If in the earlier part of Rajasthan history, Rajput architecture dominated the scene. A little later came in the Islamic influence which resulted in a fantastic fusion of the two. This era saw the construction of most of the havelis which served as the residence of rich traders.

Patwon ki Haveli

The most famous among these is Patwon ki Haveli that pioneered the trend. This Haveli was the first to be made in Jaisalmer and that’s why it carries immense significance.

Cluster of Seven Small Havelis

The Patwon ki Haveli is a cluster of seven small havelis adorned with intricately latticed work. The biggest and the most grandiose haveli, this one was constructed in 1805 A.D by Guman Chand Patwa, a rich trader who set the trend.

He could afford and thus ordered the construction of separate stories for each of his 5 sons. These were completed in the span of 50 years. All five houses were constructed in the first 60 years of the 19th century.

Mega Structure Features

This mega structure features five suites and a number of balconies projecting from different storeys. Its intricately carved facade with pillars and balconies is one picture worth capturing. It is an open air museum and has preserved for centuries the heritage of the rich merchant class and the architecture of Rajasthan.

Now the haveli has been taken over by the government. A tour through the haveli will lend an interesting insight in to the lifestyle of the rich traders.

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Havelis in Rajasthan

Havelis in Rajasthan

The havelis are really not that big to be rated as palaces, and it will be too elaborate to be called ordinary palaces of residence. Over the years, there has been a gradul shifting by the owners to bigger cities and quite a few of these havelies have started withering with age.

This old world charm is apparent in the massive countryyards, the Zenana mahals with murals, the carved balconies and the mardana baithak where the nobles sat with visitors.

Intricately Carved and Frescoes

These havelis are intricately carved and frescoes are one important feature. Colored in various shades, the havelis look beautiful and quite conspicuous. Mirror work further adds to the charm of these places. Large corridors, pavilions and ceiling very much resemble that of the palaces. Multiple courtyards and fountains are typical of important ones.

Today many of the Havelis in Rajasthan India have been refurbished into the heritage hotels in Rajasthan where you can enjoy a royal retreat on your tour to Rajasthan. These Havelis have maintained their vintage charm and decor and recreates the medieval ambiance everywhere.
The exquisite havelis of rajasthan are a testimony to the glorious royal history of Rajasthan.

Some Popular Havelis of Rajasthan

• Nathmalji ki Haveli, Jaisalmer
• Alsisar Haveli, Jaipur
• Patwon ki Haveli, Jaisalmer
• Salim Singh ki Haveli, Jaisalmer
• Samode Haveli, Jaipur
• The Piramal Haveli, Shekhawati

If you are looking to book some of the haveli hotels in jaipur you can log into http://www.jaipurhoteldeals.com

We also organize tours to rajasthan, you can explore these exotic havelies in the following tours:

Rajasthan Heritage Tour

Imperial Rajasthan Tour

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The Bundi Utsav held annually in the month of November has added to the glory of the place and has provided a worldwide exposure. This year Bundi Utsav will be held between 5 Nov – 7 Nov 2009.

Bundi Utsav in Rajasthan

Bundi Utsav is a spectacular culmination of traditional art, culture and craftsmanship which surprises every visitor with its grandeur.

Activities During Bundi Utsav

Vibrant Shobha Yatra

The Bundi Utsav begins with a vibrant Shobha Yatra (procession) and features arts & crafts fair, ethnic sports, cultural exhibition and folk, classical music & dance programme to entertain the discerning guests.

Some of the most renowned artistes from across the country come to perform and create a gripping atmosphere at the venue.

Traditional Rural Sports

It also features Deep Daan, sight seeing, traditional rural sports, turban competition, bridal attire, musical band competition and dazzling fireworks display, which attracts huge number of visitors and villagers from nearby regions.

Mini Pushkar

During Bundi Utsav, Keshorai Patan, a small town close to Bundi, epitomizes the glance of Mini Pushkar in the silver embrace of moonlit night. The villagers, elegantly dressed in their traditional attire, gather at the serene banks of Chambal River.

Women chant ritual songs, offer prayers and float lighted lamps into the river, creating a mesmerizing environment. Bundi Utsav offers a great opportunity to get a glimpse of appealing tradition & culture of Rajasthan and explore the magic of the Hadoti region.

How to reach Bundi

Bundi is around 210 kms by road from Jaipur and about 110 kms from Sawai Madhopur. Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar are all easily accessible by road from Kota.

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Gardens in Mount Abu

Mount Abut one of the most popular tourist destinations in summer is also popular in winters due to its scenic beauty. Gardens constitute great tourist attraction in Mount Abu.

