Rajasthan is where all the country's similes and metaphors appear to have come together. Sand dunes, wooded hills and amazing lakes, palaces and rugged forts, men and women in colorful turbans and skirts, bustling towns and quiet villages, camels, elephants and tigers, harsh sunlight and the cool evening breeze - are all there in abundance.

But they form only part of an intricate tapestry. Beneath the surface, expect to find many contradictions. Where ever you travel, particularly when you escape from the popular tourist destinations you will come across the unexpected, whether it is a local fair or breathtaking view.

The mood and the rhythm of the country side changes from one region to another, and from season to season. It is a land of surprises; it is a land of amazing natural beauty that can fascinate even the most seasoned traveller.

A magical sojourn reverberating with age old culture and traditions, the state enfolds in its lap a diverse kaleidoscope of breathtakingly beautiful and fascinating art-de-facts. The range is unparalleled even while it is sophisticated in its simplicity.

It has something for almost every kind of traveler, revealing a vast range of arts and crafts, which is a treat for the visuals and are ready to be picked. The Bazaars spill with products and there is a magnificent glow of colours all over.

Intricate work carved on handicrafts or the wonders of gems and stones, it has it all and even more like the colours dancing on the textiles and fabrics with silver or gold threads settings and complimented with the variety of Silk-threads, Beads, Gota, Zari, Zardosi, Banarasi, etc. designed by the age old families of skilled artisans.

The amazing use of clay in the form of sculpture and decorative arts, the paintings from different schools like Miniature, Mughal and the different Rajasthani shailis (school of art) and more are piled up, revealing the medieval splashes and recording historic and dramatic events. Almost capturing the senses!

The age old art of dyes and colours hold the centre of attraction.

Every part of the state, every town, every village is associated with the rich heritage of craftsmanship so particular to Rajasthan. Entire villages practice crafts - sometimes a vast spectrum, on other occasions just a single skill that can range from dhurrie weaving to terracotta products.

These traditions once helped to form the different layers of a self-supporting society in villages and towns, and it is this that has ensured their survival. Most crafts are still practiced because they find use in local society - the painters, for example, still do frescos on temple walls, and the village cobbler makes thick-soled shoes for the farmers, reserving the more delicate versions for visitors.

Today, Rajasthan's markets spill with an exciting array of goods: paintings, jewellery, fabrics and textiles, soft-as-gossamer quilts, clay pottery and blue pottery, dhurries and carpets, wood, metal and stone sculpture, leatherware and terracotta...

Little bells dance in the breeze, puppets dangle from strings, embroidered footwear brightens up stores, lights glow in huge glass candelabra and gemstones spill across pavements: in Rajasthan's treasure-trove, you could spend days simply exploring the world of the artisan.

Rajasthan- the land of royalty is a glittering jewel set in the golden sands of a barren deserts landscape. The light that reflects off the golden sands engulfs a land renowned for its vibrant colors, people in bright clothes and beautiful jewelry, living in cities dotted and dominated by towering forts and palace that rise from the sands like mirage.

The brightness of its life, the legends of its heroism and romance are all captured in the vibrant and evocative music of this desert land. There is a richness and diversity in Rajasthani music which comes from a tradition that is old and undisturbed, and from a culture that has imbibed the best from its neighboring states of Sindh, Gujurat, Malwa, Mewar, Haryana and Punjab.

Music which rich evocative heroic plaintive and joyful governs all aspects of Rajasthani lives. The voices both male and female are strong and powerful. The numerous songs sang by the women reflect the various feminine moods and strong family ties that govern their lives, Peepli and Nihalde are songs imploring the beloved not to leave her or to return to her as soon as he can.

There are songs about the family comparing every member to the numerous ornaments worn by women. The festivals of gangaur and teej, celebrating marital bliss and the brief but splendid moonsoon of Rajasthan call for special songs without which no celebration is complete.

Men and women of Rajasthan sing devotional as well as festive songs. Songs by the saint-poets like Kabir, Meera and Malookdas are part of the folk repertoire. They are sung all night during the raatjagas (all night soirees spent singing devotional songs) which are held as thanks giving to a particular deity. The resonant singing of the Rajasthani folk is accompanied by music from simple instruments like the Baara and Algoza, that usally give a beat or a drone to offset the poetry.

Fairs and festivals bring an even greater riot of colour and music into lives of these desert people .Holi the festival of colours,brings forth the joyous,lively rhythms of the change and dhamal songs Marriage ,childbirth ,the visit of the son-in-law, all call for song and music. Even children have their own special songs called the saanjhi and the Ghulda. Favorites that are sung at all times are the Panihari Eendoni, the famous Kurjan Digipuri-ka-raja and the Rasiya songs of the Braj region.

The hard life of the desert dwellers made them seek means of making life more pleasant by developing their artistic talents. There are many traditional communities who are professional performers and their skills are handed down from generation to generation. The Bhat and Charans are bards, who could inspire the Rajput warriors with accounts of heroic deeds by whipping up patriotic flavor or even ridiculing the royal families with their satire.

The wandering balladeers, like the Bhopas who sing about the Marwar folk hero-Pabuji, travel from village with their phad painting and rawan hahha entertaining people with their ballad. There are many singing communities in Rajasthan known as the Dholis.. Also known by other names like Mirasis, Dhadhis, L angas, Manganiyars, Kalbelias, Jogis, Sargaras, Kamads, Nayaks or Thotis and the Bawaris.

Today their musician be heard all over the state and is pepular even on the national & international circuits. The best flavor of this rich artistic talent can be savored during various fairs & festivals of the state, especially during the Desert Festivals (Jan-Feb), the Pushkar Fair (Oct-Nov), the Marwar Festival (Sept-Oct) and the Camel Festival (Jan-Feb).