Rajasthan  *

 

 

    Rajasthan or the land of the princes was formed into a modern state by an amalgam of diverse states that merged with the Indian union – each with its own colourful past hidden in the veil of folklore and legend. The process took six years to complete.

 

    Rajasthan is considered the cradle of chivalry. Rana Pratap and Rana Sanga are heroes who continue to be revered.

 

    The sprawling fort of Chittor preserves the memory of queen Padmavati and the poetess Meera Bai. Forts and palaces at Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bikaner attract foreign and Indian tourists alike. The wild life sanctuaries at Ranthambore and Sariska are internationally famous, as is the bird sanctuary at Bharatpur.

 

    Most of the land in this state is arid and includes the great desert of Thar. Only after independence has irrigation work been undertaken in earnest. Industrialisation has also accelerated and dramatic changes are taking place in society and the economy.

 

    The principal crops are jowar, bajra and oil seeds. Rajasthan has significant deposits of copper and zinc.

    There is a copper smelting plant at Khetri, and a precision instrument factory at Kota.

 

    Other major industries are textiles, woollens, cement, vegetable dyes, fertilizers and synthetic yarns. In addition the state is in the vanguard of the trade in precious and semiprecious stones.

 

    The construction of the Indira Gandhi Canal in the Thar Desert has transformed agricultural practices in the arid zone from Bikaner to Jaislmer.