Rajasthan known as Rajputana, consisted of 19 "Native States" under the British Parliamentary is literally translated, the land of Rajputs, who were, for well over a thousand years, the traditional ruling aristocracy of the states in the area. Historically, however, despite Rajput dominance, Rajputana seldom presented a united face to external aggression, whether of the Muslim invaders down to the Mughals or, ultimately of the British. Following are the 19 Rajput states: Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bundi, Bikaner, Kotah, Kishangarh, Karauli, Bharatpur, Jailsalmer, Alwar, Tonk, Dholpur, Sirohi, Dungarpur, Pratabgarh, Banswara, Jahalawar, Shahpur.

Jaipur

Earlier Known as Jeypore, is named after its founder Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743) who came to power at the age of 12. He founded and ruled Jaipur form 1727. Even though 28 kings ruled for six centuries at Amer, today Jaipur is much better known where only ten Maharajas have sat on the throne over the last two hundred and fifty years -- and the eleventh erstwhile ruler now leads the Kachhawahas. This has as much to do with the grand vision of Sawai Jai Singh II who founded Jaipur as with the British who began the custom of calling the states by the names of their capitals.

The Kings who ruled Jaipur after Sawai Jai Singh II were:

Udaipur

Royal House of Mewar

 Legend has it that the Sisodias of Mewar are descended from Lord Rama whose life story is told in India's great epic, the Ramayana. They came from the borders of Kashmir and by the second Century BC they had moved south to what is now Gujarat, founding, as they went, several cities along the coast, one of which was called Vallabhai.

The chronicles of the bards tell us that in the sixth century strangers from the west sacked Vallabhai. The Queen of Vallabhai, Pushpavati, who was on a pilgrimage offering prayers for her unborn child, heard of the destruction of Vallabhai and the death of her husband while traveling through the Aravalli hills in the north. Despairing, she took refuge in a cave, and there gave birth to a son whom she called Guhil, or "cave born." Then entrusting her child to a maidservant, the queen ordered a funeral pyre lit, and walked into it to join her dead husband's soul. Guhil or Guhadatta was befriended by the Bhils (tribal aborigines who had lived in the Aravalli hills since well before 2000 BC). Amongst the Bhils, Guhadatta grew in power, and became a chieftain. His progeny came to be known as Guhilols.

In the seventh century the Guhil moved north, and down to the plains of Mewar, changing their name to Sisodia, after a village they encountered on the way. The descendants of Guhadatia were the great Ranas, Rawals and Maharanas of Mewar, builders of forts and palaces, whose exploits in peace and war are unmatched in valor and chivalry. By the time of India's independence, the royal line of Mewar had ruled for 75 generations, 1,400 years; the oldest of Rajasthan's ancient dynasties.

The Founding of Udaipur

 In 1567, the capital of Mewar, Chittor, was sacked for the third time by the armies of the Mughal Emperor Akbar; Rana Udai Singh II withdrew into the hills and ravines of the Aravalli. One morning, the Rana was out by Lake Pichola hunting. While mounted and on the move he performed the difficult feat of spearing a fast-moving rabbit. Then, a short distance away, he saw a sage meditating. The Rana dutifully paid full respects to the holy man. "Where, Revered One," the Rana asked the sage, having recounted the fall of Chittor, "should I build my next capital city?" And the sage answered, as sages will, "Why, right here of course, where your destiny has brought you to ask such a question." And that's what Udai Singh did. Surrounded by forests, lakes and the protective Aravalli range, the new capital of Mewar was certainly less vulnerable location then Chittor. Maharaja Udai Singh died in 1572 and was succeeded by his son, Pratap, who bravely defended Udaipur from subsequent Mughal Attacks.

Rana Pratap (ruled 1572-97) was one of the great warrior kings of right, Mewar. He lived in troubled times. Emperor Akbar, the Great Mughal, emblem was expanding his domains, irresistibly in and, across the subcontinent. He had already sacked the Mewar stronghold, richly Chittor, driving Pratap's father, Rana Udai Singh II, out towards a new life in the new capital, Udaipur. Rana Pratap gallery was imbued with stories of the lost greatness of Mewar and obsessed with a desire to recover its territories, and the fort of Chittor, the soul of Mewar. The indomitable Pratap threw himself against the might of the Mughal armies again and again, losing the battle of Haldighati, losing every fort, including Kumbalgarh, and retreating to the hills and ravines of the Aravallis where sometimes his family hadn't enough to eat. In these years of adversity, loyal Bhil tribesmen, whose ancestors had, centuries earlier supported the Rana’s ancestor, Guhadatta, sustained them.

