India – the land to travel to, a haven of tourism delights, a civilization to tour through. Tourists come to India for its wealth of sights, cultural exuberance, diversity of terrain and in search of that special something, an extra punch that only India promises and delivers. Teeming with over a billion people who voice over a million concerns in fifteen hundred different languages, India is where people live with variety, thrive on diversity and are too familiar with largeness to let it boggle them. Mud huts and mansions face off across city streets.

Rajasthan
History of Rajasthan:
According to the Hindu Mythology, the Rajputs of Rajasthan were the descendants of the Kshatriyas or warriors of Vedic India. The emergence of the Rajput warrior clans was in the 6th and 7th centuries. Rajputs ancestry can be divided into two: the "solar" or suryavanshi-those descended from Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, and the "lunar" or chandravanshi, who claimed descent from Krishana, the hero of the epic Mahabharata. Later a third clan was added, the agnikula or fire-born, said to have emerged from the flames of a sacrificial fire on Mt Abu.
It has been accepted that the Rajputs were divided into thirty-six races and twenty-one kingdoms. The Rajput clans gave rise to dynasties like Sisodias of Mewar ( Udaipur ), the Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur), the Rathors of Marwar ( Jodhpur & Bikaner ), the Harsa of Kota & Bundi, the Bhattis of Jaisalmer and the Chauhans of Ajmer.

Early History
Rajasthan is the north-western region of India , and has remained independent from the great empires. Buddhism failed to make substantial inroad here; the Mauryan Empire (321-184 BC), who's most renowned emperor, Ashoka, Converted to Buddhism in 261 BC, had minimal impact in Rajasthan, However, there are Buddhist caves and stupas (Buddhist Shrines) at Jhalawar, in Southern Rajasthan .
Ancient Hindu scriptural epics make reference to sites in present-day Rajasthan. The Holy Pilgrimage site of Pushkar is mentioned in both the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Emergence of the Rajputs
The fall of the Gupta Empire, which held dominance in northern India for nearly 300 years until the early 5th Century, was followed by a period of instability as various local chieftains sought to gain supremacy. Power rose and fell in northern India . Stability was only restored with the emergence of the Gurjara Partiharas, the earliest of the Rajput (from 'Rajputra', or Sons of Princes) dynasties which were later to hold the balance of power throughout Rajasthan.
Whatever their actual origins, the Rajputs have evolved a complex mythological genealogy. This ancestry can be divided into two main branches: the Suryavansa, or Race of the Sun (Solar Race), which claims direct descent from Rama; and the Induvansa, or Race of the Moon (Lunar race), which claims descent from Krishna, Later a third branch was added, the Agnikula, or 'Fire Born'. These people claim they were manifested from the flames of a sacrificial fire on Mt.Abu From these three Principal races emerged the 36 Rajput clans.
The Rajput clans gave rise to dynasties such as the Chauhans, Sisodias, Kachhwahas and Rathores. Chauhans of the Agnikula Race emerged in the 12th century and were renowned for their valor. Their territories included the Sapadalksha kingdom, which encompassed a vast area including present- day Jaipur, Ranthambhore, part of Mewar, the western portion of Bundi district, Ajmer Kishangarh and even, at one time, Delhi . Branches of the Chauhans also ruled territories know as Ananta (in present-day Shekhawati) and Saptasatabhumi.
The Sisodias of the Suryavansa Race, Originally from Gujarat , migrated to Rajasthan in the mid-7th Century and reigned over Mewar, which encompassed Udaipur and Chittorgarh.
The Kachhwahas, originally from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, travelled west in the 12th century. They built the massive fort at Amber, and later shifted the capital to Jaipur. Like the Sisodias, they belonged to the Suryavansa Race.
Also belonging to the Suryavansa Race, the Rathore (earlier known as Rastrakutas) traveled from Kanauj, in Uttar Pradesh. Initially they settled in Pali, south of present-day Jodhpur , but later moved to Mandore in 1381 and ruled over Marwar ( Jodhpur ). Later they started building the stunning Meherangarh (fort) at Jodhpur .
The Bhattis, who belong to the Induvansa Race, driven from their homeland in the Punjab by the Turks, installed themselves at Jaisalmer in 1156. They remained more of less entrenched in their desert Kingdom untill they were integrated into the state of Rajasthan following Independence .

