Kuchaman City

Kuchaman City (/ˌkuːtʃəˈmɑːn/ KOO-chə-MAHN; IAST: Śikśa Nagrī) is a Municipal Council and District Headquarters of Didwana-Kuchaman District located in west-central Rajasthan, India. It is the largest city of newly Kuchaman district. The Didwana-Kuchaman district was carved out from the Nagaur District as the 38th District of the state of Rajasthan on 4 August 2023.

Kuchaman City Śikśa Nagrī (शिक्षा नगरी)
City and District Headquarters
Municipal Council of Kuchaman City
The Fort of Kuchaman in 2023
Nickname(s):  Education City, Shiksha Nagari, Kuncha Ki Dhani
Kuchaman City Kuchaman City
Coordinates: 27.151727°N 74.863243°E / 27.151727; 74.863243
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District	Kuchaman City
Founded by	Nagabhata I (Founder of the Kuchaman fort) Thakur Zalim Singh (First Thakur and founder of Kuchaman Feudatory)
Government
• Type	Constitution of India
• MLA	Vijay Singh Chaudhary BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party)
Area
• Total	30 km2 (10 sq mi)
• Rank	98
Population  (2011)
• Total	111,012
• Density	3,700/km2 (9,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	341508
Telephone code	+91-1586
Vehicle registration	RJ37, RJ21

118 km (73 mi) from Nagaur lies Kuchaman, on the ancient silk route with a fort perched atop a steep hill. The fort that witnessed several fierce battles has a palace for Poet-Saint Meera Bai, built in 1832 by Ranjit Singh and a unique temple containing paintings of local heroes. (e.g) Tejaji, Gogaji and Jambu Maharaj. Other temples in fort include Ma Kali Temple and Krishna Mandir, both enshrining idols around over 1000 years old brought by the Kuchaman rulers from their war campaigns. Kuchaman City is a stop on the rail link between Jaipur and Jodhpur. Buses ply directly from Jaipur to Kuchaman, 110 km (68 mi).

The city includes a number of havelis in the Shekhawati and Marwari style and a fort overlooking the city. Fresco paintings depicting flowers, motifs, and Hindu mythology adorn the walls of the old city. Kuchaman city lies about midway between Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer and Sikar.

The fort is a tourist attraction and part of the route of Palace on Wheels luxury train. A few havelis host tourists primarily during the winter season.

Kuchaman is an education hub of the state for school education, defence, and competitive examination preparations and has a number of pre-engineering and pre-medical coaching institutes. This has made the city known as Shiksha Nagari (City of Education).

Establishment and history

View of Kuchaman Fort from entrance

Drone view of fort

Kuchaman in Marwar within Rajputana

Kuchaman was founded as the seat of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty rulers during 5th and 8th century AD and an imposing fort overlooking the town was built over a hillock. In the 16th century it was conquered by the Chauhans and then by the Gaurs. The Rathores finally took over and ruled it as a feudal (jagir).

Before the 8th century, lay on the highly profitable Central Asian caravan route. Here Gurjara-Pratiharas built the massive cliff top fort with 10 gates leading up the bazaar in the village.

According to legend, in the mountain range in which Kuchaman is situated, earlier there was a settlement of Kuchbandhis, probably this town is named after them. Gaur Kshatriyas dominated Kuchaman and the surrounding area for a long time, which is confirmed by the inscriptions of Gaur rulers at Hirani, Mithadi, Lichana and other places near Kuchaman. Their capital was Maroth which is an ancient city.

Kuchaman Fort was established by Nagabhata I of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty as one of the seven cantonments built in western Rajasthan in the 8th century AD to repel attacks from Arab invaders. After the Pratiharas, the control of the Kuchaman fort was with the Chauhan dynasty and during the Sultanate period the control of the fort was with the Sultans of Delhi. In the later 15th century in mughal period Gaud Rajput took control of Kuchaman fort.

In 1715 AD, Raja Raghunath Singh Maroth's suzerainty took place on the Kuchaman fort. Mandore also was one of the seven cantonments built by Nagabhata I. In the 13th century the Kingdom of Marwar (Jodhpur State) was established by the rulers of Mandore and Mandore gained control of the Kuchaman fort in the 15th century Jodhpur took control on the whole Marwar region and Kuchaman fort was in it. Gaudawati was also the part of Marwar.

In the 1727 AD, Thakur Zalim Singh Mertiya of Gaudawati Maroth, Rajasthan, descendant of Raghunath Singh Mertiya of established the feudal state of Kuchaman Jagir (manor) under the princely state of Jodhpur and during the same time the city of Kuchaman was also established by Zalim Singh.

Thakur Zalim singh awarded as feudatory of Kuchaman by Maharaja Abhai Singh of Marwar in 1725 AD. In the princely period, Kuchaman feudatory had 193 villages.Thakur Zalim singh was martyred while fighting on behalf of the princely state of Jodhpur. It is said that the rulers of this place were always loyal to the princely state of Jodhpur. Poet Raja Bankidas has written in his fame(ख्यात) in praise of the feudal rulers of Kuchaman -

• कदीही कियो नह रूसणो कुचामण। कुचामण साम-ध्रम सदा कीधो।।

Further the Kuchaman fort was developed by Zalim Singh as the administrative center of the Kuchaman Jagir and the royal residential palace of feudal lords. Before the independence of India, the last ruler of the Kuchaman Jagir was Raja Hari Singh and the last feudatory after independent was Raja Pratap Singh who died in 1993.

The feudatory of Kuchaman was given the honorary title of Raja by the Maharaja of Jodhpur and was entitled to the style of Highness. First this title was given to Hari Singh. Kuchaman jagir was also a salute feudal diocese of Jodhpur state. A salute status was a princely or feudatory status under the British Raj that had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown (as paramount ruler). Kuchaman Jagir received a salute of four guns with additional gun-salutes of five guns granted on a local or personal basis in the regime of Rao Bahadur Thakur Kesari Singh.The salute was hereditary or local only.