There are many well laid out lush gardens and parks blooming with flowers in this hill city. The prominent amongst them are Brahma Kumari Serene Peace Park, Gandhi Park, Municipal Park, Shaitan Singh Park and Terrace Garden.

Insight View of Mount Abu

The quaint hill station Mount Abu is set amidst verdant hills and picturesque landscape.  A sacred retreat with the magnificent Jain Temples, mount Abu also attracts tourists for its scenic display of rocks juxtaposed with abundant flora and fauna.

The road leading to Mount Abu is a curved one characterized by arid region dotted with huge rocks in weird shapes and high velocity winds. This is also the highest point between the Nilgiris in the south and the Himalayan range up north.

The hill station in Rajasthan, Mount Abu is more than just a summer retreat. Its stunning array of exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples, dating back 11th- 13th centuries, make it a popular pilgrimage center.

There are various interesting treks and picnic spots close to Mount Abu.

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Among the gardens of Jodhpur, the most beautiful are the Mandore Garden, the Umed Garden and the Nehru Park.

Umed Garden in Jodhpur

One of the popular gardens of Jodhpur is Umed garden which are dotted with varied species of roses, trees and sprawling lawns. It is spread on an area of 82 acres. The famous Umed garden of Jodhpur, was developed by Maharaja Umed Singh.

The garden has five separate gates around it to facilitate entry to the garden from different directions.

Attractions around Garden

Sprawling Lawns and Zoo

There are towering Ashoka trees, sprawling lawns, artistically designed fountains, a library and a zoo which inaugurated by Viceroy Willingdon, situated in side the Garden.

At the time of its inauguration, it had lion, tiger, zebra, ostrich and an emu but currently it houses different types of birds, local, African and Australian parrots, ducks, rabbits etc.

Also there are pigeons, crocodiles, foxes, deer, lions, leopards, etc. Children as well as adults very often visit the garden with equal interest.

Government Museum

In the garden complex lies the Government Museum, which houses rich collection of weapons, textiles, miniature portraits, local crafts and images of Jain Tirthankars.

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Chandrabhage Fair in Jhalawar

A three day fair is celebrated every year in the month of Kartik (Nov) at  Jhalarapatan 6 kms from Jhalawar in Rajasthan when an air of celebration pervades  the whole area. This year, Chandrabhaga Fair is being celebrated on 1-3 Nov 2009.

Activities and Celebrations at Chandrabhaga Fair

Chandrawati, located on the river bank is considered the most sacred spot by the devotees. Thousands gather on the full moon night of Kartik Purnima to take a holy dip in the river.

A big cattle fair which blends religion eith commerce is held here.  Livestock include cows, buffaloes, camels and bullocks. Traders from as fas as Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra converge here and brisk trading takes place.  The fair provides ample opportunity to the tourists to acquaint themselves with the people of this region, their culture and traditions.

Places of Interest in Jhalawar

Jhalawar exudes a special charm as seen in its pre-historic cave printings, formidable forts, forests and exotic wildlife. One of important place of interest around Jhalawar is Chandrabhaga temples which are situated 7 km from the main town. Sculptures here consist of the best examples of early temple architecture in Rajasthan.

Othe places worth a visit are : Jhalarapatan (6 kms), Gagron Fort (14kms), Buddhist Caves and Stupas (95 kms), Jhalawar fort and Government Museum.

How to Get There

Ramganj Mandi is the nearest Railway Station (25kms). Jhalawar is well connected to Kota, Bundi and Jaipur. National Highway No.12 passes through Jhalawar. Buses are available from all major cities.

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Fire at Indian Oil Corporation Depot in Sitapura Industrial Area, Jaipur

The explosion took place on Thursday at 7:00 pm at IOC petrol depot in Sitapura area on the outskirts of Jaipur city when petrol was being transported to a pipeline and the fire soon engulfed the entire depot, spreading over 5 kilometres.

It burned through the night and was still engulfed by huge flames and black smoke late Friday afternoon.

Fire due to Leakage

The fire, that started due to a leakage in one of the valves, continues to rage in five of the 12 tanks that stored petrol, diesel and kerosene. Two diesel tanks, each having 20,000 kilolitres of the auto fuel, and three 10,000 kl petrol storages were on fire.

Impact of the Explosion

The impact of the explosion and the consequent fire was such that the walls of buildings two to three kilometers away developed cracks and splinters of glass caused injuries to many.

Many of the injured are from the staff of Genus Electronics, an electronic equipment manufacturing unit near the IOC depot.