Rana Pratap was one of the two Rajput kings who refused to accept Mughal suzerainty or compromise with Akbar: no daughter of Mewar was ever given to a Mughal emperor or prince in marriage. The other Rajput ruler similarly to hold out against the Mughals was the king of Bundi. Akbar allowed both states to survive and the next generation of rulers had to accept reality and sign treaties with the Mughals. Eventually, Pratap freed Udaipur and much of Mewar from the Mughals grip but he failed to win his heart's part of the desire: Chittor.

After struggling against the Mughals, Udaipur was later attacked by the Marathas. An end to the bloody battles and instability came with British intervention in the early 1900 century, when a treaty was signed that pledged to protect Udaipur from invaders. Along with all other Princely states, Udaipur surrendered its Sovereignty and became a part of a United India.

The district of Jodhpur was known as the ancient kingdom of Marwar the land of Death, the largest kingdom in Rajputana and the third largest of the Indian Kingdoms, after Kashmir and Hyderabad. Jodhpur, former capital of Marwar state, retains much of its medieval character. Beginning in 1549, when the city was called Jodhgarh, the Rathor clan of Rajputs fought and ruled from the virtually impregnable fort until their territory covered some 35,000 sq miles making it the largest Rajput state.

According to Rathor tradition, the clan traces its origins back to the Hindu god, Rama, hero of the epic Ramayana, and hence to the sun. So the Rathors belong to the Suryavansha (solar race) branch of the Kshatriyas, the warrior caste of Hindus. Later, breaking into historical reality, in 470AD Nayal Pal conquered the kingdom of Kanauj, near modern Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, the Rathor capital for seven centuries. Kanauj fell in 1193 to the Afghan invader's who were led by Muhammad Ghori.

The fleeing ruler, Jai Chand, drowned in the Ganga. But his son or grandson, Siyaji, had better luck. An expedient marriage alliance between the Rathor Siyaji and the sister of a local prince enabled the Rathors to consolidate themselves in this region. In fact, they prospered to such a degree that they managed to oust the Pratiharas of Mandore, 9km to the north of present day Jodhpur. He later set himself up as an independent ruler around the wealthy trading center of Pali, just south of Jodhpur. His descendants flourished; battled often, won often, and in 1381 Rao Chanda ousted the Pratiharas from Mandore that then became the Rathor seat of government. Rathor fortunes then turned. Rao Chanda's son and heir, Rainmal, won praise for his capture of Ajmer and was then entrusted with the care of his orphaned nephew, destined to inherit the Mewar throne of Chittor. Rainmal may well have had his eyes on this fine, hilltop fort. But court intrigue and treachery stopped him. In 1438 he was doped with opium, and finally shot dead. This triggered bitter feuds, ending with Mewar and Marwar becoming separate states. Rathor legend continues in various versions. One is that Jodha, one of Rainmal's 24 sons, fled Chittor and finally, 15 years later, recaptured Mandore in 1453. Five years later he was acknowledged as ruler. A holy man sensibly advised him to move his capital to hilltop safety.

By 1459, it became evident that a more secure headquarters was required. The high rocky ridge nine km to the south of Mandore was an obvious choice for the new city of Jodhpur, with the natural enhanced by a fortress of staggering proportions, and to which Rao Jodha's successors added over the centuries.

Mewar and the Mughals

Rao Ganga Singh of Jodhpur (reigned 1516-32) fought alongside the army of the great warrior king of Mewar, Rana Sanga, against the first Mughal emperor, Babur. But over the next half-century or so, the rulers of Jodhpur allied themselves with Babur's grandson, Akbar. Several rulers of Jodhpur became trusted lieutenants of the Mughals, such as Raja Surender, who conquered Gujarat and much of the Deccan for Akbar, and Raja Gaj Singh, who put down the rebellion of the Mughal prince, Khurram, against his father, Jehangir. With the support of the Mughals, the court of Jodhpur flourished and the kingdom became a great center of the arts and culture. In the 17th century Jodhpur became a flourishing center of trade for the camel caravans moving from Central Asia to the parts of Gujarat and vice versa. In 1657, however, Maharaja Jaswant Singh (reigned 1638-78) backed the wrong prince in the great war of succession to the Mughal throne. He was in power for almost twenty-five years with Aurangzeb before he was sent out to the frontier as viceroy in Afghanistan. Aurangzeb then tried to seize his infant son, but loyal retainers smuggled the little prince out of his clutches, hidden, they say, in a basket of sweets.

