC, with major districts of Jaipur, Alwar, Kota and Bhilwara benefiting.
Rajasthan also has reserves of low-silica limestone.
Rajasthan connected 100% of its population to electricity power in 2019 (raising the rate of electricity access from 71% of the population in 2015).The renewable energy sector plays the most important role in the increase of generation capacities, with the main focus onsolar energy. In 2020,Bhadla Solar Parkwas recognised as the largest cluster ofphotovoltaic power plantsin a single region in the world, with the installed power exceeding the 2.2 gigawatt peak.
Rajasthan is also a significant producer of silver. The state produced 679.172 tonnes of silver in 2018–19, 609.153 tonnes in 2019–20, and 705.676 tonnes in 2020–21.
Jaipur International Airport(JAI) in Jaipur, is the state's largest, busiest and only international airport. Jaipur International Airport offers international service toDubai,Bangkok,SharjahandMuscat. There are five civilian airports in Rajasthan includingJodhpur Airport,Udaipur Airport,Ajmer Airport,Bikaner AirportandJaisalmer Airport.Domestic airports are operated by theAirports Authority of India(AAI) and shares its airside with the Indian Air Force. These airports connect Rajasthan with the major cities of India such as Mumbai,Kolkata,Hyderabad,ChennaiandBangalore.
Railwayslength in the state constitute 8.66 per cent of all India route length.Jaipur Junctionis the headquarters of theNorth Western Railway.Jaipur,Ajmer,Bikanerare the busiest railway stations in the state.Kotais the only electrified section served by three Rajdhani Expresses and trains to all major cities of India.Jaipur Superfast Express, fastest train underSuperfastcategory of trains; connects the finance capital of IndiaMumbaito Jaipur.Luxury tourist trainMaharajas' Expressruns across North-West and Central India, mainly centered on Rajasthan. There is also an international railway, theThar ExpressfromJodhpur(India) toKarachi(Pakistan). However, this is not open to foreign nationals.Jaipur Metrois the metro rail system in the city of Jaipur. It is the only metro rail system in Rajasthan and has been operational since 3 June 2015. It is the first metro in India to run on triple-storey elevated road and metro track.
The state is served by a substantial road network, providing links between urban centers, agricultural market-places and rural areas. There are 33national highways(NH) in the state, covering a total distance of 10,004.14 km (6,216.28 mi).The state has a total road length of 269,028 km (167,166 mi). TheDepartment of Public Worksis responsible for maintaining and expanding thestate highwayssystem and major district roads.Jaipur–Kishangarh Expresswayforms a segment of theNH-8which is a part of theGolden Quadrilateralproject.Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation(RSRTC) was established in 1964 to provide economical and reliable passenger road transport service in the state with connecting services to adjoining states.For travelling locally, the state, like most of the country, hasauto rickshawsandcycle rickshaws. Average speed on state highways varies between 50 and 60 kilometres per hour (31–37 mph) due to the heavy presence of vehicles; in villages and towns, speeds are as low as 25–30 km/h (16–19 mph).
According to the2011 Census of India, Rajasthan has a total population of 68,548,437.The state contributes to 5.66% of India's population. The population density is 201 people per square kilometre. Thesex ratioin 2011, at 928 women to 1000 men, was lower than the national figure of 943. The nativeRajasthani peoplemake up the majority of the state's population. The state of Rajasthan is also populated bySindhis, who came to Rajasthan fromSindh province(now inPakistan) during the India-Pakistan separation in 1947.
Brahmins, according toOutlookconstituted 8% to 10% of the population of Rajasthan as per a 2003 report, but only 7% in a 2007 report.According to a 2007DNA Indiareport, 12.5% of the state are Brahmins.According to a report byMoneycontrol.comat the time of2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, theScheduled Caste(SC) population was 18%,Scheduled Tribe(ST) was 13%,Jats12%,GurjarsandRajputs9% each,BrahminsandMeenas7% each.AHindustan Timesreport from 2019 also agrees to the total ST population of 13%, of whichMeenasconstitute the biggest group at 7%.According to aDeutsche Wellereport, the Jats constitute 12–15% of the population of Rajasthan, followed by Meenas with 10% and Gurjars with 6%.While as per a 2007BBC Hindireport, Meenas were 14% and Gurjars were 4% of the state's population.
