· Web viewRajasthan divided into 9 regions; Ajmer State, Hadoti, Dhundhar, Gorwar, Shekhawati, Mewar, Marwar, Vagad and Mewat which are equally rich in its heritage and artistic

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INDEX

s.no.

Topic Page number

1. Physiography of rajasthan 2-102. Rivers of rajasthan 11-213. Lakes in rajasthan 22-254. Soils of rajasthan 26-275. Peaks and mascot of rajasthan 28-296. Wildlife of rajasthan 307. History of state 32-618. Economy of rajasthan 62-659. Agriculture 66-68

10. Power plants in rajasthan 6911. Recent schemes launched by government 70-7412. Reforms in rajasthan 75-8013. Rajasthan e-government and IT policy 81-8414. Folk arts 85-8615. Famous forts 87-9116. Rajasthan tribes 92-9417. Fairs and festivals 95-9918. Rajasthani paintings 9819. Handicrafts of rajasthan 99-101

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RAJASTHAN GEOGRAPHY



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Rajasthan ‘Land of Kings’ or ‘Land of Kingdom’ is India’s largest state by area. The state located on northwest part of country and is a home of cultural diversity. Its features include the ruins of Indus Valley Civilization, Temples, Forts and Fortresses in almost every city.

Rajasthan divided into 9 regions; Ajmer State, Hadoti, Dhundhar, Gorwar, Shekhawati, Mewar, Marwar, Vagad and Mewat which are equally rich in its heritage and artistic contribution. These regions have a parallel history which goes along with that of the state.

A world heritage site, Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, known for its bird life. Apart from this state has two national tiger reserves namely Ranthambore National Park at Sawai Madhopur and Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar.

The State was formed on 30th March 1949 when Rajputana – name as adopted by British Crown was merged into the Dominion of India. Jaipur being largest city was declared as capital of the state.

The early history of Rajasthan includes some of the great Maharanas, Nawabs and Rulers. Prominent among them were Prithiviraj Chouhan, Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya (also known as Hemu), Mughal Emperor Akbar, Maharana Udai Singh, Maharana Pratap, Raja Maan Singh and others.

Rajasthan’s formerly independent kingdoms developed a rich architectural and cultural heritage; same can be seen today in numerous forts and palaces, which are enriched by feature of Muslim and Jain Architecture.

Rajasthan is the largest state in the Indian Union. Geographically, the land of Rajasthan is more varied than any other region. It is a region of lofty rocks, rolling sand dunes, of burning heat and freezing cold, of fertile plains and deep wild glens and jungles.

The Aravalli range, which is the oldest folded range in the world, divides the area into two natural divisions-North-West and South-East. North-West area is a sandy and ill watered tract emerging gradually from a mere desert in the west and North-West to comparatively fertile land towards the East and North-East in the neighborhood of the Aravallis and the track bordering Haryana.



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The South-Eastern division which is more elevated and fertile than the North-West, has a very diversified character with extensive hill ranges, pockets of woodland, several large rivers, fertile tablelands and stretches of excellent soil.

The Arid high plateau of South-Western Rajasthan is broken by wild cliffs and hill ranges. Irrigation dams or deep wells are the source of water for the fields in the oases lying within the Valleys.

Cliffs form the backdrop of Jodhpur, disappear into the endless barren plain from which the medieval fort of Nagaur rises as a landmark. Beyond this is the Thar desert which is a part of the great Indian desert-Burning like a furnace even in early March, it is the 'Maru-kantar', the region of death.

Aravalli range starts from the borders of Delhi and becomes well defined before Alwar. The forests of Alwar, Bharatpur and Sawai- Madhopur are the home of the tiger, the panther, the wild boar, the blue bull and the more graceful and agile animals of the deer family.

The plains here are level and flat, with rich alluvial loam. Down south, in Kota and Bundi, in the Chittorgarh and Bhilwara districts, wheat, maize, paddy and sugarcane fields sprawl along the river-banks.

The very opposite of its western counterpart, Eastern Rajasthan has much that belies the notion of Rajasthan being a desert state. The plateau on which this picturesque city stands marks the highest elevation of the plains of North India and it is called the watershed of India. Guru Sikhar or the Hermit's peak which is the highest point of the range near Mount Abu may be described as the roof of this region.

Rajasthan has a unicameral legislature. The Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is situated in the capital city of Jaipur. It was first formed in March 1952. There are a total of 200 Assembly constituencies in Rajasthan, which are represented by 200 MLAs or Members of Legislative Assembly. The term of the Legislative Assembly is five years, if it is not dissolved sooner. Periodic elections are held to elect members of the Vidhan Sabha. There are three sessions of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly - budget, winter and monsoon. The Governor is the titular head of the state and is appointed by the President of India. The Chief Minister is the executive head of the government. The current Legislative Assembly, which is the 14th Assembly of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha, was elected in 2013.



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JUDICIARY-

Rajasthan has a well and strong judiciary system. It abide by the constitution of India. Rajasthan has its High court Jodhpur which has its principal seat at Jodhpur and a bench at Jaipur. There are district courts as well in Rajasthan. Rajasthan High Court was established on 21 June 1949 under the Rajasthan High Court Ordinance, 1949.

The first Chief Justice was Kamala Kant Verma. A bench was formed at Jaipur on 31 January 1977 under sub-section (2) of Section 51 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 which was dissolved in 1958.

Physiography of Rajasthan:

The Aravali Range runs across the state from the southwest peak Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu), which is 1,722 m in height, to Khetri in the northeast. This range divides the state into 60% in the northwest of the range and 40% in the southeast.

The northwest tract is sandy and unproductive with little water but improves gradually from desert land in the far west and northwest to comparatively fertile and habitable land towards the east. The area includes the Thar Desert.