Political Strife

 The kingdom of Jodhpur then formed a triple alliance with Udaipur and Jaipur, which together threw off the Mughal yoke. As a result, the maharajas of Jodhpur finally regained the privilege of marrying Udaipur princesses something they had forfeited when they had allied themselves with the Mughals. A condition of these marriages, however, was that the sons born of the Udaipur princesses would be first in line to the Jodhpur throne. This soon led to considerable jealousy. Nearly a century of turmoil followed, culminating in Jodhpur falling under the influence of, first, the Marathas, and then, in 1818, the British. The state of affairs was such that a young Rathor prince, when asked where Jodhpur was, simply pointed to the sheath of his 'dagger and said, "Inside here".

Sir Pratap Singh: In the 1870's, a remarkable man came to the fore in Jodhpur: Sir Pratap Singh. A son of Maharaja of Jodhpur, he himself ruled a neighboring kingdom called Idar, abdicated to become Regent of Jodhpur, which he ruled, in effect, for nearly fifty years. Sir Pratap Singh was a great warrior and the epitome of Rajput chivalry. He became an intimate friend of three British sovereigns. At Queen Victoria's durbar he is said to have presented her not with mere jewels, like everyone else, but with his own sword, his most valuable possession as a Rajput warrior. Sir Pratap Singh laid the foundation of a modern state in Jodhpur, which Maharaja Umaid Singh (reigned 1918-47) built upon. Jodhpur was not merely the largest of the Rajput states, but also one of the most progressive. In 1949, after the independence of India, it was merged into the newly created state of Rajasthan.

Bikaner

Founded in the 15th century by Rao Bikaji, the son of the Rathor Raja of Marwar (or Jodhpur). Taking offence at a stray comment that his father made, he left with a small band of horsemen to set up his own kingdom in the desert of the north. Spurred by the blessing of a great female mystic, Karni Mata, whom he had met along the way and who had predicted that his fame and glory would someday exceed that of his father, Rao Bika fought the local desert clans for thirty years, and ultimately carved out a kingdom approximately the size of England. This desert city was a major trade center on the old caravan route linking central Asia and North India with the Gujarat seaports long before a Rathor Prince, Bika, conquered it in 1486AD and called it Bikaner. When Muhammad Ghori destroyed their Kanauj Kingdom in 1193, the Rathors re-established in the wilds of Marwar. Bikaji was the second son of Rao Jodhaji, the real founder of Jodhpur state, its magnificent fort and city, Bika left Jodhpur in a huff with a few kinsmen and followers because his father taunted him in open durbar about expansionist schemes with his uncle, Rao Kandhal.

Fortunately for his descendants, no enemy could withstand the harsh desert that surrounds this rich city and disrupt its leisurely lifestyle, which still prevails. Here, medieval settings, customs, and attitudes are natural, and modern ways rather alien. Bikaner has a special quality, an authentic medieval flavor that immediately draws the outsider's attention.

Bikaner and the Mughals

In the 16th century the maharajas of Bikaner came into conflict with the Mughal emperors in Delhi, who were in the process of setting up their new empire in Hindustan. Being located closer to Delhi, Bikaner spent much more time fighting the Mughals than other desert kingdoms, such as Jaisalmer or Jodhpur. With the harsh desert terrain on their side, the Bikaner armies soundly defeated the Mughals in their early encounters. By the late 16th century, however, they had won over by the diplomacy of Emperor Akbar. As a result, several of Bikaner's rulers commanded the Mughal armies, fighting with distinction from Gujarat in the west to the Deccan in the south. One great ruler Raja Prithviraj Singh, a poet and a warrior, in fact became one of the "Nine Gems " of Akbar's court. Bikaner, meanwhile, had had become a flourishing town and an important trading post along the centuries-old caravan trails that connected India with the Middle East and China. As the town prospered it became known, it became known for the handwork of its gold and silversmiths, weavers and perfumeries and leather craftsmen. It also became known as an important center for the arts and music. It was especially well known for it’s of miniature paintings, which were a delicate fusion of the Rajput and the Mughal style.

Bikaner and the British

However, with the eclipse of the Mughals in the 18th century, Bikaner, along with the rest of Rajasthan, fell into the slow decline, although its desert barriers at least spared it the depredations that the Marathas were wreaking on its other Rajput neighbors. This situation continued until the treaty with the British in 1818, in which "perpetual friendship, alliance and a unity of interests" were pledged.

