CASTE AND DRESSING OF RAJASTHAN
The people
of Rajasthan belong to different castes and tribes. In the area around Jaipur,
Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur in the southwest of the state, locals belong to
the Minas, Meos and Banjaras, Gadia Lohars, communities and were mostly
traveling tradesmen and artisans. The Bhils, famed archers of the legends and
one of the oldest tribes of India inhabit the districts of Bhilwara,
Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Banswarara, Udaipur, and Sirohi. The Grasias and
nomadic Kathodis live in the Mewar region. The Sahariyas are found in the Kota
district, and the Rabaris of the Marwar region are nomadic cattle breeders.
Rajasthan
is a land of grandeur and diverse colors of culture and art. The traditionally
hospitable and cheerful people of Rajasthan, known as Marwaris, win your heart
with their warm greetings. Men wearing Rajasthani turbans (Pagri), dhoti and
kurta, traditional footwear (mojri), and women wearing traditional attire
(lehenga/poshak), rich classic jewelry and on top of that the smiles on their
gleaming faces reflect the prosperous Rajasthan culture. They respect their
guests from the bottom of their hearts, welcoming them by applying religious
kumkum on forehead and making them feel all important by treating them as gods.
The culture of Rajasthan has its origins in the glorious past that defines the
rustic but interesting spirit of this desert-land. The chivalrous maharajas of
Rajasthan, the huge architectural monuments, traditional art and craft,
business skills of the people, and hospitality among the folks here, are the
indispensable characteristics of Rajasthani culture
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| Different regions of Rajasthan |
The important communities of Rajasthan are the Rajputs, Jats, Brahmans and the traders. The Rajputs are the martial race, known for their chivalry and valour. The Brahmans were the priests and teachers while the Mahajans are still the backbone of the village economy. The Jats and the Gujars are the agricultural communities.
Religion of Rajasthan
Hindusim is the main religion of
Rajasthan. Other significant religious groups in the state are the Jains and
the Muslims. There are many local folk heros and local deities such as Pabuji,
Ramdeoji, Gogaji, Mehaji, Tejaji & Harbhuji Rajasthanis are predominantly Hindu,
Muslims and Jains. However, regardless of their religious segments, Muslim,
Hindu and Jain Rajasthanis mingle with each other socially. Most Rajasthani
hindus are vaishnavas, however, Durga and her avatars are equally worshiped
throughout Rajasthan. Osvãls are predominantly Jains but small section of
vaishnava Osvãls are also found. Jats are mostly hindus and muslims. Meenas of
Rajasthan till date strongly follow Vedic culture which usually includes
worship of Bhainroon (Shiva) andKrishnaas well as Durga. The Rajputs generally
worship the Sun, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Bhavani (Goddess Durga). The
Gurjars (Gujars or Gujjars) worship the Sun God, God Devnarayan, Lord Vishnu,
Lord Shiva and Goddess Bhavani. Historically, The Gurjars were Sun-worshipers
and are described as devoted to the feet of the Sun-god. Marathi Bhakti
movement by Mahanubbavis and Virakaripanthis of Maharashtra had immense
influence on the development of Rajasthani Bhakti movement. Meerabai was
an important figure during ‘Rajasthani Bhakti movement.Rajasthani Muslims are
predominantly Sunnis. They are mainly Meo, Mirasi, Qaimkhani, Manganiar, Muslim
Rangrez, Merat, Sindhi-Sipahi, Rath and Pathans. With the introduction of
Islam, many community members converted to Islam either voluntarily or
forcibly. However, community Identity persists. They share lot of socio-ritual
elements. Rajasthani Muslim communities, after their conversion, continued to
follow pre-conversion practices (Rajasthani rituals and customs) which is not
the case in other parts of the country. This exhibits the strong cultural
identity of Rajasthani people as opposed to religious identity.Some other
religions are also prevalent such as Buddhism, Christianity, Parsi religion
etc. Over time, there has been an increase in the number of followers of Sikh
religion. Though Buddhism emerged as a major religion during 321-184 BC in
Mauryan Empire, it had no influence in Rajasthan for the fact that Mauryan
Empire had minimal impact on Rajasthan and its culture.[10] Although, today
Jainism is not that prevalent in Rajasthan but historically Rajasthan and
Gujarat areas were strong centres of Jainism in India.
