Rajasthan, also known as Rajwarra, Raethan and Rajputana, is the land of the great Indian desert, of a hardy folk, a veritable treasure-trove of ancient lore, music, dance, ballads and myths.
Present day Rajasthan came into being when nineteen princely states and the two chiefdoms of Rajputana were merged together between 1948 and 1950. Added to this, in 1956, were Ajmer, Merwar, and several other zones. The region has a long history, that goes as far back as the pre-historic stone ages. A History of Rajasthan covers a broad spectrum, encompassing the political, socio-cultural and economic history of Rajasthan from its earliest beginnings till the middle of the twentieth century. Comprehensive yet easy-to-read, this text will be appreciated by scholars and general readers alike.
A History of Rajasthan uses various archival, epigraphical, numerical, architectural, archaeological and aesthetical information as well as traditional narratives, and oral and written chronicles, to provide a general overview of aspects like literature, religion, art and architecture, socio-economic conditions, science and technology, as well as the lives of ordinary people and the subaltern.
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 archaeology 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 Encyclopaedia 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.
