Rajasthan General Knowledge
Rajasthan GK covers the state's history, culture, geography, polity and economy, and is normally the highest-yield section of the paper because it rewards precise, state-specific memory.
History
- Major houses: Sisodia (Mewar), Rathore (Marwar), Kachhwaha (Amber/Jaipur), Chauhan (Ajmer, Ranthambore), Bhati (Jaisalmer).
- Battles: Tarain 1191 and 1192 (Prithviraj Chauhan vs Muhammad Ghori); Haldighati 1576 (Akbar's forces vs Maharana Pratap, whose horse was Chetak).
Culture
- Folk deities: Pabuji, Gogaji (Gogamedi, Hanumangarh), Tejaji, Ramdevji (Ramdevra) and Karni Mata (Deshnok).
- Dances: Ghoomar, Kalbelia (UNESCO heritage list, 2010), Chari, Terah Tali, Bhavai and Gavri.
- Fairs: Pushkar on Kartik Purnima, Gangaur and Teej in Jaipur, Desert Festival in Jaisalmer, Camel Festival in Bikaner.
- Paintings: Kishangarh (Bani Thani), Bundi, Kota and Mewar schools.
Geography
- The Aravalli is among the world's oldest fold mountains; Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) is the highest peak and the range separates the Thar from the eastern plains.
- Chambal is the only perennial river; the Luni is the only river that drains the Thar, ending in the Rann of Kutch.
- Sambhar is the largest inland saline lake; Keoladeo Ghana (Bharatpur) is a UNESCO site; Desert National Park (Jaisalmer) protects the Great Indian Bustard.
Polity and economy
- 200 Assembly seats, 25 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha seats.
- Minerals: zinc-lead at Zawar and Rampura Agucha, copper at Khetri, marble at Makrana; Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur and wind farms in Jaisalmer; Indira Gandhi Canal draws from the Harike barrage.
Worked example
Which Rajasthan river never reaches the sea? The Luni rises near Pushkar, runs south-west through Jodhpur and Barmer and disappears into the Rann of Kutch. The Chambal joins the Yamuna, so the answer is the Luni.
Traps
- Calling the Aravalli the highest range - it is the oldest, not the tallest.
- Confusing Kalbelia (dance) with Ghoomar.
- Mixing Bani Thani (Kishangarh) with the Bundi school.