The fort is now converted into a heritage hotel managed by Amritanandamayi Trust named after Mata Amritanandamayi.

Feudal Manor of Kuchaman

Kuchaman's Ranbanka Rathore Dynasty Coat of Arms under Kingdom of Marwar(Jodhpur)

Raja Thakur Raghunath Singh of Maroth, born in 1610 AD as the second son of Thakur Sanwal Das, was awarded 112 villages of Maroth and 19 villages of Sambhar by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan of Delhi. In 1715 AD, Raja Raghunath Singh Maroth's suzerainty took place on the Kuchaman fort. He married five wives and had issue, two sons. Thakur Kishor Singh and Kunwar Roop Singh. Thakur Kishor singh of Maroth, married Thakurani Hadiji, and had son Thakur Zalim Singh.

Maharaj Shri Zalim Singh of Kuchaman, First Thakur and founder of Kuchaman Feudatory

Feudatory of feudal manor of Kuchaman

The following lists the Feudatory/Thakurs/Raja of Kuchaman Jagir:

Name	Title	Regime
Zalim Singh	Maharaj Shri Thakur	1725 AD - 1753 AD
Sabha Singh	Maharaj Shri Thakur	1753 AD - 1764 AD
Suraj Mal	Maharaj Shri Thakur	1764 AD - 1793 AD
Shivnath Singh	Maharaj Shri Raoraja Thakur	1793 AD - 1826 AD
Ranjit Singh	Maharaj Shri Raoraja Thakur	1826 AD - 1860 AD
Kesari Singh	Maharaj Shri Rao Bahadur Thakur	1860 AD - 1877 AD
Sher Singh	Maharaj Shri Rao Bahadur Thakur	1877 AD - 1916 AD
Nahar Singh	Maharaj Shri Rao Bahadur Thakur	1916 AD - 1919 AD
Hari Singh	Maharaj Shri Rao Bahadur Raja	1919 AD - 1956 AD
Pratap Singh (Titular)	Maharaj Shri Rao Bahadur Raja	1956 AD - 1993 AD

Colonel James Tod did not record the chief of Kuchaman city as among the eight great chiefs of Marwar in his book "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan; Travels in Western India", he does include him among the second class chiefs noting after his name alone "A chief of considerable power". Thakurs of Kuchaman belong to udawat clan.

Raoraja Thakur Shivnath Singh was granted a patta worth rupees fifty thousand and the title of Raoraja. In addition he was also permitted to mint currency of Iktisanda 5 rupees in Kuchaman in recognition of his services.

Thakur Kesari Singh of Kuchaman was one of the most prominent Thakurs of Marwar. He and his son, Kunwar Sher Singh were full of respect and devotion for Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Kesari Singh was awarded the title of Rao Bahadur by the then British Government. Kuchaman city has had a long history as a base for local power. Kuchaman Thakur also had good relations with other princely states outside Jodhpur state. When Bakhtawar Singh Prabhakar became the ruler of Alwar, he strengthened his position by entering into matrimonial relations with the thakur of Kuchaman.

Jodhpur feudatory Kuchaman mint

Kuchaman was the only feudatory state of Jodhpur that was permitted to strike coinage. All the early coins were dated 1789 AD (1203AH) and this probably relates to the 31st year of Thakur Suraj Mal's reign as third Thakur of Kuchaman. Silver rupee coins was minted by the Kuchaman feudatory under the license of the Princely State of Jodhpur, who were permitted to strike their own coinage. The coins were issued in the name of mughal emperor Shah Alam II. In addition the successor of Thakur Suraj mal, Raoraja Thakur Shivnath Singh was also permitted to mint currency of Iktisanda 5 rupees in Kuchaman in recognition of his services.

Kuchaman feudatory mint was one of the six licensed mint of Jodhpur state including Sojat, Pali, Merta, Nagaur and Jodhpur. The only Thakur of Jodhpur State to have been allowed to mint was the Thakur of Kuchaman. Only silver coins were minted for the first time in 1788, the pieces being rupee, half rupee and quarter rupee. During the years 1893-94 and 1894–95, 3,06,518 and 15,316 coins respectively Silver and Gold were struck by the Kuchaman mint. The mint mark of Khanda and the initials of the mint master in Nagari are also found on the coins minted at Kuchaman. Coins of Kuchaman was called as Iktisanda coins. Sometimes the Thakur of Budsu also had a similar privilege of minting his own coins in his thikana like Kuchaman during the period of Maharaja Man Singh of Marwar.

Coins of Jodhpur feudatory Kuchaman mint

Geography

Topography

Kuchaman is located in the Central western part of Rajasthan and eastern part of Marwar region. City covers a total area of 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi). The city is surrounded by fertile plains to the east and south and hill chains and Thar areas to the north and west. Kuchaman generally slopes downwards from north to south and then to the southeast. The city is surrounded by the hills in the east, which is a part of the Aravalli range.

Climate

Kuchaman has a dry climate with a hot summer. Sand storms are common in summer. The district's climate is marked by extreme dryness, large variations of temperature & highly irregular rainfall patterns. The maximum temperature recorded in the district is 117 °F (47 °C) with 32 °F (0 °C) as the lowest recorded temperature. The average temperature of the district is 74 °F (23 °C). The winter season extends from mid-November until the beginning of March. The rainy season is relatively short, extending from July through mid-September. There are six climatological stations within the district, being within the cities of Kuchaman, Didwana, Parbatsar, Makarana, Nawa & Ladnun. The average rainfall in the district is 36.16 cm (14.24 in) & 59% relative humidity.

Strategic Importance

Kuchaman is an important town in western Rajasthan and is located about 400 km (250 mi) from the Pakistan border. This location makes it an important route for the Indian Army, IAF and BSF to reach the border from the capital Jaipur.

