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Rajasthan Wild Life

PALI - Once inhabited by the Paliwal Brahmins, from whom the place gets its name, ancient Pali housed a highly evolved civilization. The land was leased to the Paliwals by the then chief of Mandore (the former capital of Jodhpur district), which they cultivated diligently, abandoning their former priestly profession. Being a hardworking and intelligent tribe they soon became wealthy and were noticed by the chieftain of Marwar at the time, Raja Sheoji. Wanting to replenish his treasury for the battles which lay ahead Sheoji imposed a war levy on the inhabitants of Pali in 1243AD. This they refused to pay, demanding exemption under the plea that they were Brahmins. The furious king threw some of their leaders into prison in retaliation, and passed an edict mandating punishment on every Pali resident who did not cough up the war tax. Sheoji’s persecution forced the Paliwals to flee, which they did lock stock and barrel to Jaisalmer, until Pali resembled a ghost town.
 

Palis Main Attractions
Today Pali’s chief attraction are three exquisite temples, namely the Hatundi Rata Mahabir Temple, the Ranakpur Jain Temple and the Surya Narayan Temple (the first has been covered under Pali, while the other two have been covered separately under Ranakpur).

KHEECHAN - Village is situated 130 kms from Jodhpur and 5 kms from Phalodi. This is a natural sanctuary to the bird Kurjan. This bird belongs to South Western Europe, Black sea, Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, North and South Africa and Mongolia. It India, this bird is known as Kurjan, karkara and kunch. When Europe cold becomes intolerable then these birds migrate to India. Surviving on insects, frogs, fish, wheat barley and seeds of watermelon and dangerous for the crops. While flying as it makes lot of noise and sounds like kurr-kurr, thus it is known as kurjan. The bird having great affinity towards the Indian land occupies a massive area for its stay, transforming it into a bird sanctuary

Kheechan village becomes absolutely deserted when these birds return to Europe. Besides kheechan, these cranes can also be seen Bapp Lake, Bhadriya and Bhatiyana in Jaisalmer, many villages of Barmer, Rama, Morda, Talab and Badrajune in Jalore and also near Sanchore. They are also seen in Krishna Mrig sanctuary in Tal Chappar of Churu district and the Bharatpur bird sanctuary.
 

SOJAT CITY - Sojat city, is situated on the left bank of the Sukri River near Pali town, known as Tamravati in the ancient times, the fort has a big reservoir and several temples like Sejal Mata, Chaturbhuj and much more. The old temple of Chamunda Mata located on the top of one of the hillocks. Dargah of Pir Mastan is the main attraction at the time of Urs- the Muslim festival. One of the major attractions of this city is the plantation of mehandi trees, a herbal plant where the leaves are squashed into a thin paste and applied on the hands and the feet in various attractive designs. This traditional art form is now known all over the world and is internationally adopted in the fashion circuit. Many of the foreign tours who happen to cross this perticuler route towards Udaipur or Mount Abu often takes a break and get there palms and feets decorated by the Mehndi of Sojat as it is very popular across the country.
 

NAGAUR - The Ahhichatragarh Fort is medium sized, which have been built by Mughal Emperors Akbar and Shaha Jahan. A well planned Mughal Garden, which retains its pleasant appearance even today. The city has distinct Muslim influences and a Five Domed Mosque built by Emperor Akbar dominates the landscape. The city is best visited during the Ramdeoji Ka mela and Tejaji ka mela in February and August respectively. Nagaur is approachable by express busses of RSRTC and by taxi.

KUMBHALGARH - Located 64 kms north of Udaipur in the wilderness, Kumbhalgarh is the second most important citadel after Chittorgarh in the Mewar region. Cradled in the Aravali Ranges the fort was built in the 15th century by Rana Kumbha. Because of its inaccessibility and hostile topography the fort had remained un-conquered. It also served the rulers of Mewar as a refuge in times of strife. The fort also served as refuge to the baby king Udai of Mewar. It is also of sentimental significance as it is the birthplace of Mewar's legendary King Maharana Partap.

