India 2018

States and Union Territories 645
Festivals
Rajasthan is a land of festivals and fairs, besides the national festivals of Holi,
Deepawali, Vijayadashmi, Christmas, etc., auspicious days related to deities
of gods and goddesses, saintly figures, folk heroes and heroines are celebrated.
Important fairs are Teej, Gangaur, Holi-Dhulandi, Kite and Rajasthan Divas
(Jaipur), annual Urs of Ajmer Sherif and Galiakot Pushkar Fair (Ajmer),
Ramdevji Cattle Fair (Nagaur), Camel Festival (Bikaner), Desert Festival
(Jaisalmer), Beneshwar Fair (Dungarpur), Braj-Holi Festival (Bharatpur),
Kailadevi Fair, Shri Mahaveer Fair (Karouli), Ranakpur Festival, Godwar
Festival (Pali), Mewar Festival (Udaipur), Summer and Winter Festivals in
Mount Abu (Sirohi), Kajli Teej and Bundi Festival (Bundi), Dussehra Festival
and Adventure Festival (Kota), Matsya Festival (Alwar), Marwar Festival
(Jodhpur), Chandrabhaga Fair (Jhalawar), Jambheshwar Fair and Koloyat Fair
(Nokha Bikaner) and Khatu Shyamji Fair (Khatu-Sikar), etc.
Tourists Centres
Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Mount Abu (Sirohi), Ranthambore National
Park (Tiger Reserve)-(Sawai Madhopur), Sariska Tiger National Park (Alwar),
Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur), Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Pali, Bundi, Kota,
Jhalawar, Shekhawati (Sikar) and Chittorgarh are important places of tourists
interest in the state.
O. W.: http://www.rajasthan.gov.in
Government
Governor : Shri Kalyan Singh Chief Secretary : Shri Ashok Jain
Chief Minister : Smt. Vasundhara Raje Jurisdiction of : Rajasthan
High Court
Sikkim
Area : 7,096 sq km Population : 6.11 lakh (provisional census 2011)
Capital : Gangtok Principal Languages : Lepcha, Bhutia, Nepali, Limboo, Sikkimese
History and Geography
The early history of Sikkim starts in the 13th century with the signing of a
blood-brotherhood treaty between the Lepcha Chieftain Thekong Tek and
Bhutia Chieftain Khye-Bumsa at Kabi Lungtsok in North Sikkim. This follows
the historic visit of three revered Lamas to Yuksam in 1641 in West Sikkim
where they consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal, a sixth generation descendant of
Khye-Bumsa as the first Chogyal of Sikkim, thus heralding the beginning of
the Namgyal dynasty in Sikkim. With the march of history, events in Sikkim
saw the process of democratisation and became an integral part of the Indian
Union in 1975. Sikkim, the land blessed by Guru Padmasambhava during his
sojourn to Tibet in 8th century, are inhabited by people from different
communities and live in total harmony. Sikkim is perhaps the most peaceful
state of the Indian Union to promote communal harmony, a feat which is much
to be expected in a plural society like India.