The history of Rajasthan began before 2500 BC and the advent of the Aryans, Moghals and other races gave rise to the amazing Rajputs, who are still renowned for their chivalry, valour and sense of honour till this day. The royal lineage and martial nature of the Rajputs resulted in the imposing architecture of the forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Many of these palaces have since been converted to luxurious hotels after independence, when the numerous princely states merged into the Indian union.

Udaipur:

Some of these Rajasthan palaces have become bywords of all that is regal, gracious and honourable about the heritage and culture of Rajasthan. Among them, the most famous must be the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur. The palace covers the entire 1.5 hectares of the Jag Niwas Island in the middle of Lake Pichola. This wondrous structure was built by Maharana Jagat Singh in 1743 and is certainly one of the most popular destinations for the tourist, if not to stay then at least to stare in awestruck admiration.

Chittourgarh:

Another Rajasthan palace, which is much written and spoken about, is what is known as Padmini’s Palace in Chittourgarh. Here is the lotus pond where Alauddin Khilji the Pathan king saw the reflection of the beauteous queen and vowed to make her, his own. The story of Maharana Ratan Singh riding out to sure slaughter and the queen and other women committing ritual suicide (jauhar) is written in letters of gold in the heritage of Rajasthan. The massive Chittourgarh Fort stands180 m high on a hillock spread over 240 hectares.

Jaipur:

Maharana Sawai Jai Singh was the founder of Jaipur and built the City Palace Complex, which is one of the most popular sites in the Pink City. The Maharana built several incredible architectural wonders, but the City Palace remains a landmark structure in Rajasthan's culture. The palace a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani styles is now the Sawai Man Singh Museum II and houses some beautiful costumes, priceless Pashmina shawls and other artefacts of the time.

There are many more palaces to be seen in the remarkable state of Rajasthan. These include the Lalgarh Palace in Bikaner, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Nathmal Ki Haveli in Jaisalmer: the Jal Mahal in Jaipur and many more. The landscape of Rajasthan’s history, culture and heritage is dotted with these magnificent memorials to a golden era.