Flora and fauna

Khejari (Prosopis cineraria)

Rohida Flower

Chidi (चिड़ी)

Tropical thorn forest

Tropical thorn forests are located in arid and semi-arid regions of western Rajasthan. Kuchaman is a part of western Rajasthan and Marwar region and the whole region comes under tropical zone. Such thorn forests extend from the western Indo-Pak border to the Aravalli hills and the south-eastern plateau. The main species found in this type of forests in this area are Babul, Reonja, Jand, Karira etc. These forests are basically found in Jodhpur, Pali, Jalore, Barmer, Nagaur, Didwana, Kuchaman etc. The region is a haven for migratory and resident birds of the desert. One can see many eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards, kestrels, Chidi, Godavan and vultures.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census, Kuchaman City had a population of 81969. Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. According to the India Census 2011, Kuchaman City had an average literacy rate of 76.53%, significantly higher than the state average of 66.11% and national average of 74.04%; male literacy was 86.82%, and female literacy was 65.65%; 14.46% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Languages

The official language of Kuchaman is Hindi and the additional official language is English. The native and main dialect of the city is Marwari. The Rajasthani and Standard Hindi dialects are also spoken, along with Marwari and English.

Religion

According to the 2011 census, Hindus form the majority religious group accounting for 75.02% of the city's population, followed by Muslims (22.78%), Jains (1.96%) and others (0.24%).

Religions in Kuchaman city
Religion			Percent
Hindus			75.02%
Muslims			22.78%
Jains			1.96%
Others†			0.24%
Distribution of religions †Includes Sikhs (0.01%), Buddhists (<0.01%).

Economy

In addition to Kuchaman's role as the educational and administrative center of the region, Kuchaman's economy is driven by tourism, salt processing, cattle feed manufacturing and trade in handloom, handicrafts and paddy procurement. Major trading centers of the city are Krishi Upaj Mandi, Dhaan Mandi, Balaji Bazar, SikarRoad Bazar, PS Plaza, Sarda Complex.

Kuchaman has established local trade promotion organizations such as Kuchaman Vyapar Mandal,Kuchaman Vyapar Manch etc. and Food Corporation of India (FCI), Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) which has its regional offices here.

The main businesses in the town are salt-processing, vegetable-oil production and local trade. Since last few decades, Kuchaman has emerged as the hub of education, due to which the economic development of Kuchaman has gained a lot of momentum. Kuchaman has a large number of world-class educational institutions, due to which students from outside the city come here and small businesses like hostels, food mess etc. provide a lot of support to the economy here. The city is one of the top emerging education hubs of Rajasthan along with Sikar, Ajmer and Kota. Reliance world and DMart are examples of an integrated business area in Kuchaman.Offices of all the major government and private banks and financial institutions of the country are located in the city, along with this, the services of chartered accountants are easily available in the context of financial consultancy. Kuchaman has also recognized the producer of the highest number of Charted accountants in the country. Kuchaman is a major center of arts and crafts. It has many traditional shops selling antiques, jewellery, handicrafts, gems, bangles, pottery, carpets, textiles, leather and metal products. Kuchaman is one of the largest manufacturers of handwoven cotton beds, chairs in India. Skilled artisans of marble are prepared here, which is famous for marble Art work and flooring installation in the country and abroad.

Local grocery trader of Kuchaman

Kuchaman is famous for the production of onions and melons. Kuchaman also a hub of Emery dyeing mills, leather shoes making and khyal singing center.

Super Market in Kuchaman

Kuchaman educational industry

A major part of Kuchaman's economy depends on its student population. Every year more than 100,000 students visit and study in Kuchaman to study and prepare for competitive exams, Defence services, JEE and NEET.

The education and coaching industry in Kuchaman generate business of millions of rupees from them which further contributes towards the economy of the region. Over time, the economic growth and money generated through education in Kuchaman seems to have overtaken other economic activities of the region by contributing more and more with time.

Governance and civic administration

Map of Kuchaman

Kuchaman City officials
District Collector	Bal Mukund Asawa IAS (Officiating)
SP	Jay Yadav IPS (Officiating)
MLA	Vijay Singh Chaudhary BJP
Municipal Council Chairman	Aasif Khan INC
Additional District Collector (ADM)	JagdishPrasad Gaur RAS
Sub-Divisional Officer/Executive Megistrate / Assistant District Collector (SDO/ACM)	Hukmichand RAS
Additional Superintendent of Police	Sanjay Kumar Gupta, RPS
Additional District Judge (ADJ)	Hon'ble Judge Mr. Sunder Lal Kharol, RJS
Additional Chief Judicial Megistrate (ACJM)	Hon'ble Judge Mr. Gyanendra Singh, RJS
Executive Commissioner of Municipal Council	Pintulal Jat

Administration

Kuchaman City is a part of Didwana - Kuchaman district which is an administrative division of an Indian state Rajasthan. Kuchaman is further subdivided into sub-division and tehsil. Administrative responsibilities are carried out by Rajasthan state-appointed officials. The officials in Kuchaman City are an Additional district Magistrate (from the Rajasthan Administrative Service), an Additional Superintendent of Police (from the Rajasthan Police Service) and a Deputy Conservator of Forests (from the Rajasthan Forest Service). Each of which is assisted by officers and employees of various Rajasthan state services. The state-appointed officials are responsible for matters such as health, education, and other primary facilities.

Municipal council

Until 2021, the city was administered with a single municipality. In 2021, the Rajasthan government decided to form the third Municipal Council after Nagaur city and Makrana in Nagaur district for better governance. For administrative purposes, the city is further divided into wards from which members of the city council are elected for five-year terms. The Municipal Corporation has elected members called Councilors (or Parshads in Hindi), who represent their respective wards (geographical units of the city). Ward members are elected by direct voting by voters for a term of 5 years. The Kuchaman Municipal Council is divided into a total of forty-five wards. The council oversees and executes plans and government schemes for the development of the urban area.

