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When the Moghul empire began to decline after the accession of Aurangzeb in 1658, so too did the power of the Rajputs. Aurangzeb sided with a new force, the Marathas , who plundered Rajput lands and extorted huge sums of protection money from territories as strong as Mewar, whose capital was Udaipur, and Marwar, whose ruling family in Jodhpur had never submitted to any other power. The Rajputs eventually turned for help to the Marathas' chief rivals, the British , and signed formal treaties as to mutual allies and enemies. Although in theory the residents who represented British authority in each state were supposed to be neutral communicators, they soon wielded more power than the Rajput princes. However, the Rajputs were never denied their royal status, and relations were so amicable that few joined the Mutiny of 1857. Wealth from overland trade enabled them to festoon their palaces with silks, carpets, jewels and furnishings far beyond the imagination of most ordinary citizens, while the prosperous Marwari merchants of the northwest built and decorated stylish mansions, temples and meeting halls. |
Murals depicting British ministers with Indians, British hunting parties, ladies, motor cars and black-capped bobbies are firm reminders of the strong alliance between the two ruling powers. The nationwide clamour for Independence in the years up to 1947 eventually proved stronger in Rajasthan than Rajput loyalty; when British rule ended, the Rajputs were left out on a limb. With persuasion from the new Indian government including the offer of "privy purses", they agreed one by one to join the Indian Union, and in 1949 the 22 states of Rajputana finally merged to form the state of Rajasthan. But for three brief years of Janata domination from 1977 onwards, Congress held sway over Rajasthan from its first democratic elections in 1952 until 1994, when the BJP won a decisive victory. Central control soon exposed the Rajputs' neglect of their subjects, whom they had entrusted to power-thirsty landowners ( jaghidars ), and village councils ( panchayats ) were set up to organize local affairs. |
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Rajasthan |
Brief history |
Visiting Rajasthan |
Transportation and
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