Rajputana

One of the most famous deserts in today's time which isn't exactly just a desert but one of the biggest states India has, Rajasthan is the go-to desert place. As huge as it looks on the map, it has the same huge number of attractions and a remarkable history to go along as well.

Thar desert of Rajasthan; Source: Wikipedia

Since the beginning of time, Rajasthan has been a part of different dynasties, civilizations, rulers and a lot more. Two civilizations occupied parts of today's Rajasthan: the Vedic Civilization and the Indus Valley Civilization. Yes, Rajasthan’s land is that old. It dates back to the first of the civilizations ever recorded in the entire world.

However, becoming what it is today, it wasn’t easy for the state to take its stand and be the pillar it is today for the country.

Rajasthan hasn’t been just ageing from the time of the Indus Valley Civilization but there have been proofs that the land dates back to the stone age as well, which is around 5000 to 200,000 years ago.

In this region of the country, the Pratiharas ruled for several generations; the area was called Gujarat. Up until the 10th century CE, the Imperial Pratiharas held sway over almost all of North India, with their capital at Kannauj.

Moving on a bit later when the land was under the rule of Prithiviraj Chauhan and was called Rajputana, the Muslims tried to invade and take over. Fighting not one but many battles against the Muslims, Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated.

Following the defeat of Chauhan in 1192 CE at the Second Battle of Tarain, a part of Rajasthan came under Muslim rule. In 1191 CE, Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the First Battle of Tarain.

Their principal centres of power were Nagaur and Ajmer. They also ruled over Ranthambore. Rajasthan's most prominent and powerful state at the beginning of the 13th century was Mewar.

In the face of Islamic invasions, the Rajputs used warfare and chivalry for centuries. Ranas of Mewar opposed outside rule more than any other kingdom. A large portion of Rajasthan was reclaimed by Rana Hammir Singh from the Tughlaq dynasty.

During Akbar's rule the greater part of the Rajput rulers acknowledged Mughal suzerainty, however, the leaders of Mewar (Rana Udai Singh II) and Marwar (Rao Chandrasen Rathore) wouldn't have any type of union with the Mughals. To show the Rajputs what they were losing by not shaking hands with the Muslims, Akbar planned to go and destroy Udai Singh. That is when he killed Rajput administrator Jaimal of Chittor and the residents of Mewar en masse.

Maharana Pratap made a vow to retaliate, for the residents of Chittor, he battled the Mughal domain till his demise and freed a large portion of Mewar. Maharana Pratap before long turned into the most commended champion of Rajasthan and became renowned all over India for his irregular fighting and honourable activities.

Throughout the long term, the Mughals started to have inner questions which incredibly diverted them on occasion. The Mughal Empire proceeded to debilitate, and with the downfall of the Mughal Empire in the late eighteenth century, Rajputana went under the impact of the Marathas. The Maratha Empire, which had supplanted the Mughal Empire as the master of the subcontinent, was at last supplanted by the British Empire in 1818.

In the nineteenth century, the Rajput realms were depleted, they had been depleted monetarily and in labour after consistent conflicts and because of weighty accolades claimed by the Maratha Empire. To save their realms from precariousness, uprisings and banditry the Rajput lords closed settlements with the British in the mid-nineteenth century, tolerating British suzerainty and command over their outer issues as a trade-off for inside autonomy.

After India became free in 1947, the regal states and chiefships of Rajputana were coordinated by stages into a solitary element. They were first gathered into little associations which converged with the excess Rajput states to make Greater Rajasthan in 1949. At the point when the new constitution of India came into force in 1950, the province of Rajasthan turned into a fundamental piece of India. At the point when the States Reorganization Act was executed in 1956, Rajasthan procured the shape that it has today along with the remarkable and successful cities it has.

Jaipur, the capital of the state, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur, Kota and all the other cities united is what is called the beautiful and full-of-culture Rajasthan. Rajasthan and its cities are the only places where you will find the old Rajput culture as well as glimpses of how the royals used to function almost everywhere.

A map showing the state of Rajasthan along with its cities and regions; Source: Wikipedia