Rajasthan & the Palaces7 min readPublished 22 July 2026
Hero photograph: Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Beyond Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur lies a quieter, deeper Rajasthan — a landscape of marble temples, mighty forgotten forts, and private heritage estates where you may be the only guests. For the traveller who has seen the famous three, or who simply prefers the road less walked, this hidden Rajasthan is where the state's romance runs deepest.
What lies beyond the famous cities?
At Ranakpur stands one of India's most extraordinary buildings — a fifteenth-century Jain temple of 1,444 marble pillars, no two carved alike, luminous in the afternoon light. Nearby rise the vast hill forts: Kumbhalgarh, whose walls run for 36 kilometres, second only to the Great Wall of China; and Chittorgarh, the largest fort in India and the soul of Rajput valour.
In the countryside between them, the Aravalli hills shelter villages, stepwells✦stepwellsA well dug as inverted architecture — flights of steps descending storeys to the water table, doubling as cool gathering places. Rajasthan and…Read in the glossary ↗, and hidden temples that few visitors ever reach.
Where to stay, and how to travel it
This is the Rajasthan of the private estate — restored forts, hunting lodges and haveli✦haveliA traditional mansion built around courtyards, its fortunes tied to merchant and noble families. The painted havelis of Shekhawati and the sandstone…Read in the glossary ↗ homes, many still owned by the families who built them, where a handful of rooms and a personal welcome replace the grand hotel. Deogarh, Rohet, Bijaipur and others turn a night's stay into an encounter with living heritage.
Elevated India composes journeys through this quieter Rajasthan — the marble temples, the great forts, and the family estates — as a deeper, more personal counterpoint to the famous cities, reached at a pace the region deserves.
Questions, Answered
What is there to see in Rajasthan beyond Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur?
The marble Jain temples of Ranakpur, the vast hill forts of Kumbhalgarh (with 36 km of walls) and Chittorgarh (India's largest fort), and the countryside of the Aravalli hills — plus private family-owned heritage estates like Deogarh and Rohet that few visitors reach.
Can you stay in private heritage estates in Rajasthan?
Yes. Beyond the grand palace hotels, restored forts, hunting lodges and haveli homes — many still owned by the founding families — offer an intimate stay with a handful of rooms and a personal welcome. Elevated India arranges these hidden estates within a wider Rajasthan journey.
Journeys That Take You There