The fort is self-contained and has within its amalgam almost everything to withstand a long siege. The fort fell only once that too to the combined armies of Mughal and of Amber for scarcity of drinking water. Many magnificent palaces an array of temples built by the Mauryas of which the most picturesque place is the Badal Mahal or the

CHITTORGARH - Chittorgarh is the epitome of Rajput pride, romance and spirit. It reverberates with history of heroism and sacrifice, which is evident as it echoes with the tales sung by the Bards of Rajasthan. The main reason for visiting Chittorgarh is its massive hilltop fort, which is a depiction of Rajput culture and values. The fort stands on a 240-hectares site on an 180m high hill that rises rapidly from the plains below.

Thrice a stronger enemy sacked Chittorgarh. The first sack occurred in 1303 when a Pathan King Ala-ud-din Khilji overwhelmed by the beauty of Queen Padmini besieged the fort in order to capture the regal beauty. In 1535 Bahadur Shah the Sultan of Gujarat besieged the fort causing immense carnage and it is said that 32000 men donned the saffron robes of martyrdom and rode out to face a certain death, and the women folkes committed Jauhar (an act of self immolations by plunging in a large fire) led by Rani Karnawati.

KISHANGARH - South west of Jaipur, Ajmer is an oasis wrapped in the green hills. The city was founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D. and continued to be a major centre of the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. When Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to Mohammed Gaure. Since then, Ajmer became home to many dynasties. Today, Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, which is equally revered by the Hindus and Muslims. It is a centre of culture and education, the British chose Ajmer for its prestigious Mayo College a school exclusively for Indian nobility. Ajmer is also the base for visiting Pushkar (14 km.), the abode of Lord Brahma, lying to its west with a temple and a picturesque lake. The Pushkar Lake is a sacred spot for Hindus. During the month of Kartik (Oct./Nov.), devotees throng in large numbers here to take a dip in the sacred lake.

TILONIA - Tilonia is a small town 25 kms from Kishangarh near Ajmer and 7 kms off Jaipur-Ajmer highway. Barefoot college inspires this town, which began in 1972 with the conviction that solutions to rural problems lie within the community. The College, officially known as Social Work and Research Centre, addresses problems of drinking water, girl education, health & sanitation, rural unemployment, income generation, electricity and power, as well as social awareness and the conservation of ecological systems in rural communities.

POKRAN - It is located on the junction of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner Road. It is on route to Jaisalmer and is also a fort town though the fort is not of the dimensions of Jaisalmer or Jodhpur. Pokran also came into limelight, as it was the site for India nuclear detonation. Pokran is also renowned for its furniture and interior crafts. The Fort locate about 1.5 kms from the bus stand has an assortment of weaponry, brocade clothes and various games of dice and dominoes on display. Fort Pokran also offers hotel accommodation with some washed out appeal.

BARMER - Barmer is a desert town just 153 kms from Jaisalmer and has fortresses to boast off. This place is primarily famous for its woodcarving, furniture and interiors, carpets, block printing and embroideries. The centre for embroidery is the Sadar Bazaar and woodcarvings are around the Station Road. It has an RTDC Hotel and private Hotels too.

Just 35 kms form Barmer is a group of five temples in architectural style known as Solanki. These temples feature some very fine sculpture and the Someshwara Temple with a multi tier spire is the most impressive. Since it is very close to the sensitive Pakistan border, foreigners visiting it must obtain prior permission form the District Collector.

PILANI - Once a small village is famous for being the hometown of the premier business and industrial family the Birlas. The town is also for its The Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani is an all-India Institute for higher education. Its engineering college is reputed to be the top ten colleges in India. Late Mr G.D. Birla - an eminent industrialist and an associate of Mahatma Gandhi, founded the Institute. Other places of interest are The BITS Museum, Shiva Ganga, Saraswati temple and the Pachwati. Pilani is connected by bus and road from Delhi and Jaipur and the nearest railhead is Chirawa. Pilani also has good hotel accommodations.

KOTA - An amazing, juxtaposition of majestic medieval age and modern industrialization, mainly the Hydro Electric Plant on the Chambal River and the Nuclear Power Plant has a few traces of its past still left. The fort overlooking the river Chambal is the foremost tourist attraction. It also houses the museum with a rich collection of art and artefacts and some elaborately painted chambers.

