Desert home of maharajas and beauteous queens, Rajasthan is India at its exotic, colourful best. In this land of magnificent forts and gorgeous palaces, glimpses of the sheer opulence of royal life in India are accessible to today’s travellers not only in Rajasthan’s museums but in numerous palaces and forts converted into luxury and heritage hotels and resorts. The romance of Rajasthan continues well beyond royal abodes in its exquisite marble filigreed temples, mansions glowing in the desert light with intricate carvings and hand painted frescoes, and, in its people’s exuberance for life and love of colour, beauty, and pageantry. Flamboyant costumes, folk performers, dancers and musicians are as much a part of everyday life in Rajasthan today, as they were centuries ago.

Conveniently accessible by road from Delhi, Rajasthan is best seen at an unhurried pace from close up.