ROYAL RAJASTHAN There are many ways by which one can travel across the state of Rajasthan in northern India but the train is probably the most fascinating. This journey explores the history of India's former maharajahs and... more » mughals and begins in Delhi, India's great capital city. The streets of Delhi are full of life and even though there is much poverty the city is currently enjoying a degree of cultural and financial prosperity. Many historic landmarks such as the Lal Qila, the Red Fort, are a reminder of the city's glorious past. Due to its numerous magnificent historic buildings, Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is one of the most beautiful and impressive cities in the region. The facade of the city's most famous landmark, the Palace Of The Winds, is one of the most photographed sights in India. Around forty-two kilometres west of Jaisalmer the Desert National Park helps visitors to experience the natural beauty of the remote Thar Desert. At night the inhabitants of the desert, accompanied by traditional and exotic sounds, display the oriental side of their culture. Traditional music and dance are part of the nocturnal ambience of the desert and create an evocative scene straight out of the One Thousand And One Nights. With around seven hundred thousand inhabitants Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan. The Meherangarh Museum contains an extensive collection of historic objects that once belonged to the rulers of Jodhpur. Agra is the most popular tourist destination in India. Between 1630 and 1653 Shah Jahan built a unique monument here that is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal, a magnificent example of Mughal architecture that is synonymous with India itself. Historically, culturally and scenically the journey has provided many colourful impressions of Royal Rajasthan, the legendary kingdom of India's Rajput and Mughal rulers.« less
