A History of Rajasthan

Product Description Illustrations; Colours Maps; Glossary; 24 cm.:SYNOPSISRajasthan, also referred to by terms like 'Rajwarra', 'Raethan' and 'Rajputana' in the past, is synonymous in popular perception as the land of rajas and maharajas, chivalry, forts and palaces, the fabled Great Indian Desert or Thar desert, hardy folk and a treasure-trove of ancient lore, music, dance, ballads and myths. The present-day Rajasthan came into being when nineteen princely states and two chiefdoms of Rajputana were merged together between 1948 and 1950. To this, tracts like Ajmer-Merwara and a few other zones were added in 1956. The region has a long history, stretching from the prehistoric Old Stone Age, in which local geography and environment had a role in determining the settlement-patterns and locations of towns and cities. The book covers a broad spectrum, encompassing the political, socio-cultural and economic history of present-day Rajasthan from the earliest times up to the middle of the twentieth century, in a comprehensive yet easy-to-read text aimed at, both, the general reader and scholar, alike. A History of Rajasthan' uses various archival, epigraphical, numismatical, architectural, archaeological, and art history related information as well as traditional narratives, and oral and written chronicles, to provide a general overview of aspects like literature, religion, art and architecture, position of women, socio-economic conditions, science and technology, as well as the subaltern, peoples' oriented, 'everyday' life of the 'average citizen. (Rupa) About the Author An archaeologist, historian and writer, Rima Hooja is currently the director of Minnesota University s MSID India programme. With a MA in history, a post-graduate certificate and a Ph.D. in archeology from the University of Cambridge, Rima has held several academic posts, including associate professor of Indian tradition and culture at Kota Open University, and visiting fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and has served on several governing boards, committees and councils. Rima has over fifty published research papers and articles to her credit, besides journalistic articles, contributions to the Students Encyclopedia Britannica and presentations at international seminars and conferences. Books by her include, The Ahar Culture and Beyond; Prince, Patriot, Parliamentarian: Biography of Dr. Karni Singh - Maharaja of Bikaner; Environment Degradation; Crusader for Self-Rule: Tej Bahadur Sapru and the Indian National Movement; and an English translation of a fifteenth-century Sanskrit manuscript on iconography, Mandan s Devata-Murti-Prakarnam.