The south-eastern area, higher in elevation (100 to 350 m above sea level) and more fertile, has a much diversified topography. In the south lies the hilly tract of Mewar. In the southeast, a large area within the districts of Kota and Bundi forms a tableland.

To the northeast of these districts is a rugged region (badlands) following the line of the Chambal River. Farther north the country levels out; the flat plains of the northeastern Bharatpur district are part of an alluvial basin. Merta City lies in the geographical center of Rajasthan. The main features are:

GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS OF RAJASTHAN-

It is divided into-



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1. Western desert plains.2. Aravali ranges.3. Eastern plains.4. Hadoti plateau.

1. WESTERN DESERT PLAINS-

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is a large, arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent that forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan. It is the world's 17th largest desert, and the world's 9th largest subtropical desert. About 85% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 15% is in Pakistan. In India, it covers about 320,000 km2(120,000 sq mi), forming approximately 10% of the total geographic area of India. More than 60% of the desert lies in the state of Rajasthan and extends into Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana.This desert comprises a very dry part, the Marusthali region in the west, and a semidesert region in the east with fewer sand dunes and slightly more precipitation. The sand is highly mobile due to strong winds occurring before the onset of the monsoon. The Luni River is the only river integrated into the desert.

Protected areas-

There are several protected areas in the Thar Desert.

The Desert National Park covers 3,162 km2 (1,221 sq mi) and represents the Thar Desert ecosystem;it includes 44 villages. Its diverse fauna includes the great Indian bustard (Chirotis nigricaps), blackbuck, chinkara, fox, Bengal fox, wolf, and caracal. Seashells and massive fossilized tree trunks in this park record the geological history of the desert

The Sundha Mata Conservation Reserve covers 117.49 km2 (45.36 sq mi) and is located in the Jalore District.

The Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is an Important Bird Area. It is located in the Churu District in the Shekhawati region. This sanctuary is home to a large population of blackbuck, fox and caracal such as partridge and sand grouse;



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2. ARAVALI REGION-

Aravalli Range & Hilly Region

It covers Alwar, Jaipur, Ajmer, Rajsmand, Udaipur, Sirohi and south west part of Tonk. Its length is 692 Km (from Palanpur in Gujrat to Delhi) with an average height of 600 mHighest Peak - Gurushikhar (1722 m)

In Rajasthan Aravalli Range starts from Sirohi & end at Khetri in Jhunjhunu.Aravalli range is not continues. Structurally- It is composed of rocks which are originally related to the Delhi System. In south the range opens out to form several ridge.

Aravalli range & hilly tract can be divided into following four parts.

1. North Eastern Hills:2. The Mewar Rocky Region:3. The Abu Block:4. Central Aravalli Range:

The Aravalli Range is a range of mountains in western India and eastern Pakistan running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest. The Aravalli hills range covers the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat and Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. The northern end of the range in India are an isolated hills into Haryana state, ending near Delhi. The Aravalli hills southern end is at Palanpur near Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Geology of hills-

The Aravali hills Range are oldest hills of this planet. The Aravalli Range is the eroded stub of a range of ancient folded mountains. In ancient times the hills range were extremely high but since have worn down almost completely by millions of years of weathering.



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Mines in Aravalli hills in Rajasthan contains immense mineral wealth including Jasper, Zinc, Fluorite, Gypsum, Marble, Asbestos, Soapstone, Lead, Phosphate rock, Ball clay, Calcite, Sandstone, etc .Nearly 25 years ago a large scale mining began here for marble and granite. Due to this large scale mining the forest cover has been depleted 90 percent. When a mine reaches below the underground water level, a cone of depression is formed that sacks water from the surrounding areas, drying up wells and affecting agriculture. Thus the manual drainage system and groundwater table of the entire region have been badly affected over the years.

Source of various rivers-

Numerous seasonal rivers arises amidst the ranges including, Banas River, Luni River, Sakhi, Sabarmati River.

3. EASTERN PLAIN

it covers Tonk, Bundi, Amjer, Jaisalmer, Sawaimadohpur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Kota, Bhatratpur that is 23.3% of total area of RajasthanEastern plain subdivided into three parts

1. Chambal Basin2. Banas Plain3. Middle Mahi Plain

4. SOUTH - EAST RAJASTHAN PLATEAU (HADOTI PLATEAU)

This region locally called Pathar and Uparmal. It comprises of the eastern & South-eastern part of the state & is known as Hadoti. It covers Bhilwara, Bundi, Kota, Baran & Jhalawar districts and contains about 9.6% of the area of whole Rajasthan. East of the plateau has a general slope toward Gwalior & catchment of river BetwaThis plateau is further sub-divided into two units.



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1. Vindhyan Scarplands:2. Deccan Lava Plateau:

Vindhyan ScarplandsIt presents an undulating topography strewn with boulders, blocks & depressions.covers Sawai madhopur, Bundi, Kota district.Deccan Lava Plateau: The western parts of the vindhyan plateau lie in the form of three concentric escarpments.These three concentric escarpments are formed by the exposed rocks of three main sandstones.The physiography of south east of Rajasthan.

Area 342,239 Sq.Km.

Percentage of Area to the area of Indian Union

10.4%

Highest peak Gurushikhar (1722 meters)

Perennial river 01

Seasonal rivers (main) 18

Districts 33

Tehsils 241

Municipal councils 30

Municipal Boards 149

Gram Panchayats 9177

Blocks 248



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Zila Parishads 33

Average Annual Rainfall

(a) Desert

(b) Non-desert

100 mm.

650 mm.

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· Web viewRajasthan divided into 9 regions; Ajmer State, Hadoti, Dhundhar, Gorwar, Shekhawati, Mewar, Marwar, Vagad and Mewat which are equally rich in its heritage and artistic