Culture of Rajasthan
Rajasthan, "the land Kings". It is the second largest state of India situated in the Northwest region. Rajasthan is also called 'Rajputana', the country of Rajputs." Just as every human society possesses a culture, so does Rajasthan.
Rajasthan's culture comes from its two main tribes-Bhils and Minas. The Bhils form an important group in the southern part of the state. The Minas are Rajasthan's largest and most widely spread tribal group. In the north, they inhabit the sikar belt and in the southwest, the Mina settlement mixes with the Bhels. Above all the Rajputs form an important section of the population. The 'Jats' are the people living in the north and west of Rajasthan and are primarily an agricultural people. The main language of the state is rajasthani which comprises of a number of indo-aryan dialects. The four most important of these are Marwari (west), Jaipuri (east), Malwi (southeast), Mewati (nothwest). Hinduism is the main religion followed by most people of Rajasthan. Islam extended into region with the conquest of Ajmer in the 1100's. Rajasthan along with populated is also the poorest state. Most people, especially women are unable to read and write. But, at the same time Rajasthan is the most colorful of all states; as the colorful bangles, jewelry, embroidery and costume distinguish Rajastahni women from many tribes. Above all it is the state in which the roots of Henna (popularly known as MEHNDI) originated. It is from here that the custom of applying Mehndi by women on auspicious occasions originated. And, today it has spread its beauty and colors across the boundaries of India . Henna is one of the main products that are manufactured here. The traditional handicrafts include pottery, jewelers, embrosed brass, block printing embroidery and decorative painting. Agriculture forms an important source of earning a living by the Rajasthan people. The tribes of Rajasthan lead a very simple life away from all the noise of the cities; in the calm deserts, yet their life's are full of color and glory which is filled by the people themselves.

Ladakh
Ladhak, or "Little Tibet" lies as a separated area in the Himalayas of northern India at the Tibetan Plateau, at the frontier of Karakoram. Sandwiched between Afghanistan , Pakistan , China and the Kashmir Valley , this area forms a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir . The Ladakh range starts from the Indus-Shyok confluence and the Zanskar range is the dividing line between the Indus and Zanskar valleys. Two main districts comprise Ladakh: Leh and Kargil. Leh can be subdivided into Indus Valley , Nubra Valley , Shyok Valley and Markha Valley . The main rivers are Indus , Zansker and Shyok; like the mountain ranges these rivers run roughly east to West. Very little rain coupled with its location in the rain shadow area has resulted into a high altitude desert – desolate, barren and untamed – with beautiful landscapes.
Ladakh today is one of the most remarkable adventure travel destinations and its can be divided into three main areas for trekking: Zansker, with Padam as its central point; the area around Leh; and the Nubra/Shyok Valleys of the Eastern Karakoram . Scattered settlements and terraced fields along the riverbanks with barren mountains as the backdrop is a sight to remember. Ladhakh has a rich cultural and religious heritage that you can see in the very old monasteries that still function. Ladakh's Indus River Valley monasteries contain a wealth of brightly-painted murals; gilded, gem-studded statues of Buddha; religious icons; carvings and scrolls. Here it is possible to receive a lama's blessing, hear the throaty wail of a horn echoing off mountain walls, and witness a lifestyle passed down intact through the ages.

Darjeeling
Darjeeling is the Queen of India's hill stations. Its setting is one of incomparable beauty. A Victorian town of old world charm 'discovered' by the British, it is almost completely surrounded by fragrant tea gardens which seem to flow over the layered slopes like emerald swells on a rough sea. These are in turn interspersed by untamed jungle of Fern and Bamboo, groves of sweet smelling Coniferous trees and hamlets lost and which may be the finest this earth has to offer, It hits one like Darjeeling's true name, “Dorje Ling”, or 'Place of the Thunderbolt'.
Tourism today, in the international scene encompasses a spirit of adventure giving rise to fascinating sports. These in turn enable travelers to get a glimpse of places, which might never have been covered during normal tour schedules. Darjeeling too has not lagged behind in this sphere. In fact, Darjeeling is the first his region in India where organized trekking was conducted by Dr. Hooker in 1840s. The breath taking panoramic views of Everest and Kanchenjunga ranges have been alluring thousands of nature lovers from different parts of the world since then.
Situated at 2134m above sea level, Darjeeling is hemmed in by Sikkim in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east. Darjeeling town, Kalimpong and Kurseong are the major urban centers. Blessed with a cool and bracing climate, and a panoramic view of the Himalayas, the world renowned hill resort of Darjeeling is a welcome respite during the hot summer months. Heavily influenced by British India, Darjeeling still retains legacies of its colonial past. The toy train is one of the most striking examples of Darjeeling 's British Raj influence.