Services affected

The Rail and road connectivity on the Jaipur-Kota section up to Sawai Madhopur district was stopped or diverted as a precautionary measure.

Government Initiative

Army has been sent to carry out the fire fighting and rescue operations at the site. Fire experts have been called from Mumbai. Five lakh residents around the area have been moved to safer locations, including hostelers of 10 engineering and medical colleges.

The Indian government has announced a compensation of one million rupees (20,000 U.S. dollars) for the families of those killed, 200,000 rupees for the seriously injured and 100,000 rupees for those who sustained minor injuries.

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The city is known for its splendor, traditions and culture. The various forts, palaces, moments and many picturesque gardens talk a lot about the rich past of the Jodhpur.

Among the gardens of Jodhpur, the most beautiful are the Mandore Garden, the Umaid Garden and the Nehru Park.

Nehru Garden in Jodhpur

Nehru Park was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Shri Mohan Lal Sukhadia on 7th September 1966.

Nehru Garden Attractions

This garden is beautifully landscaped and attracts hordes of tourists. It provides an oasis to the eyes, otherwise bored by the barren desert landscape. Covering an area of 14 acres, this park is designed especially for children.

It is a great park that reflects the beauty of nature through its beautiful ponds, fountains, plants, trees and flowerbeds.

History about Nehru Park

Earlier there was a pond which was gradually polluted by the waste water. To prevent pollution, a part of it was converted to Bakhat Sagar residential colony. The lower portion of the pond now contains the Nehru Park.

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Pushkar Festival

The Pushkar Fair is overwhelming in its magnitude and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. It is easily one of the most spectacular and colorful fairs of India and famous the world over for its collection of colorful people, camel and cattle.

Pushkar Fair is perhaps the largest cattle fair in the world.

Rajasthan which is enriched by cattle wealth is the home to many recognized breeds of cattle like Nagauri, Mewati, Gir etc. Camels are bought, sold, beautified, raced and parade. Most unusual are the small groups of men and women seen busy tattooing their hands and other parts of the body.

The fair is predominantly a rural gathering. Villagers come from different parts of the state and bring their cattle with them. On spectacular sand dunes camel, horse and bullock races are great crowd pullers. All roads lead to the lake, which is flooded with pilgrims. The movement of the crowd is like a tide of colour with currents of crimson, yellow and turquoise.

The Pushkar Fair this year starts on the 25th of October to the 2nd of November with lots of cultural programmes and a lot of animals on sale and many games for tourists and animals and the locals.

Events at Pushkar Fair

Evenings at the Pushkar Fair have their own charm. The silent night is pierced by calls of camels. Ballads are sung by actors in passionate tones. Folk dramas, skits and folk dance are organized for the entertainment of the tourists. The tourist village is self sufficient and specially designed to complement the natural beauty of the site. It has a Coffee Shop and Dining Hall which can cater to 1500 guests at a time.

Dance music and colorful shops come up during this fair. Also on sale are mouth-watering traditional delicacies. Colorfully dresses village folk enhance the fun of the occasion. Lots of cultural events against the backdrop of this pretty setting is also organized including attractive puppet shows. Cattle auction and camel races are also a part of the festivities.

GETTING THERE

By Train

The nearest railway station for Pushkar is Ajmer, which is on the Broad Gauge and hence connected to all the metro cities of India. There are daily trains from Jaipur like Shatabdi Exp and evening Intercity Exp which go in the morning and evening respectively.

By Bus

Pushkar is around 12 km from main Ajmer . Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe & air conditioned buses from Jaipur. There are buses from Jaipur to Ajmer every 15 minutes, some nonstop but just one which goes directly to Pushkar. The roads are also very good, and it takes around 2and a half hrs from Jaipur. You can also go there by taxi.

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The tourists can look out for the central Chandra Mahal, which features eye-catching marble pillars and detailed lattices.

Attractions Around Jai Niwas Garden

Chandra Mahal

The Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace), the seven tired, pyramid like inner sanctum of the palace. These were the royal apartment, complete with an internal garden. Crowing them is the Mukut Mandir which has superb views.

The Chandra Mandir, Ground floor, has air cooling water channels and delicate floral designs on the ceiling. From its terrace the ruler could look across Jai niwas Garden to the Sri Govind Ji Temple.

Govind Devji Temple

In the central pavilion of the sprawling Jai Niwas Garden to the north of the Chandra Mahal is the spire less temple of Lord Krishna.

The image in the form of Govind Devji, originally installed in a temple of Vrindavan, was reinstalled here by Sawai Jai Singh-II as his family deity. This is the most famous and popular temple in Pink City attracting devotees from all over the country.

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