Rajasthan

A list and description of the traditions included in the list of World Intangible cultural heritage by the UNESCO. The list is composed of beautiful cultural elements that represent a particular community or region and might also require urgent measures to keep them alive.

The government has taken an initiative to provide sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in government schools to combat the social stereotypes and hygiene issues that women face due to menstruation.

While some girls give up on their dreams, some take a stand and educate themselves. Watch the thought provoking video on why girl child education is crucial.

Santadevi Meghwal is a 19 year old girl from Rohicha Khurd village in Luni tahsil, 70km from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. She was about 11 months old when she was married off to a nine year old local boy and she is fighting for an annulment of the marriage.

Did you think that fire fighting was something that only men could do? Think again, as you meet these fearless female fire fighters of Rajasthan who are living on the edge. From dousing the most horrific fires to consoling the victims, these women are proving their mettle in a profession largely considered a male bastion.

Sita was kidnapped, raped and thrown on a railway track. Abandoned by her own mother, she found a new life in a school which is empowering disadvantaged girls like her to dream big and start a fresh chapter in their lives.

Walking several miles just to get a bucket of water which they have to carefully use through the day is a common sight in many rural areas of the country. Bhagwati Agrawal is attempting to solve this problem through a simple yet innovative rainwater harvesting solution. Watch how Aakash Ganga is providing water security to several villages in rural Rajasthan and changing thousands of lives.

When death and hardship knocked at her door, Manju did not let it knock her down. Instead, she decided to enter the male bastion of the Jaipur Railway station and take up the decidedly male profession of "coolie" (porter) - the first woman in the entire North Western Railway region to do so! Here she talks about her insecurities, her concerns and her sources of strength in dealing with surely one of the toughest jobs in the world.

A wizard once cursed the town which led to its destruction - one of the many ghost stories and supernatural experiences you will hear about when you visit Bhangarh, the "ghost town" of India which is considered to be one of the most haunted places in the country.

When you visit Rajasthan, the forts and palaces always capture the attention. But there is a small city, unexplored and ignored that has nothing to offer you in the name of palaces and tourist destinations and often gets a miss when you plan a tour. Churu, though less explored is worth a visit. Read why!