Hindiis the official language of the state, whileEnglishis the additional official language.
The languages of Rajasthan primarily belong to theRajasthani groupofIndo-Aryan languages, which most people regard as their own language. In the north are dialects ofPunjabiandBagri, which is a transition between Rajasthani and Punjabi. In the northeastShekhawatiandDhundariare spoken which gradually merge withHaryanvi. In the eastMewatiis spoken in theMewat region, while in the far eastBrajis spoken.To the southeast Haryanvi is spoken. To the west in the heart of the Thar DesertMarwariis spoken, which merges toGujaratiin the southwest. In the south, in theMewarregion,Mewariis spoken, while in the hills ofWagad,Wagdi, aBhil language, is spoken. Many speakers of Rajasthani languages refer to their language as Hindi, and Standard Hindi is the medium of education and is common in cities.Urduis also common in cities although the vast majority of Muslims speak one of the Rajasthani languages as their first language.Sindhiis also common in the cities and along the border with Sindh in Pakistan whereDhatki, a transition between Marwari and Sindhi, is the main dialect on both sides of the border.
The languages taught under thethree-language formulaare:
Rajasthan's residents are mainlyHindus, who account for 88.49% of the population.Muslimsmake up 9.07%,Sikhs1.27% andJains0.91% of the population.
Rajasthani cookingwas influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Thus, pickles of Rajasthan are quite famous for their tangy and spicy flavour. ThePanchkutadelicacy is also a famous one – meaning 5 vegetables – a dish that lasts for several days, and is made out of certain weed plants that only grow in the wild desert. The scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on cooking. It is known for its snacks likeBikaneri Bhujia.Other famous dishes includebajre ki roti(millet bread) andlahsun ki chutney(hot garlic paste),mawa kachoriMirchi Bada,Pyaaj Kachoriandghevarfrom Jodhpur,Alwarka Mawa (milk cake),Kadhi kachorifrom Ajmer,Malpuafrom Pushkar, Daalkachori(Kota kachori) from Kota and rassgullas from Bikaner.Originating from theMarwarregion of the state is the concept ofMarwari Bhojnalayaor vegetarian restaurants, today found in many parts of India, which offer vegetarian food popular amongMarwari people. Ghee is an essential ingredient in most Rajasthani cuisines, and dollops of ghee are poured over food as a welcoming gesture for guests.
Dal-baati-churmais very popular in Rajasthan. The traditional way to serve it is to first coarsely mash the baati, and then pour pure ghee on top of it. It is served with daal (lentils) and spicy garlic chutney; it is also served with besan (gram flour) ki kadi. It is commonly served at all festivities, including religious occasions, wedding ceremonies, and birthday parties in Rajasthan.
TheGhoomardance from Jaipur, Jodhpur, andKalbeliaof the Kalbelia tribe has gained international recognition.Folk music is a large part of the Rajasthani culture. TheManganiyar,MeenaandLangacommunities from Rajasthan are notable for their folk music.Kathputli,Bhopa, Chang, Teratali, Ghindr,Gair dance, Kachchhi Ghori, andTejajiare examples of traditional Rajasthani culture.Folk songs are commonly ballads that relate heroic deeds and love stories; and religious or devotional songs known asbhajansandbaniswhich are often accompanied by musical instruments likedholak,sitar, andsarangiare also sung.
Rajasthan is known for its traditional, colourful art. The block prints, tie and dye prints,gota patti(main), Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, andZariembroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and crafts, carpets, and blue pottery are commonly found here.Shopping reflects the colourful culture, Rajasthani clothes have a lot of mirror work and embroidery.  Traditional Rajasthani dress for females consists of an ankle-length skirt and a short top, known aschaniya choli.A piece of cloth is used to cover the head, both for protection from heat and maintenance of modesty. Rajasthani dresses are usually designed in bright colours such as blue, yellow, and orange.
In recent years, Rajasthan has worked on improving education. The state government has been making sustained efforts to raise the education standard.