Civic utilities

Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage

Kuchaman City Municipal council is the nodal government agency responsible for the planning and development of Kuchaman City. Kuchaman Municipal Council is responsible for maintaining the city's civic infrastructure and carrying out associated administrative duties. Electricity in Kuchaman City is supplied through Ajmer Vidyut Vitaran Nigam LTD(AVVNL) by the Government of Rajasthan. Kuchamn MC has a fire department wing and there are 1 fire station. However, with the city is expanding and the population increasing, the existing infrastructure is not sufficient to cater to the city's requirements. Water supply, sewerage and drainage the Rajasthan government has formed the Rajasthan's Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) for the management of water supply and sewerage services in urban areas of the city. It ensures water supply as per the standards stipulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the State Pollution Control Board. PHED is responsible for financing, designing, constructing, altering, repairing, operating, and maintaining various water supply and sewerage schemes. It also provides meters and carry out commercial services such as meter reading, billing, and revenue collection. Water Supply and Sewerage project is also funded by the Asian Development Bank in 2021.

Solid waste management

The council has a new solid waste management system that includes door-to-door collection, transportation of garbage in covered vehicles, proper deployment of dustbins, use of modern equipment. The system ensures private investment as well as public participation.

Judiciary

The first civil court under the Rajasthan High Court with a bench of Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate was established at Kuchaman on 1 February 1992, which was dissolved in 2022 and the new senior court of Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) was established on 23 May 2022. On 11 October 2021, Additional bench of District Judge (ADJ) was constituted in Kuchaman. Presently there are two sanctioned courts in Kuchaman.

Elected representative

Kuchaman comes under Nagaur Lok Sabha constituency and Nawan assembly constituency. Presently Kuchaman region is represented by Hanuman Beniwal (RLP) in the Lok Sabha and Vijay Singh Chaudhary (BJP) in the Rajasthan's Legislative Assembly.

Culture

There are many social societies active in the town, such as Kuchaman Vikas Samiti, the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Maulana Azad Educational Society, Madarsa Islamiya Society, and Mahaveer International. Kuchaman City's educational system is fairly developed, and during the last few years, students from other parts of the state have been coming to the city for education. Kuchaman City is one of those towns in District to have CCTV cameras installed for security reason thus making it a safest city in District.

Festivals and events

Kuchaman, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. Local religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Ganagaur festival, Janmasthmi Utsav (Shri Blaji Navyuvak Mandal seva sansthan-New Colony) Ganesh Chaturthi Mela-Ganesh Dungri, Navratri Mahotsav, Holi-Kavi Sammelan, Dussehra, Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Shab-e-Barat and other events like the Kuchaman Marathon, Mahaveer Jayanti, Shree Devnarayan festival, Harayali Amavasya Mela-Bhairav Talaab, Pashu Mela-Bhairav Talaab, Chaitra Navratra Nav Varsha Festival, Ramnavmi, Kuchaman Trade Fair are observed throughout the town.

Gangaur Festival

Procession of Ishar and Gangaur

Gauri or Gaur stands for the Hindu goddess Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Gangaur celebrates marriage and is a symbol of marital happiness. It is celebrated in the month of Chaitra (March–April), the first month of the Hindu calendar. This month marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated by women, who worship clay idols of "Gana" and "Gauri" in their homes. These idols are worshiped by girls seeking blessings from Gana and Gauri for a good husband, while married women pray for the good health and long life of their husbands. On the eve of Gangaur festival, women decorate their palms and fingers with henna.

Gangaur festival of Kuchaman City is special in many ways. The historical fair of Gangaur held here is known in the entire district. The procession of the more than 100-year-old Gangaur statue with its royal offerings is a sight to behold. Carved on wood, the statue made in the sculpture of Jaipur looks new even today. No change has been made in its original form, nor has any kind of color been covered. It is believed that by keeping the idol in a green cloth, its colors remain intact. The Gangaur fair is organized by the Shree Seva Samiti Society. In the past, the fair was organized by the royal family only. Gangaur fair has been organized in Kuchaman for about 125 years. However, a legend is often heard in Kuchaman that the idol of Gangaur of Kuchaman, belongs to the Jaipur royal family and was looted. The traditional procession of Gangaur starts from Kuchaman Fort which passes through the city. The procession is led by old palanquins, chariots, bullock carts and folk artists.

Hariyali Amavasya

Hariyali Amavasya (new moon day of the Sawan / Shravan month) marks the beginning of the monsoons and greenery. It arrives three days before the famous Hartalika Teej (Shravan Shukla Tritiya). People worship God Shiva for abundant rains and good agricultural season. Mela and fest is arranged in the Bhairav talab area of the city.

Jal-Jhulni Ekadashi

According to the Hindu calendar, Gyaras, or Ekadashi is basically, the 11th day of each waxing (Shukla Paksha) and waning moon (Krishna Paksha). This Ekadashi, known as Jal-Jhulni Gyaras, or Jal-Jhulni Ekadashi, like all other festivals, is celebrated with enthusiasm.