Turn of Fortune

By the mid 19th century the years of internal strife and the financial and military pressures being put on Bikaner by its new allies, the British had put the kingdom into debt. It had become a shabby and a backward province. But, curiously it was Bikaner's famous camels that triggered off a process of economic and political recovery. The British were involved in fighting the Afghan War at the time and it was realized that the only vehicles that could deliver their supplies in that terrain were camels. The maharaja of Bikaner cannily cashed in on this opportunity by supplying the British army with steady stream of Bikaner’s camels. This resulted in a turnaround of Bikaner's fortunes. A modern administrative system was soon installed, the first hospitals established, and a police force set up to handle the lawlessness and banditry that were becoming rampant. In 1886, this remote desert kingdom became the first Indian princely State to introduce electricity.

Maharaja Ganga Singh: It was Maharaja Ganga Singh (reigned 1898 -1944), one of the most remarkable rulers India produced in the early 20th century, who was responsible for putting Bikaner in a position of prominence on the map of India. Maharaja Ganga, who was educated at the celebrated Mayo College in Ajmer, gave Bikaner a prominence far beyond its size. First he created the famous Bikaner Camel Corps, or Ganga Risala, a flamboyant fighting force that he personally led, on behalf of the British, first to China to put down the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, then to Somaliland to quell the quell the Somali Uprising in 1903, and finally to Egypt during World War I. Maharaja Ganga Singh also built up the Bikaner's economy, promoting among other things, the Ganga Canal, an ambitious irrigation project that was years ahead of his time, and which turned the deserts of Bikaner into rich farmland. But perhaps most of all, perhaps Maharaja Ganga Singh came to be known for his spectacular grouse shoots, to which everybody from the Viceroy downward, including fellow maharajas, vied to be invited. Maharaja Ganga Singh very shrewdly treated these hunts as a diplomatic tool, using the opportunity to charm selected guests and win their support. His guests at the great shoots included the Prince of Wale, later King George V, and French President Clemenceau, Maharaja Ganga Singh later became something of an International political figure, going on to lead the Indian delegation to the League of Nations. In 1949 the kingdom became part of the new state of Rajasthan in Independent India.

Junagarh Fort

Raja Rai Singh constructed the Junagarh Fort in 1588 – 1593, in the army of the Mughal Empire with embellishments in the form and luxurious suites added by maharajas. It has 986m long bastions, a moat and two entrances. Suraj Pol or Sun Gate is the main entrance to the palaces within the fort, and on the side are picturesque courtyards, balconies, kiosks, and windows. A major feature of these palaces is the superb quality of carving. The gold-painted ceiling of the wall in diwan-i-khas (private audience hall) was executed in 1631, and the silver gaddi of the maharajas can still be seen here. The Anup Mahal is a finely paved with Italian tiles. Through the lattice screens around the courtyard the ladies of the zenana could watch the activities below. In the Phul Mahal, or Flower Palace, is a marble statue of Surya, as do some of god, and around the upper edges, paintings. The beautiful Anup Mahal was commissioned by Maharaja Karan Singh (1963-1969). According to local lore, the maharaja was camping at Golkonda, in southern India, his capacity as a general in the Mughal when an artist showed fine works in gold. The artist told the maharaja that he originally hailed from Jaisalmer, but had immigrated to southern India when a famine swept over his homeland. The maharaja was inspired by the proficiency and great beauty of the work he had been shown, and invited the artist to return to Bikaner where he was given royal patronage.

Lalgarh Palace: 3km north of the City center, this red sandstone palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in memory of his father Maharaja Lal Singh. Although it's an imposing building with over hanging balconies and delicate work, it's not the most beautiful of Rajasthani royal residence.

Kishangarh: is a town that is about 27kms from Ajmer. Kishan Singh a Rathor prince who was a brother of the Raja of Jodhpur founded it in 1611. Although Kishangarh is politically important, yet it has back one of India's most famous schools of miniature paintings. One of the most famous renowned paintings is that of Krishna's consort Radha, who is depicted as a beautiful woman with enchanting almond eyes. This sophisticated and luxurious painting had become an integral part. The greatest patron of Kishangarh art was Raja Satwant Singh. He was himself a painter and poet and wrote verses under the pseudonym of Nagaridas. He fell in love with a court singer, Bani Thani, who subsequently became his mistress. It is said that the famous Kishangarh Radha is made in her likeness, but in fact the lotus-eyed woman had long been the Rajput ideal of feminine beauty. In 1757, Satwant Singh abdicated and left with Bani Thani for Vrindavan. By then the excellence of Kishangarh painting was equaled only by those of the Kangra school of Himachal in the Himalayan foothills. The artists were obsessed with the Krishna leela theme, but they portrayed Krishna in a courtly instead of a pastoral setting. Hunting scenes were also popular, as were equestrian portraits. The paintings belonged to the Raja's of Kishangarh and were first seen by the outside world in the 1940s. Some of these exquisite masterpieces are now on view at the National Museum, New Delhi.