Schools in the state are either managed by the government or by private trusts. The medium of instruction in most of the schools is mainly English, or Hindi. Under the10+2+3 plan, after completing secondary school, students typically enroll for two years in ajunior college, also known as pre-university, or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with theBoard of Secondary Educationor any central board. Students choose from one of three streams, namelyliberal arts, commerce, or science. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enrol in general or professional degree programs. The secondary schools are affiliated with theCouncil for the Indian School Certificate Examinations(CISCE), theCentral Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), and theNational Institute of Open School (NIOS).
Rajasthan has 52 universities, 26 state funded public universities, 7deemed universities, anIITin Jodhpur, anIIMinUdaipur, anNITin Jaipur, aNational Law Universityin Jodhpur, and one central and state-run university.Kota, is renowned for being a hub for training students in various national-level competitive exams that are necessary for securing admission to engineering and medical colleges across the country. In order to promote a reading culture among the rural population, the state has established new libraries up to thepanchayatlevel and computerised all public libraries throughout the state, providing modern amenities to readers and subscriber.
In recent decades theliteracyrate of Rajasthan has increased significantly. In 1991, the state's literacy rate was only 38.55% (54.99% male and 20.44% female). In 2001, the literacy rate increased to 60.41% (75.70% male and 43.85% female). This was the highest leap in the percentage of literacy recorded in India (the rise in female literacy being 23%).At the Census 2011, Rajasthan had a literacy rate of 67.06% (80.51% male and 52.66% female). Although Rajasthan's literacy rate is below the national average of 74.04% and although its female literacy rate is the lowest in the country, the state has been praised for its efforts and achievements in raising literacy rates.
In rural areas of Rajasthan, the literacy rate is 76.16% for males and 45.8% for females. This has been debated across all the party levels, when the governor of Rajasthan set a minimum educational qualification for the village panchayat elections.
Rajasthan attracted a total of 45.9 million domestic and 1.6 million foreign tourists in 2017, which is the tenth highest in terms of domestic visitors and fifth highest in foreign tourists.The tourism industry in Rajasthan is growing effectively each year and is becoming one of the major income sources for the state government.Rajasthan is home to many attractions for domestic and foreign travellers, including the forts and palaces ofJaipur, the lakes ofUdaipur, the temples ofRajsamandandPali, sand dunes ofJaisalmerandBikaner, Havelis ofMandawaandFatehpur, the wildlife ofSawai Madhopur, the scenery ofMount Abu, the tribes ofDungarpurandBanswara, and the cattle fair ofPushkar.
Rajasthan is known for its customs,culture, colours, majestic forts, and palaces,folk dancesand music, local festivals, local food, sand dunes, carved temples andHavelis.Rajasthan's JaipurJantar Mantar,Mehrangarh FortandStepwellofJodhpur,Dilwara Temples,Chittor Fort,Lake Palace, miniature paintings inBundi, and numerous city palaces and Havelis are part of the architectural heritage of India. Jaipur, thePink City, is noted for the ancient houses made of a type of sandstone dominated by a pink hue. In Jodhpur, most houses are painted blue.AtAjmer, there is white marble Bara-dari on theAnasagarlake andSoniji Ki Nasiyan.Jain Templesdot Rajasthan from north to south and east to west.Dilwara Templesof Mount Abu,ShrinathjiTemple of Nathdwara,Ranakpur Jain templededicated to LordAdinathinPali District, Jain temples in the fort complexes ofChittor, Jaisalmer andKumbhalgarh,LodurvaJain temples,Mirpur Jain TempleofSirohi, Sarun Mata Temple atKotputli, Bhandasar and Karni Mata Temple ofBikanerandMandoreofJodhpurare some of the best examples.Keoladeo National Park,Ranthambore National Park,Sariska Tiger Reserve,Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, are wildlife attractions of Rajasthan. Mewar festival of Udaipur,Teej festivalandGangaurfestival in Jaipur,Desert festivalof Jodhpur, Brij Holi of Bharatpur, Matsya festival of Alwar,Kite festivalof Jodhpur, Kolayat fair in Bikaner are some of the most popular fairs and festivals of Rajasthan.