Sikkim
Sikkim , one of the hottest bio-diversity region in the Himalayas , is a state of India tucked in the Himalaya across Nepal 's eastern frontier. It is crammed in between Tibet ( China ) to the north, Bhutan to the east and Darjeeling to the south. With an area of 7069sq.kms, it has a rectangular shape measuring about 114kms from the north to south and 64kms from east to west. The elevation varies between 3000m in the river valleys to right up to Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586m- the third highest mountain in the world). The capital, Gangtok, 'the hill made flat' lays at an altitude of 5400 feet, facing Kanchenjunga (it separates Sikkim from Nepal ), the third highest summit in the world. On the eastern front the Chola range borders with Tibet and the Pangola range further down separates Sikkim from Bhutan . Finally, the vast plains of Bengal open out in the south to from a horse shoe of the ranges bordering Sikkim .
It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests. Sikkim is regarded as one of the last Shangri-La in the Himalayan region because of its remoteness, its spectacular mountain terrain, varied flora & fauna and its ancient Buddhist monasteries. The flora found here are 28 species of Rhododendrons, 500 odd orchid species and numerous other flowering plants. Trekking in this Kingdom is a superb introduction to the Himalayas . A spectacular bird's eye view of Sikkim with its mountain ranges can be seen from Maenam Peak (3200m”) and Tendong peak (2580m) in south Sikkim . These peaks are accessible from ravangla for two/three days trek. The major rivers, Teesta and rangeet, flow from north to south creating deep gorges which divide Sikkim into three longitudal strips.
The valleys in north are wider like Yumthang (3600m) and Lachung(2700m) valleys, which are easily accessible by roads. These Rhododendron laden are areas deep in the mountains are inhabited by lachungpas, who have preserved and maintained till now a unique culture and society governed by a village council-“Dzomsa”. The Teesta and Rangeeta rivers also offer the thrill of riding the wild waters. 

Taj Mahal
Agra beckons tourists by the sheer romance of the world's most famous building-the immortal signature of love, a lyrical paean to love in marble called the Taj Mahal. Renowned for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, Taj is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular buildings of the world. It counts among man's proudest creations and is invariably included in the list of the world's foremost wonders. As a tomb, it has no match upon earth, for mortal remains have never been housed in greater grandeur.

History of Taj Mahal
Located at the city of Agra in the State of Uttar Pradesh , the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful masterpieces of architecture in the world. It was built by the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal. The construction of this architectural wonder began in 1631 and took over 20 years to complete. It took the labor and sweat of twenty thousand hands to turn the ambitious project of a crazy lover on the theme of love into a reality. The raw material was brought from all parts of India on the back of 1000 elephants.

It's Architecture:
It is Shahjahan's tribute to his favorite wife's memory and his greatest contribution to world heritage monuments. The mausoleum is entirely made of white marble and its walls are decorated with exquisite stone inlay work. It is said that different types of precious and semi-precious stones were used in the intricate inlay work done on the interiors. This magnificent monument is set around a Charbagh or 'four garden' plan, which is split by watercourses-a reflection of the Persian style.
The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India . Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj as if suspended when viewed from across the Yamuna river.

Persian Garden
Taj garden runs from the main gateway to the foot of the Taj Mahal. It is a Persian garden, which are artificially contrived and are based on geometric arrangements of nature. Like other Persian gardens, the landscape artists at Taj attempted to translate the perfection of heaven into terrestrial terms by following certain formulas.