25km south is Roopangarh fort that has recently been converted into a delightful hotel by the maharaja and maharani of Kishangarh. Roopangarh was the capital of this province for about 100 years and was never conquered despite being repeatedly attacked by neighboring states. The fort was founded in 1653 by maharaja Roop Singh, the fifth ruler of Kishangarh. He was inspired to make this site his capital after watching a sheep gallantly protect her lambs from a pack of hungry wolves.

The old city of Kishangarh still has the flavor of the magic world created by the artists. Modern Kishangarh is bustling and crowded, important as a wholesale market for red chilies and a cotton-weaving center. But Kishan Singh's city is about 2.5 miles away, on the fringe of an enormous lake. A road leads to the fort and buses and tongas ply regularly.

The fort and palaces overlook the lake in the center of which is another palace, accessible by boat. The area is especially beautiful during the monsoon when the lotus blooms, and herons, egrets and ducks are to be seen.

Kota

The city of Kota (previously spelt as Kotah) is situated at the center of the southeastern region of Rajasthan, a very region widely known as Hadaoli the land of the Hadas. The Hadas are a major branch of the great Chauhan clan of the Agnikula (fire dynasty) Rajputs. They had settled in the hilly terrain of Mewar near Bijolianat Bambaoda in the 12th century AD and soon extended their rule, conquering Bundi in 1241 and Kota in 1264 (some writers date both these events exactly 100 years later). Originally, all this formed the Hada state of Bundi dire with Kota as the Jagir (land grant) of Bundi. Kota later became a separate state in 1624.

The kingdom of Kota was carved out of Bundi in 1579 by a ruler of Bundi as a gift for a favorite younger prince, Rao Madho Singh, who is said to have proven himself as a successful and courageous general at the tender age of fourteen. The great marital tradition continued down the family: fighting on behalf of the ageing Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, against the usurper prince Aurangzeb, five of Rao Madho Singh's sons died on the battlefield. The sixth, which narrowly survived, lived on to count no less than fifty wounds on his body, acquired during the course of a long and eventful military career. Kota has a complex history with great swings of fortune, unlike its sister kingdom of Bundi, hidden away behind its rampart of hills. Menaced over the centuries by various Mughal rulers, the maharajas of Jaipur and Mewar, the Maratha warlords, and sometimes their own cousins in Bundi, the rulers of Kota developed a keenly honed instinct for diplomacy. One result was a treaty with the Marathas in the 18th century to keep the Kachhawas rulers of Jaipur at bay.

Zalim Singh's leadership

It was around this time that Kota produced one of the most fascinating characters of modern Rajput history: Zalim Singh, a statesman and diplomat who has been referred to as the "Talleyrand of North India" and the "Machiavelli of Rajwara". Starting out as a general of the Kota armies, he became the Regent of the kingdom when the ruler died, leaving an infant son on the throne. He then set about manipulating the kingdoms belligerent neighbors, parleying with them and shrewdly setting one against the other. Meanwhile he also reorganized the kingdom completely, setting up a modern administration, adopting European weapons and tactics for its armies and creating a comprehensive revenue system that taxed everything from widows to brooms. In doing all this, he certainly was not without personal ambition - the result of which was that there were numerous attempts on his life, including a memorable one when he was set up by a Rani and attacked by a band of armed ladies in the purdah palace.

Kota and the British

In 1817, under Zalim Singh's leadership, Kota became one of the first of the Rajput states to sign a treaty with the British, in return for which Zalim Singh extracted an agreement that the kingdom would be divided, and a separate kingdom carved out of it for his own descendants. The result was the new kingdom of Jhalawar, formed in 1838. The rulers of Kota had their little revenge on the British; during the great Uprising of 1857, Kota was one of few states of Rajputana where the Indian troops rebelled, discreetly aided, it is said, by the ruler.

In 1947, Kota was a town of people, the capital city bearing the same name, with palaces and public buildings, modern administration, civic amenities and utilities. The population swelled soon after, first with the influx from the Punjab and later by the growth of industry.

City Palace and Fort: Standing beside the Kota barrage and over looking the Chambal River, the city palace and fort is one of the Largest such complexes in Rajasthan. The Palace itself was the former residence of the Kota rulers and used to be the center of Power. Schools now occupy some of the buildings but most of the complex is open to the public. Entry is from the south side new Gate.

