Rajasthan, the land of the Kings is area wise (342,239 km2 or 132,150 sq. mi) the largest state of India. With a population of about 61 million (2011 census) it is the eighth most populated state of the country. It covers the majority of the region of the huge Great Indian Desert (also known as Thar Desert). The state is surrounded by Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Gujarat to the southwest, Haryana to and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Punjab to the north and the country Pakistan to the west. It covers about 10.41 percent of the total area of the country. The state was formed on March 30th 1949, when all former princely states (Rajputana) ruled by Rajputs were merged into the “Dominion of India.”

Rajasthan is one of the most popular travel destinations in India.  Its popularity can be judged from the fact that every third foreign tourist visiting India also travel to Rajasthan. Also well recognized for its Historical Monuments, the current Rajasthan sightseeing is standardized for its warm hospitality and Internationally Awarded Hotels & Resorts. Here we can observe a perfect combination of ages old conventional culture, comforts and modern luxuries. Touring to Rajasthan is a distinctive experience which leaves you attentive as you discover it further & further. The major Visitor Destinations like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer are interconnected well for a round tour in the form of a program. Rajasthan also connects to other popular places like Agra, Khajuraho and Varanasi.

Like many Indian states, Rajasthan has numerous “tribal” peoples who live outside the societal mainstream. Many are itinerant and often called “Gypsies” – indeed the Romanies of Europe are thought to have instigated among these Rajasthani Gypsy tribes. The highest-flying are the Kalbeliyas, found largely in Pushkar. The Kalbeliyas discovered how to lure snakes, and they used to sing and dance for royalty, as they now do for tourists, but living in on the margins of society, they suffer much the same prejudice as their brethren in Europe. Similarly, the Bhopas are a green-eyed tribe of nomads who used to work as entertainers to the maharajas, and to this day they exist as peripatetic poets and storytellers. They are asked to perform particularly where someone is sick, as their songs are believed to aid recovery. In the Jodhpur region, many tourists take a pleasure trip into the countryside to visit the Bishnoi, a religious rather than strictly ethnic group, whose tree-hugging ideas chime with those of hippies in the West. Living in close immediacy to them, though with a very different lifestyle, are the Bhils, great hunters who used to employ themselves out as soldiers in the armies of the Rajput kingdoms. They have their own language and religion, and their dances have become very popular, especially at Holi.

Some Statistics:

1. Population: About 69 million (2011 Census).
2. Number of Towns and Cities: 222.
3. Chief Cities: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner Bharatpur, Alwar, Bhilwara, Sri  Ganganagar, Sikar and Hanumangarh.
4. Roads: 1, 51,914 km. (8,798 km National Highway).
5. National highways crossing Rajasthan: Delhi-Ahmedabad, Agra-Bikaner, Jaipur - Bhopal, Bhatinda-Kandla and Pali-Ambala.
6. Climate: Generally arid with monsoon during June–August
7. Number  of districts: 33
8. Languages: Hindi and English are generally used. Native languages like Marwari, Braj Bhasha, etc are also used.
9. Literacy Rate: 61.02 %