Performing art

Kuchamani Khyal (कुचमणी ख्याल)

Kuchaman has its own performing art. Khayal is an all-night recital of the historic and Pauranic love-stories sung and enacted in the villages and small towns. Late Lachhi Ram Ji of Kuchaman was the father of this art form, and had a strong and effective voice. Around a 100 years ago he established this form for the village Kuchaman and thus it came to be known popularly as Kuchamani khyal. The Thakur of Kuchaman had heard of his poetic talent and asked Lachhi Ram to write a poem in praise of his dynasty and his fort at the same time in the midst of a khayal performance in the Durbar Chowk. Initially the performance was accompanied by Dholak, Nagara, Turri etc. but over the years Harmonium, Tabla Sitar and Sarangi also got played. The symbolic costumes for example, the king doesn't wear expensive clothes but puts on a crown or a kalangi over his regular clothes. By wearing a lehnga, kurti and kaanchali, and drawing a goonghat a man represents a woman. Pt. Ugamraj ji has contributed immensely in this folk form for the past 65 years, staging the message of patriotism, bravery and truth, in every nook and corner of the country. He has created a world record by staging more than 20000 performances of Kuchamani form of Khyal from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Cuisine

Kuchaman's cooking is influenced by the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that can last for several days and can be eaten without heating is preferred. Thus, pickles of region are quite famous for their tangy and spicy flavour. The Panchkuta delicacy is also a famous one. Meaning of panchkuta is 5 vegetables and a dish that lasts for several days, and it is made out of certain wild plants like Ker, Saangri, Gunda, Lal Mirch etc.that only grow in the desert. The scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on cooking. Dal-baati-churma is also very popular in Kuchaman. The traditional way to serve it is to first coarsely mash the baati, and then pour pure ghee on top of it. It is served with daal (lentils) and spicy garlic chutney; it is also served with besan (gram flour) ki kadi. It is commonly served at all festivities, including religious occasions, wedding ceremonies, and birthday parties in region.

Typical Panchkuta Thali

Dal Bati Choorma usually serves on festivals

Education

Kuchaman is known as 'Shiksha Nagri' (Education Hub) of Western Rajasthan. There are various Colleges, B.Ed. Colleges, ITI, Schools, Coaching Centers, Hostels and private library facilities and other educational institutions in Kuchaman City where students from all over Rajasthan come to pursue their education. Some of the government educational institutes from above categories are Government College, Government Women's College, Kuchaman Mahavidhyalay, Jawahar Navodaya Vidhyalaya, Government Jawahar Sr. Sec. School, Surajmal Bhomrajka Secondary School, Surji Devi kabra Girls school, DIET etc. along with these government educational institutions city have Large number of private colleges and schools. Kuchaman city have almost 150+ private schools and colleges and 100+ coaching institutions.

Kuchaman city is also having large number of Defence academies and Neet-JEE coaching like unacademy.

Kuchaman Education Block was on the top rank in March 2023. The Ranking list is declared by the Education Ministry Of Rajasthan on yearly basis.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidhyalaya Kuchaman

Kuchaman Vikas Samiti

Kuchaman Vikas Samiti (KVS), established in 1978, runs a number of public service institutions in Kuchaman City. Institutions run by Kuchaman Vikas Samiti include:

• Adarsh Bal Mandir
• Vikas Vidya Mandir (defunct)
• Kuchaman College
• B.R. Kabra Mahila Shikshak Prashikshan Mahavidhyalaya
• B.K. Birla Industrial Training Center
• K.V.S. public School
• Sarala Birla Kalyan Mandapam
• Basant Kumar Birla Baarat Bhavan
• Bombay Hall - The auditorium
• Ram Jivan Kabra Rog Nidan Kendra
• Homiyopaithi Hospital
• Kuchaman Library
• Apna Ghar Ashram - an old age home

Vikas Bhawan Kuchaman City, HO of Kuchaman Vikas Samiti

Transport

Kuchaman City is a well developed city. There are 45 Wards in Kuchaman City. It is situated on the Jaipur Nagaur route. It is 120 kilometres (75 mi) from Jaipur and 101 km (63 mi) from Ajmer. Kuchaman City has its railway station situated at Narayanpura in the outskirts of the city which is about 11 kilometres (7 mi) from the City.

Kuchaman City railway station

Kuchaman City is well connected by rail Kuchaman City railway station and road to other parts of country. Kuchaman enjoys central location in Rajasthan. All major cities in Rajasthan lie within a radius of 500 km (310 mi). Kuchaman can be conveniently reached from any part of India by road. The town is situated between the Jaipur, Ajmer & Nagaur, both the towns are situated within 100 and 140 km (62 and 87 mi) radius with Kuchaman being centrally located. The bypass highway from Jaipur to Nagaur, Kuchaman to Kotputli and Kishangarh to Hanumangarh is going from the Kuchaman city. All of three highways connect the city to the states Haryana and Punjab. Another State highway starts from Kuchaman City and proceeds to Sri Madhopur city of Sikar district via Khatu; Ringus towns. Kuchaman has an international standard central bus terminal that connects to major cities in India along with this, the railway station located here provides Kuchaman residents access to all the major railway routes of India.

Rail

During the reign of Jaswant Singh II, the first railway line of Marwar was laid from Sambhar Lake to Kuchaman via Nawan. It was opened for traffic from 1875 AD. Its length was 24 kilometres (15 mi). This rail line was laid by the Rajputana-Malwa Railway.

Now Kuchaman City railway station is a major railway station in Didwana-Kuchaman and Nagaur district, Rajasthan. Its code is KMNC. It serves City of Kuchaman. The station consists of 2 platforms. The station lies on Jodhpur – Delhi main line which connects Kuchaman to Jodhpur, Jaipur and Delhi as well as Merta Road – Rewari line and Phulera - Ajmer line. Kuchaman city railway station is located in the middle of the Jaipur - Jodhpur rail route. All the major trains operating on this route have a halt here.16 trains pass through the station.

Road

Kuchaman is located on State Highway number 2 connecting Dausa, State Highway number 7 links Ajmer, Kishangarh with Hanumangarh and State Highway number 19 links Kuchaman with Jaipur and Jodhpur. RSRTC operates bus service to major cities in Rajasthan, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat. City buses are operated by RSRTC (as Lok gramin parivahan nigam) and private operators which provides services for connectivity to nearby towns and villages. The private service operators also provides services for Gujrat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhaya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and other major cities of India. Kuchaman Ring Road is a project of Kuchaman Municipal council and Rajasthan PWD to reduce increasing traffic of Kuchaman city.