Jaisalmer

A Bhatti Rajput - Jaisala, founded The ‘Golden City’ of Jaisalmer named the city from the vulnerable former capital of Lodhruva, 15km to the southeast. After he sought counsel of a hermit who lived in a cave near a spring on top of a rocky hill. The successions of Maharajas of Jaisalmer trace their lineage back to the ruler of Bhatti Rajput Clan Jaisalasimha.

The History of Jaisalmer is as turbulent as the character of its bandit chiefs would lead one to expect. Ferociously independent, inordinately proud of a tenuous "divine" lineage; brave, even foolhardy in battle and often treacherous as allies, the Bhatti Rajputs were the most feared of all desert marauders. When they were on the rampage, the gates of neighboring fortresses were closed and the cowering citizens barred their doors and windows against these "wolf-packs of the wastes." Their major opponents were the powerful Rathor clans of Jodhpur and Bikaner and endless ding-dong battles were waged for the possession of a petty fort, or meager waterhole. Cattle’s stealing was a major pass time, along with falconry and the hunt. The source of income was the forced levies on the great caravans that traveled the ancient Spice Route on their way to imperial Delhi.

With the coming of the Muslims in the 13th and 14th centuries, the nature of the conflicts changed. The new enemy was not given to playing. The outsiders were here to found an empire and to propound Islam, a fanatically held faith. However, since Jaisalmer was situated deep in the desert, it escaped direct Muslim conquest. The Rawals, as the rulers were styled, agreed to pay an annual tribute to the Delhi Sultans in order to preserve a circumscribed independence.

Unfortunately, the Bhatti rulers could not always control their unruly vassal chiefs. The dire prophesy of Eesul, that the fort would be sacked, came about by their own rash actions.

The sieges of Jaisalmer are the subject of traditional ballads about Bhatti heroes. They are still sung at fairs and festivals by the hereditary bards, the bhaals and carans, and are the only record of the clan in medieval times. Although elaborately embellished with fabulous deeds of valor, they form the oral history of the period and have been an inspiration to the people during difficult times. According to the ballads, the first siege occurred during the reign of Allaud-din Khilji (1295 - 1315AD), provoked by a foolhardy raid on the royal baggage caravan. For seven long years, the besieging army tried to starve out the defenders. Finally, they breached the ramparts, and the Bhattis, yet facing certain defeat, proclaimed the terrible rite of johar. Once the women and children had perished by sword or fire, the men, clad in ceremonial saffron and opium-intoxicated, opened the gates and rushed out to meet a heroic death.

The second sack followed a daring raid on Sultan Ferozeshah's camp at Anasagar Lake, near Ajmer. Jaisalmer was once again overrun and the dreaded johar repeated.

The Jaisalmer rulers lined their coffers with illicit games won through cattle rustling and by more orthodox methods. Religion and the fine arts flourished the rulers of Jaisalmer, and although professing, Hinduism they were tolerant of Jainism, encouraging the construction of the beautiful temples that now grace the old city within the fort walls. Sculptural depictions of both Hindu and Jain deities and holy men stand side by side on the walls. The visionary rulers commission scholars to copy precious sacred manuscripts and books of ancient learning which otherwise have been lost during Muslim raids.

Jaisalmer's strategic position on the train routes between India and central Asia brought it great wealth. The merchants and town people built magnificent houses, mansions, all exquisitely carved from wood and from golden-yellow sandstone. The havelis can be found elsewhere in Rajasthan (notably in Shekhawati), but nowhere are they quite as exotic as in Jaisalmer. Even the humblest of shops and houses display something of the Rajput love of the decorative arts in its most whimsical form. It likely to remain that way too, since the city planners are keen to ensure that all new buildings blend in with the old.

The rise of shipping trade and the port Bombay saw the decline of Jaisalmer. Independence, partition and the cutting of trade routes through Pakistan sealed the city's fate, and water shortage could have meant its death sentence. However, the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan war revealed Jaisalmer's strategic importance and the Indira Gandhi Canal to the north is beginning to restore life to the desert.

Ajmer

Ajaipal Chauhan established Ajmer in early 7th century. Ajaipal Chauhan constructed a tall fort here and named the place Ajaimeru, or invincible hill, because here he built India’s first hill fort Taragarh. Ajmer was a Chauhan stronghold till 1194. The Only remains of their times are the fort and the beautiful Anasagar Lake built in 1150 by Anaji. The legendry Prithviraj, last of the Chauhans, is the inspiration for many heroic ballads sung even today in the villages of Rajasthan.

It was during the reign of Prithviraj in 1191, that Muhammad of Ghori invaded India. Prithviraj died fighting the sultan's army, and with the establishment of the Sultanate in Delhi, a new era began.

