WGW_Delhi

After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the former British province of Punjab was also split between India and Pakistan. The Indian state of Punjab required a new capital city to replace Lahore as it was left without a capital city. Deriving its name from an existing village, Chandi (the powerful Goddess) – Garh (fortress) was symbolic of the new energy that powered a rebuilding mission in post-Independence India. It was built in 1953 because of the city's strategic location as well as the personal interest of Jawaharlal Nehru. On 1st November 1966, the newly-formed Indian state of Haryana was carved out of the eastern portion of the Punjab. However, the city of Chandigarh was on the border, and was thus created into a union territory to serve as capital of both these states.

The calm and peaceful air of Kasauli belies any sense of history. Yet this region was in the thick of the westward Gurkha expansion, stemmed with some difficulty by the joint efforts of the British and some local chieftains, in 1814. The Gurkha ceded the fort at Sabathu and this was turned into a convalescent home for British nationals. Some time later the Governor-General, Lord Amherst, decided to develop Shimla Hills as a summer gateway for the British establishment and Col. Tapp, political agent at Sabathu, came to survey the Kasauli area.

The 1857 Indian War of Independence stirred the hearts of the Kasauli Guard, numbering about eighty Indian soldiers. Receiving news that the Gurkha Regiment at nearby Jutogh has also risen in revolt, the garrison at Kasauli set out to join them. Before the two could combine and pose a serious threat, the British agent talked the Gurkha Regiment into submission, on promise of a general pardon. The Kasauli Guard found themselves completely isolated. So far from being pardoned, they were severely punished for their insurgence.

Kurukshetra was named after the adventurous King Kuru, the ruler of the Bharat dynasty and the ancestor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The famous battle of Mahabharata between the Kauravas and the Pandavas is believed to have been fought on the land of Kurukshetra. This town is the birth place of the Bhagwad Gita and has the imprint of Lord Krishna’s footsteps.

The historic facts about Neemrana take us to the ancient times when it was under the patronage of Maharaja Devi Singhji. Besides, Neemrana was also the third capital of the descendents of Prithviraj Chauhan III. The chief landmark of this town, the Neemrana Fort, was built by Maharaja Devi Singhji and this particular place has derived its name from the gallant local chieftain Nimola Meo. There is an interesting incident behind the name of the fort. While fighting with the Chauhans he was overthrown and he made a humble plea for naming his lost kingdom after his name. This fort is an architectural marvel of Rajasthan and one of the oldest too. The present fort is a leading heritage resort that is used for the purpose of luxury tourist accommodation, wedding and business purposes.

The most prominent part of the history of Bharatpur is associated with the Jat Empire. The Jats ruled in this place in the medieval age. Bharatpur has been a segment of the old Matsya Desh. This place has some important mythological connections. History of Bharatpur has immediate correlation with history of Rajasthan. The town was named Bharatpur after Bharata, a brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman is the family deity of the erstwhile royal family of Bharatpur.

For example, the Pandavas are believed to have spent the 13th year of their exile here around 3500 years back. Some archaeological specimens of the ancient civilization of this place can still be seen in the Bharatpur Museum.

The city and the fort of Bharatpur have been believed to be founded by Lord Aditya Consul in the early seventeenth century. He established a state in the Mewat region south of Delhi, with its capital at Deeg. Leaders such as Gokula, Raja Ram, Churaman and Badan Singh brought together all the Jats and moulded them into a force to be reckoned with. Maharaja Suraj Mal was the state's greatest ruler; he made the state a formidable force in the region. During the British Raj, the state covered an area of 5,123 km² and its rulers enjoyed a salute of 17 guns. The state acceded unto the Dominion of India in 1947. It was merged with three nearby princely states to form the "Matsya Union", which in turn was merged with other adjoining territories to create the present-day state of Rajasthan.

The history of Sariska goes back as early as the 5th century BC as Hindu sacred texts mention Sariska as the region where the Pandavas took shelter during their years of seclusion. In the middle ages, it was under the Mughal rule and Aurangzeb used the Knakwari Fort to imprison his elder brother.

Originally said to be a part of the Mewat region, the brave Mewat warriors were always at war to preserve its sovereignty because its strategic location made it a prized conquest for many rulers. Later During the 8th - 12th century many of Sariska's rulers and wealthy residents constructed a huge number of Jain and Hindu temples, some of which retain their old splendor even today. Early 20th century saw attempts to convert the region into a protected area and the campaign was led by none other than Maharaja Jai Singh. The campaign bore fruit and in 1958, a government notification declared Sariska a wildlife sanctuary and by 1979 it became a part of the Tiger Project that was recognized as a national park.

The origin of Alwar city goes back to the time of the Mahabharata. It was a part of the ancient kingdom of Matsya and it is said that legendary Pandava brothers had spent some time of their exile there. The ancient state of Alwar was probably the oldest kingdom in the state of Rajasthan. It is said that the city was founded by a member of the Kachh family hailing from the town of Amber. The local Rajput rulers of Alwar had a sweet-bitter relation with the rulers of Delhi in the early medieval period and there was a constant struggle to take control of Alwar. As Alwar was located at a strategic place, the Mughals annexed it and used it to mount military campaigns against the erstwhile Rajput principalities and states. The decline of the Mughal rule saw a brief struggle between Jat and Rajput rulers. Later Pratap Singh, a noble, restored parity in 1775. The descendents of Pratap Singh were great patrons of art and under their rule Alwar became an important cultural center. The later rulers forged an alliance with the British that soon broke off, with the latter taking over Alwar.

The pink city of Jaipur has been named after its founder, the great warrior and astronomer, Maharaja Jai Singh II, who ruled the city form 1688 - 1744. Belonging to the powerful Kachhawaha clan, Jai Singh fortified his position by aligning himself with the Mughals and gaining victories over Marathas.

The city of Jaipur came into conception when the city of Amber started facing huge accommodation and water crisis. Hence Jai Singh decided to construct a new city to adjust the burgeoning population. So, the king along with a talented Bengali architect named Vidyasagar drew up the plan for the new city of Jaipur, which is recorded in history as the first planned city in modern India. Based on the principles of the ancient Hindu text on architecture, the Shilpa Shastra, Jaipur came into being in eight years. The magnificent City Palace and the famous Jantar Mantar were designed by the king himself.

Jaipur was not just an aesthetic triumph; the stout city walls also protected the city from would be invaders. Modern day Jaipur's cultural heritage was fostered during Jai Singh's rule as the king himself took a keen interest in arts, sciences and religions.

The death of Sawai Jai Singh II marked the glorious phase of Jaipur due to the bitter infighting between his successors. Gradually, the British entered into an alliance with the rulers who aligned themselves the English cause. Finally, after the Indian independence, the city was merged with other Rajput states to form Rajasthan and became the capital city of Rajasthan in 1956.