Air

There is no airport or airstrip located in Kuchaman. There are 2 helipads out of which one permanent helipad is located in Kuchaman Valley and one temporary helipad is located in the premises of Kuchaman College.

Sports

The only stadium in the city, Kuchaman Nagar Parishad Kharda Multipurpose Stadium, has a seating capacity of 5,000 and has hosted District level cricket matches and other sporting events. Kalyan chand mantri Indoor Stadium,Kuchaman College athlete track are the other sporting arenas in the city. Common games and sports in Kuchaman include athletics, cricket, basketball, badminton, field hockey, football, tennis, kabaddi, kho-kho and chess. The Kharda Stadium in city is the multipurpose sports venue for sports. The Kuchaman Cricket Club (KCC) is one of several cricket clubs of the District. KCC organises the Kuchaman Premier League, a district level cricket League. Kuchaman has also a basketball courts at the college ground of Kuchaman College. In the State budget passed by the Government of Rajasthan in 2022, the announcement was made for another multi-sports stadium called the Major Dhyan Chand Sports Complex in Kuchaman. This is the second sports ground being built in Kuchaman which is still under construction (as in February 2023). The state-of-the-art facilities are being developed for many indoor and outdoor games in this new ground.

Kuchaman Marathon

The Kuchaman Marathon has been held since 2011. The event has a special theme every year; it is not only about sports but has a social message with a Green Kuchaman-Clean Kuchaman. Kuchaman Marathon is sequenced to make Kuchaman a high-class city and prove its existence on the global map. The Kuchaman Marathon organises every year in the month of February with a cause. Some of the themes namely:

• Run for Clean City, Green City.
• Run for No Use of Plastic.
• Run for Fun & Fitness which created a sports culture.
• Run for Fight against Child Labour.
• Run against Cancer and AIDS.
• Run for Blood Donation.
• Run for Mother - Save the girl Child.
• Run for Social Support.
• Run for Flood affected people.
• Run for martyrs who fought for Nation.

The event has been discontinued after the Covid-19 pandemic. The last Kuchaman marathon was organized in 2019.

Biker's Rally

The Kuchaman Biker's Rally is a Motorcycle rally held annually in Kuchaman City. The event is held every year on 26 January, Republic Day. Organised by the Kuchaman Biker's Club, the event attracts around 200 Royal Enfield motorcycle enthusiasts from Kuchaman.

The event has been discontinued after the Covid-19 pandemic. The last rally was organized in 2018.

Tourism and sightseeing

The city of Kuchaman spread out at the foot of the hill crowns the Kuchaman Fort. Kuchaman City is adorned with a plethora of magnificent havelis built in the Māru-Gurjara architecture was developed during Gurjara-Pratihara Empire. Stepping into this plush city, one cannot help but be mesmerized by looking at these amazing structures adorned with colorful frescoes and artistic murals. Its royal charm is added to the spiritual aura of its holy temples. Located in the Didwana-kuchaman district of Rajasthan, this city has maintained its traditions over the years. From exuberant festive occasions to the daily hustle and bustle of local markets, Kuchaman City offers an experience to remember.The grandeur of the royal heritage of the city of Kuchaman can be experienced with a visit to the 8th-century Kuchaman Fort. Perched atop a rock at an altitude of 1000 feet, the fort is known not only for its historical significance but also for its architectural finesse and aesthetic appeal. Its major attractions include Jal Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and Sabha Prakash. Shahi Bazaar and Meena Bazaar sell traditional clothes.

Kuchaman Fort

View of fort from Raghunath temple

Kuchaman City and Fort, 2006

A mynah bird perched on the walls of Kuchaman Fort

Perched atop a 1,000-foot-high (300 m) cliff, the Kuchaman Fort is the most important attraction in Kuchaman. It was built by a Gurjara-Pratihara king during 730–760. Currently a heritage hotel, the fort displays a rich collection of original inlay work in semi-precious stones, glass, and gold paint. The Sheesh Mahal (glass palace) is a sight for marvel. A colourful bazaar, located below the fort, is a great place to shop for handicrafts and fabrics.

Kuchaman was a major seat of the Medatiya Rathores in the former Jodhpur princely state, which is not only well-known for the bravery of its rulers and incidents of self-devotion and sacrifice, but also for its grand and strong fort. The fort of Kuchaman competes with the forts of the princely states, so it would not be wrong if the fort of Kuchaman is called Sirmour of the Jagiri forts(जागीरी किलों का सिरमौर). In relation to the Kuchaman fort, a saying has been said that "ऐसा किला राणी जाये के पास भले ही हो , ठुकराणी जाये के पास नहीं".

The fort of Kuchaman, a symbol of valor and bravery, which is built on a huge and high hill. This fort with advanced ramparts and strong bastions is built according to the law of architecture described in ancient sculptures.

According to the express possibilities of local legends and historians, Nagabhata I the ruler of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, had built this fort as a cantonment in the 8th century AD to repel attacks from Arab invaders. After being under many rulers and dynasties for about 1000 years, In 18th century Thakur Zalim Singh (grandson of Thakur Raja Raghunath Singh of Maroth) renovated and expanded this fort with the blessings of Baba Vankhandi (Maujidas Baba) under the Marwar State (Jodhpur) and made it an impregnable fort. Thakur Zalim Singh developed it in later years as the administrative center of the Kuchaman Jagir and as his residential palace. In the coming times too, new constructions were made in the fort by the coming Jagirdars.

In the foothills of this fort, it has grand bastions, from where a winding path has been made to go to the top of the fort. In this fort of Kuchaman, 18 bastions, grand palace, Ranivas, Silhagar, granary, giant water tanks, Dev temples are built.