Ajmer remained under the Sultanate till 1326. Thereafter, it became a bone of contention between the Sultans of Delhi, the Ranas of Mewar, the Rathors of Marwar and the Sultans of Gujarat. Peace was restored with the accession of Akbar to the Mughal throne in 1556. He made Ajmer a full-fledged province, and, in pursuance of his policy toward the Rajputs, the base for his operations in Rajputana. He fortified the city, but only parts of the 4045yard (3735m) long wall remain.

His palace, the Daulat Khana, houses ceding the Government Museum. Akbar's son, Jehangir lived in Ajmer from 1613 to 1616. His palace, the Daulat Bagh, is now in ruins. The emperor received the celebrated English ambassador to the Mughal court, Sir Thomas Roe, here. During the course of his extended stay, Roe met the emperor several times and showered him with gifts varying from maps to a coach. But he failed to conclude a commercial treaty between England and the Mughal Empire. Roe's detailed journal contains descriptions of Jehangir’s palaces in Ajmer.

In 1659 a battle was fought in Ajmer between the Mughal princes, Aurangzeb and Dara Sukoh, during which Taragarh was greatly damaged. In the first half of the 18th century, Ajmer was affected by the political chaos in Delhi. At times it was the Rathors who reined here, at others the emperors of Delhi. In 1755, the situation became more complex with the involvement of the Marathas. Finally, in 1818, the Marathas ceded Ajmer to Sir David Ochterlony and, as part of the British Empire it remained under the care of successive superintendents. With the reorganization of the princely states in 1947, Ajmer became a part of Rajasthan.

The Dargah

Situated on the foot of a barren hill in the old part of town, this is one of India's most important places for Muslims pilgrims. The Dargah is the tomb of a Sufi Saint, Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chisthi, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192 and died here in 1236. Humayum completed construction of the shrine and the Nizam of Hyderabad added the gate. Akbar used to make the pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year.

Adhai-din-ka-Jhopra

Beyond the Dargah on the very outskirts of town, are the ruins of the      Adhai-din-ka-Jhopra mosque. According to legend its construction in 1153, took just 2 and a half days as its name indicates (Adhai-din translates as 2 and a half days). Others believe that it was named after a festival that lasted for 2 and half days. It was originally built as a Sanskrit college, but in 1198 Mohammed of Ghori took Ajmer and Converted the building into a mosque by adding a seven-arched wall covered with Islamic calligraphy in front of the pillared hall.

Chittor

Chittorgarh or Chittor is one of the most fiercely contested seats of power in India. About 72miles (115 km) east of Udaipur, stands Chittor, with its formidable fortifications. Bappa Rawal, the legendary founder of the Sisodia dynasty, received Chittor in the middle of the eighth century, as part of the last Solanki princess's dowry. It crowns a seven-mile-long hill, covering 700 acres (280 hectares), with its fortifications, temples, towers and palaces.

From the eighth to the 16th century, Bappa Rawal's descendants ruled over an important kingdom called Mewar stretching from Gujarat to Ajmer. But during these eight centuries the seemingly impregnable Chittor was surrounded, overrun, and sacked three times.

Sacks of Chittor: In 1303 Allauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, intrigued by tales of the matchless beauty of Padmini, Rani of Chittor, of her wit and charm, decided to verify this himself. His armies surrounded Chittor, and the sultan sent a message to Rana Rattan Singh, Padmini's husband, to say that he would spare the city if he could meet its famous queen. The compromise finally reached was that the sultan could look upon Padmini's reflection if he came unarmed into the fort. Accordingly, the sultan went up the hill and glimpsed a reflection of the beautiful Padmini standing by a lotus pool. He thanked his host who courteously escorted Allauddin down to the outer gate-where the sultan's men waited in ambush to take the Rana hostage.

There was consternation in Chittor until Padmini devised a plan. A messenger informed the sultan that the Rani would come to him. Dozens of curtained palanquins set off down the hill, each carried by six humble bearers. Once inside the Sultan's camp, four well-armed Rajput warriors leaped out of each palanquin and each lowly palanquin bearer drew a sword. In the ensuing battle, Rana Rattan Singh was rescued but 7,000 Rajput warriors died. The sultan now attacked Chittor with renewed vigor. Having lost 7,000 of its best warriors, Chittor could not hold out. Surrender was unthinkable. The Rani and her entire entourage of women, the wives of generals and soldiers, sent their children into hiding with loyal retainers. They then dressed their wedding finery, slid their farewells, and singing ancient hymns, boldly entered the mahal and performed johar.