Earlier it was a part of Bundi state, but later it grew to be a bigger state. What retains the past glory are the untouched wealth of impressive forts, opulent palaces and temples dating back over several centuries. These temples were conquered by the Hada chieftain Rao Deva. It was at the time of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir that Rao Ratan Singh gifted this territory to his son Madho Singh. The Kota state reflects in the form of a beautiful collection of Stone Idols (murties) in the Raj Mahal, embellished with gold stained glass work on the walls, the silver mirror work on ceilings and the marvelous wall paintings

JHALAWAR - The princely state of the Jhalas created in 1838 AD, after being separated from Kota by the British. It is best explored by foot within the city and a horse safari in the outskirts as Jhalawar boasts of rich natural wealth, with flora and fauna as active.

Since it is situated at the edge of the Malwa Plateau it has rocky but water laden verdant landscape unlike much of Rajasthan, with some exquisite pre-historic cave paintings, massive forts, thick woody forests, exotic wild life variety and a lush country side which has Red poppy fields, orange laden orchards making it look fascinating and colourful during winters.

TONK - It is located, 96 kms away from Jaipur. This is a quiet town which was ruled by tribes of 'Pathans' from Afghanistan. The focal point of Tonk is the Suneri Kothi, the Golden Bungalow. A fairly ordinary monument from outside, it has stunningly rich ornamental interiors. There are also some interesting building that accommodated the British office. Tonk is also famous for its leather and felt industry and one can pick up a good bargain from the markets. The Nawab of Tonk was an avid book lover and built a sizable library of Arabic and Persian manuscripts. Arabic and Persian Research Institute are also located here.
 

ABHANERI - Abhaneri is a village about 95 kms from Jaipur on the Jaipur-Agra Road. A detour is well merited for its amazing step wells or 'baoris' and Harshat Mata Temple. According to a legend, the village is so called because the Goddess Harshat Mata who is shown portrayed in a joyous mood is believed to spread brightness or "abha" all around. The village's original name was Abha Nagri, and its name today is Abhaneri.

It is believed that the celebrated king Raja Chand established the village. On the other hand it is felt that the mythological Raja Chand could be King Bhoja, who ruled over the Gurjar kingdom in the ninth century AD. The ruins of the temple also speaks of the 10th century architectural and sculptural styles. There is a huge tank named "Chand Baori", opposite to the temple fortified on all four sides with bastions for defence. Even though Abhaneri is now in ruins, the place has a distinct reminiscence about itself. It is best approached by road, buses ply between Jaipur and Agra.

KAURALI - Located at 182 kms southwest of Jaipur, it was founded in 1348 and is best known for its Krishna Temples. The Fort, which was constructed over different period, is about 600 years old. The fort was the residence for the royal family until 1950 and is now occupied by monkeys and geese. The geese were used in the early days as warning system against any intruders. They still seem to be doing their duty. The Bhawar Vilas Palace, which is owned by the descendents of the royal family and resembles a large manor, is a hotel now. The rooms are comfortable and good meals are available. Karauli is best connected by bus or taxi from Jaipur.

RANAKPUR - Beautiful sculptured Jain temples mark the glory of this renowned place. Marked as one of the five holy places for the Jain community, these were created in the 15 the century. During the reign of Rana Kumbha and are enclosed within a wall. The central Chaumukha [four faced temple] is dedicated to Adinathji the temple is an astounding creation with 29 halls and 1,444 pillars all distinctly carved and no two being alike is a amazing evidence of the genius sense of architecture that enhances the charm of the place. Every temple has this conceivable surface carved with equal delicacy. The ambience of Ranakpur is mainly highlighted by the location and the almost divine architecture, giving the same hue as its counter part - the great Dilwara Temple's. in Mt-Abu. Facing the main temple are the unique temples -Parasvanath - Neminath with exquisite figures carving similar to that Khujaraho sculptures. Another temple worth visiting is the nearby 'Sun .

NATHDWARA - Nathdwara lies 48 kms from Udaipur and literally means the gateway to the Lord. This great Vaishnavite shrine was built in the 17th century on spot exactly defined by the Lord himself. The legends have it that the image of the Lord Krishna was being transferred to safer place from Vrindaban to protect it from the destructive wrath of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The image when it reached the spot it vehicle the bullock carts wheel sank axel deep in mud and refused to move further. The accompanying priest realized that this was lord's chose spot and the image did not want to travel any further. Accordingly a Temple was built here.

DESHNOK - Deshnok is a small village situated 32 km south from Bikaner city along the Jodhpur Road. It is connected by national highway and rail. It is a pilgrim centre of Karni Mata. Karni Mata, considered as an incarnation of Goddess Durga lived here in the fourteenth century and performed many miracles. Originally the village was called 'dus- nok' meaning ten corners as it was formed by taking ten corners of ten villages.