There are 5 huge tankas (tanks) for water storage, in which Patalya tank (पाताल्या हौज) and Andherya tank (अन्धेरया हौज) (closed tank) are the main ones. In the past, a huge water canal used to flow under the fort of Kuchaman, which had special importance in terms of security. In the inner square, horses' stalls and handicrafts are also present. The Silhkhana of this fort is very big and there are separate rooms for keeping glass and gunpowder. There is a mound on the north side of the fort which is still called Hathi Teeba. To the east of the fort, a grand Sun Temple is situated on a small dungri, which is a symbol of the faith of Suryavanshi Rathores. A grand temple of Lord Ganesha is situated on Ganesh Dungri. This fort of Kuchaman never collapsed in front of the enemy army, hence it is called Anakhla fort. In Kuchaman, there was a mint of Marwar state in which the minted coins were called Kuchamani coins.

The fort is now converted into a heritage hotel managed by Amritanandamayi Trust named after Mata Amritanandamayi.

Historical town Kuchaman was situated within a fortified wall in the past, whose main entrances are Aathuna Darwaza (Chandpol), Surajpol, Kashmiri Darwaza, Paltan Darwaza, Hod Ka Darwaza and Dhari Darwaza, in the past there was a settlement of Bandukia Muslims in Kuchaman who used to sell guns and used to do construction and repair work. In the princely period itself, its own original style and tradition of folk theater developed here, which is famous as Kuchaman Khayal, the ancient tradition of Gangaur's fair in Kuchaman. The fort of Shyamgarh village and the fort of Mithadi village are also worth visiting at a short distance from the fort of Kuchaman.

Meera Mahal

The Meera Mahal is a palace inside the premises of fort which plays host to the miniature paintings illustrating the life story of Rathore poet-saint Meerabai, the passionate devotee of Lord Krishna. The passion and dedication with which Meera (a married Rajput woman) worshiped Lord Krishna has been a part of the folklore for ages and is still considered to be one of the finest efforts by any devotee to evince the allegiance to the Lord. Thakur Ranjit Singh constructed the Mahal (Palace) and its temple in 1832, which contains lok devta and gurus.

Jal Mahal

Jal Mahal (Water Palace) is a unique concept visualised and implemented with an aim to provide the queens and princesses with a hidden swimming pool. The fort has two swimming pools. Jal Mahal, an underground pool, is royal in every aspect with its supercilious cloisters and arcades. The fort is now a heritage hotel.

Sabha Prakash

The Sabha Prakash (Illumination Meeting) used to be the formal chambers for meetings and for holding court to interact with citizens. Many critical decisions for welfare and dispute settlement were delivered from the main hall. The hall itself is decorated exquisitely and is adorned with polished walls strewn with semi-precious pebbles and shingles that are intricately inlaid. The decoration of the Sabha Prakash was deliberately done, keeping in mind the exhaustive exposure it would have to the public eye. The decoration shifts towards the Shekhavati style. However, most of the decoration is unique to the Kuchaman Fort.

Lok Dev and Devi Temple

Built by Ranjit Singh, this temple showcases paintings of Lok Devtas (folk-deity) such as Sant Gogaji, Baba Ram Dev, Sant Ravi Das, and Sant Kabir. There are many lok devi temples like Shakambhari Mata, karni Mata, Sheetala Mata.

Chini Pole (चीणी पोळ)

Complete with intricately painted interiors, this pole was constructed by a Chinese traveler who wanted to narrate his travel experiences in a unique way.

Ganesh Dungri

Ganesh Dungri Temple, Kuchaman City

Ganesh Dungri, is a Hindu temple located in Kuchaman. The grand temple is located on an elevated at Dungari hill in Kuchaman. The temple is sometimes also referred to as the Ganesh Temple. This temple is believed to have been built during the rule of the Raja Hari Singh.

Shakambhri Hill

Shakti Peeth Shakumbhri, meaning the abode of Shakti Goddess Shakambhari or Shakumbhri, is situated outside the urban area, at a distance of 3 km (1.9 mi) to the South of Kuchaman. Perched in the midst of the Aravali mountain range, this temple is believed to have been built during the rule of the Raja Pratap Singh. Twice a year, in the Ashwin and Chaitra months of the Hindu calendar (during the days of Navratra), the famous Shakumbhri Mela is organised. About 100 metres (330 ft) southeast of Shakumbari lies the Bhura Dev (BHAIRAV) temple which is considered to be the guard of Shakambhari Devi.

Bhairav (Bhairu) Talab Mandir

The famous Bhairu (Bhairav) Talab temple is situated in the center of Kuchaman town and Kuchaman city railway station just 6 km (3.7 mi) away from the railway station. It is believed to be more than 200 years old. This pond and the temple built here are dedicated to Kaal Bhairav. The ancient idol of Bhagwan Bhairav sitting here was called Bhisan Bhairav. There is also a temple of Maa Shakambhari on Shakambhari Hill near the main Bhairav Talab temple which is considered sacred by Hindu devotees. Bhairav Temple is also known as Kotwal of Kuchaman (कुचामण का कोतवाळ). A hunting ground (शिकारगाह) was constructed near this temple of Bhairav Talab by Rao Bahadur Thakur Sher Singh, Jagirdar and Thakur of Kuchaman in 1902 AD. He built a royal hunting ground here. When he used to come here for hunting, he used to hunt in this royal hunting ground. This hunting ground was also known as Thakuri Bagh, but at present this pond has remained confined.

The Bhairav Talab Temple has been recently renovated and many changes have been made to the old structure. Also, a new temple has been constructed within the pond complex. Even it has now been developed as a picnic spot. It used to be a public temple in the past but few years ago the state government sold this public use place. Now it is a private property.

Kavyarishi Kund (Kabrishi Kunda)

Kavyarishi Kund

The Kavyarishi Kund is a small reservoir situated at an altitude of 640 m (2,100 ft) in outskirts of kuchaman. This reservoir is cocooned in the Arawali mountain range of Rajasthan state.