The men, watching with expressionless faces, then donned saffron robes, smeared the holy ashes of their women on their foreheads, flung open the gates of the fort and thundered down the hill into the enemy ranks, to fight to the death. The second sack or shake (sacrifice) of Chittor, by which Rajputs still swear when pledging their word, occurred in 1535, when Sultan Bahadur Shan of Gujarat attacked the fort.

Rana Kumbha (1433-68) was a versatile man, a brilliant poet and musician. He built Mewar up to a position of assailable military strength building a chain of thirty forts that girdled the kingdom But, perhaps more important was a patron of the arts to rival Lorenzo de Medici, and he made Chittorgarh a dazzling cultural center whose fame spread right across Hindustan.

Rana Sanga (reigned 1509-27) was a warrior and a man of great chivalry and honor. His reign was marked by a series of continual battles, in course of which he is said to have lost one arm and had been crippled in one leg and received eighty-four wounds on his body. The last of his battles was again a Mughal invader, Babur, in 1527.

Maharana Pratap: Over the next half-century, most other Rajput rulers allowed them to be wooed by the Mughals; Mewar alone held out. In 1567 Emperor Akbar decided to teach it a lesson: he attacked Chittorgarh razed it to the ground. Five years later Maharana Pratap (1572-97) came to rule Mewar - a king without a capital. He continued to defy Akbar, and in 1576, confronted the imperial armies at Haldighati. The battle ended in a stalemate and Maharana Pratap and his followers withdrew to the craggy hills of Mewar, from where they continued to harass the Mughals through guerilla warfare for the next twenty years. Maharana Pratap made his descendants vow that they would not sleep on beds, nor live in palaces, nor eat off metal utensils, until Chittorgarh had been regained. In fact, right into the 20th century the maharanas of Mewar continued to place a leaf platter under their regular utensils and a reed mat under their beds in symbolic continuance of this vow.

When news of Maharana Pratap's death reached Emperor Akbar in 1597, it is said that the Emperor's eyes filled with tears, and he ordered his court poet to compose a poem in honor of his gallant foe.

Alwar

The erstwhile state of Alwar, in northeastern Rajasthan, is possibly the oldest kingdom in kingdom-studded Rajasthan. In 1500 BC it formed part of the Matsya territories of Viratnagar (present-day Bairat), which also encompassed Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli. History becomes inextricably bound with mythology, as it was here in the ancient kingdom of Matsya that the Kauravas embarked on the cattle-rustling mission that precipitated the war between their kinsfolk and the Pandavas. This battle forms the basis of Mahabharata.  The city of Alwar is believed to have been founded by a member of the Kachhwaha family who hailed from Amer, but control was wrested from the Kachhwahas of Nikumbhas. They in turn lost the city to Bahadura Nahara Gurjara Rajputs of Machari. It passed to the Khanzadas, under Bah Nahara of Mewar, who converted from Hinduism to Islam to win the favor of Emperor Tughlaq of Delhi. At this time Alwar was part of the kingdom of Mewar.

Descendants of Bahadura Nahara defended the Alwar fort against the Muslims in 1427. Alwar's fortunes were inextricably bound with those of Mewar, which was contiguous with Delhi. Although the Mewar leader professed the Muslim faith, he would ally himself with the Rajputs as to the Muslims in Delhi. As Alwar located on the strategic southwestern tier of Delhi, this of course rankled with Mughals, who mounted numerous military forays into the region, only conquering after great difficulty. Alwar was later granted to Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur by Aurangzeb only to be retaken when the emperor visited the city and noted the great strategic virtue of its fortress. The Jats of Bharatpur then threw their hat into the ring, briefly overrunning the region, and installing themselves in the Alwar fort. They were evicted by the Lalawat Narukas (descendants of the Kachhwaha prince of Amber, Naru) between 1775 and 1782 under the leadership of the Naruka Thakur (noble) Pratap Singh. His descendants were great patrons of the arts, commissioning the transcription of numerous sacred and scholarly texts and encouraging painters and artisans to visit the Alwar court. In 1803, the British invested the Alwar Thakur with the title of maharaja as thanks for their support in a battle against the Marathas. This friendly alliance was short-lived, however, with the maharaja of Alwar strongly resenting British interference in governance when a British Resident was installed in the city. Following Independence, Alwar was merged with the other princely states of Bharatpur, Karauli and Dholpur, forming the United State of Matsya, a name which reflected the fact that those states all comprised the ancient Matsya kingdom. In 1949, Matsya was merged with the state of Rajasthan.