Before the temple is a beautiful marble facade, which has solid silver doors built by Maharaja Ganga Singh. Across the doorway are more silver doors with panels depicting the various legends of the Goddess. The image of the Goddess is enshrined in the inner sanctum.
The temple is also famous for its holy rodents who are revered as 'Kabas'. It is believed that one of the younger children of the Goddess was drowned to death. Karni Mata then

DUNGARPUR - Huddled in the foothills of the Aravali, Dungarpur has a fascinating landscape of an array of wild and rugged terrain in the northeast to fertile plains of alluvial soil in the southwest. Two rivers the River Mahi and the River Som flow through the area. Rawal Veer Singh founded Dungarpur in 1282 A. D., when he took over this part of the state from Bhil Chieftain Dungaria.

The area is rich in teak, mahua, mango and Khajur trees. Dungarpur is also noted for its wildlife variety - jackal, jungle cat, Indian fox, hyena, black-faced monkey, porcupine, common mongoose are the common inhabitants. The commonly seen bird variety includes partridges, peafowl, quails, cuckoos, eagles and vultures. Various migratory birds also visit the area during the winters.
 

ALWAR - Huddled in the foothills of the Aravali, Dungarpur has a fascinating landscape of an array of wild and rugged terrain in the northeast to fertile plains of alluvial soil in the southwest. Two rivers the River Mahi and the River Som flow through the area. Rawal Veer Singh founded Dungarpur in 1282 A. D., when he took over this part of the state from Bhil Chieftain Dungaria.

The area is rich in teak, mahua, mango and Khajur trees. Dungarpur is also noted for its wildlife variety - jackal, jungle cat, Indian fox, hyena, black-faced monkey, porcupine, common mongoose are the common inhabitants. The commonly seen bird variety includes partridges, peafowl, quails, cuckoos, eagles and vultures. Various migratory birds also visit the area during the winters.
 

BANSWADA - Home to the tribal with Bhils constituting half of the total populations Banswara has its name derived from Bans or bamboo trees, which once grew here in abundance. Maharawal Jamal Singh founded the erstwhile state. With Udaipur and Chittorgarh, forming its boundaries, the district presently comprises of the territories of former Banswara State and the Chieftainship of Kushalgarh. While the central and western portion of the district are fertile plains, the scattered ranges of the Aravali form the eastern region. The ancient town is surrounded by a stone wall, now in ruins. A palace of a former ruler of Banswara stands overlooking the town.

The teak forests are found on the slopes of the Aravalli hills. Mango, Khajur and Mahua trees are also a part of the vegetation of the district. Banswara has rich wildlife including squirrels, lizards, snakes, chinkara, ronj and four horned antelope. Panthers can be seen rarely. The avian variety includes the black drongo, grey shirke, green bee-eater, parrot, jungle crow, wood pecker and common myna. Grey jungle fowl and grey partridge are generally spotted in the remote parts of the forests.

LADNUN - Ladnun is a Tehsil Headquarter in Nagaur District. It is the City of Jain Temples and one of the most visited pilgrim place of Jain community after Shri Mahaveerji. Ladnun is famous for Jain Vishva Bharati University, Jain Temples of exquisite marble work, Old Dargah of Omarshah Peer and Other old temples of pilgrimage and architectural importance. This city is also famous for the birth place of sacred Jain Muni Aacharya Tulsi. The excursions from Landnun within 15-20 kms are Dungar Balaji, Salasar Balaji Dham, Tirupati Balaji at Sujangarh.




Jain Vishva Bharati

BHARATPUR - In 1733 AD, Raja Badan Singh 's adopted son, Suraj Mal had shown signs of promise, when he captured the fort of Bharatpur from Khemkaran, the rival chief, whom he killed and thus laid the foundation of Bharatpur City.

Maharaja Suraj Mal displayed immense courage and carved a niche for himself in the midst of political disorder. Gathering around him fiercely martial Jat peasants, he went from one success to another. He accompanied Emperor Muhammed Shah against Ali Muhammed Ruhela and in 1748 AD, at the battle of Bagru he led the Jaipur vanguard against the Marathas. He also defeated the commander-in-chief of the Mughal emperor. Despite being a very religious man he was secular.