Sage Kakabhushundi is called Kavyarishi or Kaavrishi or Kabrishi by the locals of Kuchaman in Apabhramsa form.Kaag and Kaav means the bird crow. Sage Kakabhushundi is depicted as a devotee of Rama, who narrates the story of the Ramayana to Garuda in the form of a crow. He is described to be one of the Chiranjivis, an immortal being in Hinduism who is to remain alive on earth until the end of the current Kali yuga. Kakabhushundi was originally a member of the Shudra class of Ayodhya. A zealous devotee of the deity Shiva, he held the deity Vishnu and Vaishnavas in contempt, despite his guru's efforts to discourage him from this mindset. Once, Sage Kakabhushundi refused to offer his respects to his guru while he was engaged in prayer to Shiva in a temple. Angered, Shiva cursed his ungrateful devotee to take the form of a snake, and live a thousand lives as a lesser creature. After his guru prayed to the deity to moderate the curse, Shiva stated that after his thousand cursed births, Kakabhushundi would become a devotee of Rama. The deity also warned him never to displease a preceptor ever again. Accordingly, following the cursed births, Kakabhushundi was born as a Brahmana, and grew to become a great follower of Rama and a sage. While listening to the discourse to a sage named Lomasha on the merits of nirguna (non-qualified Absolute) worship over that of saguna (qualified Absolute) worship of Brahman, he refused to accept these views. In his fury, Lomasha cursed him to become a crow.

According to folk tales Kakabhushundi did penance for a long time at Kavyarishi Kund and also installed a lingam. Even today there is an ancient temple of Shiva in which the locals have immense faith. Hundreds of devotees come here every day during the month of Shravana to offer water to this ancient Shivalingam. Locals believe that even today Sage Kagbhusundi appears here in the month of Shravan because of his boon of being Chiranjivi.

Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple

Gopeshwar Temple is 1100 years old Lord Shiva Temple is on the peak on Hariyajun hill (Tikli Hill) of Aravali Range about 15 KM from the city of Kuchaman. It is said the temple is about 1100 years old. This Shiva temple, situated at a height of more than 600 meters above sea level, has great faith among the devotees. Devotees believe that the wishes of the devotees who worship here with devotion are fulfilled. Devotees reach the temple by climbing the difficult hill. There is the Samadhi of Mahant Gopaldas Maharaj in the temple premises. It is said that Gopaldas ji Maharaj did rigorous sadhana here for a long time between the years 1931 and 1974. Gaurishankar Giri Maharaj has been doing Shiva worship here for the last 2 decades. There is also a small pond of holy water called Brahmkund.

Surya Narayan Temple

This is an ancient temple which is one of the two temples of the Sun God. According to the Padma Purana, sage Kashyapa had installed the idol of Surya Dev. That is why Surya is said to be of Kashyapa gotra. Sun is the king of the planets. According to the Sthal Puranas, Lord Indra discovered this temple and installed the Sun God here, hence Lord Suryanarayana is also known as Swami Varu here. This temple is situated on a small rock. This temple has been constructed in such a way that the morning sun rays fall at the feet of the Lord twice a year (March and September). These rays reach the feet of the deity through the 5 main doors.

Kanoi Park

Also known as Sarvajanik Kanoi Park or Municipal Council Public Park is a park in the city center that provides joggers track and green space for city residents and city visitors. The design, operation and maintenance are usually carried out by the government municipal council and at the local level, sometimes the park is also patronized by social groups. The park is named after the Kanoi family who donated the land for the park. Statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhimrao Ambedkar and water fountains have been installed in the courtyard of the park. The park also has facilities like swings and toy train and playground for children.

Gates of Old City

1. Paltan Dwar (Paltan Gate)
2. Kashmiri Daruja (Kashmiri Gate)
3. Aathuno Darujo (West Gate)
4. Hauj ko Darujo (Cistern/Pool/हौद Gate)
5. Suraj Pole gate

Gates of New City

1. Shri Maharaja Agrasen Dwar (श्री महाराजा अग्रसेन द्वार) - Southern Entrance of the City
2. Shiksha Dwar (शिक्षा द्वार) - Western Entrance of the City
3. Nyay Dwar (न्याय द्वार) - Entrance Gate for the Court complex and Administrative offices complex
4. Valley Gate - Gate of Kuchaman Valley

Shiksha Dwar, Kuchaman City

Kuchaman in popular culture

• Reference of Kuchaman City in Vikram Chandra's Salon Book Award winning best selling Sacred Games (novel) by one of the character Gaitonde.
• Parts of the Bollywood films Drona (2008 film) and Jodhaa Akbar were shot at Kuchaman Fort.
• Music video of the Punjabi song Aaya Jado Da of Asees Kaur featuring Aparshakti Khurana was shot at Kuchaman Fort.

Notable people

• Raja Hari Singh - 9th Thakur and First Raja of Kuchaman Jagir
• Rao Bahadur Thakur Kesari Singh - Freedom Fighter, Sixth Thakur of Kuchaman Jagir & Great Grand father of Raja Hari Singh. He was granted the title of Rao Bahadur in January 1877
• Thakur Suraj Mal - Third Thakur of Kuchaman and Founder of Jodhpur-Kuchaman feudatory mint under the license of the Princely State of Jodhpur
• Mahendra Chaudhary - Politician and Deputy Chief Whip of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
• Harish Kumawat - Politician and State Minister
• Sarla Birla - Philanthropist and wife of Indian Business man Basant Kumar Birla and Grand Mother of Kumar Mangalam Birla
• Brijlal Biyani - Indian activist & writer and father of Sarla Birla
• Tarachand Barjatya - Indian filmmaker and founder of Rajshri Productions
• Rajkumar Barjatya - Indian film producer (died 2019)
• Sooraj R. Barjatya - Indian filmmaker

Gallery

Fresco paintings at Kuchaman Fort