Rajasthan

Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area, has a history shaped by deserts, trade routes and warrior kingdoms. Much of it corresponds to the old Rajputana, “land of the Rajputs,” a term used in the medieval and British periods for a mosaic of princely states such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur (Mewar), Bikaner, Kota, Bundi, Bharatpur, Alwar and others.

From early times, this region saw cultures of the Indus–Saraswati civilisation, followed by Mahajanapadas like Matsya. Over centuries it came under Mauryas, Guptas and then powerful Rajput dynasties (Chauhans, Guhilas/Sisodias, Rathores, Kachwahas, Hadas etc.), who built famous forts and cities—Chittorgarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Bundi and more.

From the 12th century onward, Rajasthan became a frontier between Rajput kingdoms and Delhi-based Sultanate and later Mughal powers. Some states fiercely resisted (like Mewar under Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap), while many later allied with the Mughals, retaining internal autonomy. In the 18th–19th centuries, Maratha pressure and internal rivalry weakened them, leading to British paramountcy; the region was then known officially as the Rajputana Agency.