Rajasthan General Knowledge: History, Culture, Geography, Polity, Economy and Current Affairs
Rajasthan General Knowledge is the highest-weight domain of the Rajasthan Group D paper. It tests state history, art and culture, geography, polity, economy and current affairs, and it rewards exact recall: a date, a dynasty, a district, a fort.
History anchors
- Kalibangan (Hanumangarh), on the dry Ghaggar, is the Indus Valley site famous for a ploughed field and fire altars. Ahar–Balathal (Udaipur) and Ganeshwar (Sikar) are Chalcolithic; Bagor (Bhilwara) is Mesolithic.
- Mewar: Bappa Rawal, Rana Kumbha, Rana Sanga (Khanwa, 1527), Maharana Pratap (Haldighati, 1576). Marwar: Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur in 1459. Amer: Mirza Raja Jai Singh and the Treaty of Purandar, 1665. Bharatpur: Suraj Mal.
- 1857 in Rajasthan: Kota (Lala Jaidayal, Mehrab Khan) and Aauwa (Kushal Singh Champawat). Later came Govind Guru's Bhagat movement (Mangarh, 1913) and Motilal Tejawat's Eki movement.
Culture
- Folk deities: Pabuji (camel, Phad scrolls), Tejaji (snakebite), Gogaji, Ramdevji, Mallinath.
- Dances: Ghoomar is the state dance; Kalbelia is on the UNESCO list (2010); also Bhavai, Chari, Terahtali, Gair (Holi) and Gavri.
- Fairs: Pushkar (Kartik Purnima), Nagaur cattle fair, Baneshwar (tribal Kumbh), Ramdevra, Kaila Devi.
- Paintings: Phad (Shahpura), Pichhwai (Nathdwara), Kishangarh miniatures.
Geography and polity
- Guru Shikhar (1,722 m, Sirohi) is the highest peak; the Chambal is the longest river within the state; Sambhar is the largest inland salt lake; Keoladeo Ghana is a World Heritage site.
- Vidhan Sabha: 200 seats. Lok Sabha: 25. Rajya Sabha: 10.
Worked example
Question: which site yielded a ploughed field? Reasoning: a ploughed field means farming in a Harappan town, so the answer is Kalibangan, not Ahar, which is a Chalcolithic village site in Udaipur.
Traps
Khanwa (1527) is regularly swapped with Haldighati (1576); Kalbelia is a dance, not a fair; Sambhar is saline, not freshwater.