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| Salasar Balaji |
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| Gogga ji |
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| Tejaji |
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| Pabuji |
Art & Architecture of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is known for its traditional and colorful art. The block prints, tie and die prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, Zari embroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, blur potteries are some of the things you will find here. Rajasthan is shoppers paradise. Rajasthan is famous for the majestic forts, intricately carved temples and decorated havelis. Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Chittauragrh Fort, Lake Palace Hotel, City Palaces, Jaisalmer Havelis are true architectural heritage.
The state of Rajasthan tells the tales of a glorious past of India of kings, Maharajas and royalty. Opulence and prosperity were once synonymous to Rajasthan. Even today, most tourists travel to the state to soak into its vibrant culture of richness and brilliance. The many building and architectures of Rajasthan bear the mark of engineering excellence that was achieved by the masons of the bygone era.
The buildings and monuments of Rajasthan bear distinct marks of Rajput architecture which thrived during the Mughal period. The influence of Mughal architecture can also be seen in the many palaces and monuments of Rajasthan. In a word, Rajasthani structural design is a blend of Hindu and Muslim architectures. Many of these buildings have been included into the list of heritage buildings of India and therefore feature into the list of must visited places in the state.
The list of buildings and palaces of Rajasthan is quite long. Following is the list of some of the famous buildings of Rajasthan.
City Palace, Jaipur: The City Palace of Jaipur is a structure to behold. Distinct marks of Rajput and Mughal architecture can be seen in the structure. The palace was built by Maharaja Jai Singh between 1729 and 1732. Since then many additions were done to the palace and now the complex holds many palatial structures. Some of the popular buildings of the palatial complex are- Chandra Mahal, Badal Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the palace museum. The city palace is sprawled over many acres and covers almost one-seventh of the walled city.
Havelis, Jaisalmer: The city of Jaisalmer has earned itself the moniker of ‘The Golden City’ because of the yellow sandstone used in building it. At the heart of the desert the houses of the wealthy merchants, ‘havelis’, of Jaisalmer offer a spectacular view to the visitors. Amongst the many ‘havelis’ of the city the Patwon ki Haveli is the most convoluted and popular one.
Another important building was the ‘haveli’ of Salim Singh. The building was built 300 years ago by the then prime minister of the state of Jaisalmer, Salim Singh. The arched roof of the building with carved peacocks is a spectacular example of Rajasthani engineering.
Umaid Bhawan, Jodhpur: The Umaid Bhawan of Jodhpur is the largest private residence of the world. In the past it was also called the Chittar Palace because of the presence of Chittar Hill that surrounds it. It was built during the 20th century by Maharaja Umaid Singh and is a classic example of Rajasthani and British architecture. A particular type of sandstone that doesn’t get weathered was used in building the palace.
The Umain Bhawan has now been converted into a heritage hotel and a museum.
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur: The Hawa Mahal is a magnificent example of multi-layered construction with beehive architecture. The palace was built by Sawai Pratap Singh during 1799. The architect of this magnificent monument was Mr. Lal Chand. The beautiful red pink sandstone was used in the construction and today it attracts maximum number of tourists to Jaipur.
Lake Palace, Udaipur: The palace that was constructed in the middle of the Pichola Lake was a relaxing place for the erstwhile royalties of Udaipur. Unwinding at the middle of the lake in the white marble structure is definitely a romantic idea. Today it serves as a heritage hotel that offers breathtaking panoramic view.
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur: The Jantar Mantar of Jaipur is one of the five astronomical observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh II. The designe of the building was done by Jai Singh himself. It reflects his acumen in architecture and designing. Most of the masonry and astronomical instruments of it still function properly.
The other Jantar Mantars are situated in Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi respectively.
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| Artist making pad |
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| Elephant ride |
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| Miniature |
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| Horse Art |
Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan
The patronage for artisans of the state was extended by the kings and rulers who turned to them to embellish their zenanas, the women's wings of the palaces, and the durbar or courts. Ateliers were created where artists were treated with due respect and paintings, jewellery and pottery, stone and wood carving, textile and rug weaving, was accorded due place. Major craft traditions in Rajasthan include Tie-and-Dye Textiles, Hand block Printing, Quilting, Jewellery, Gems and Stones, Blue Pottery, Leather Craft, Woodcarving, and local Painting tradition.
WOODEN FURNITURE
Rajasthan Art specializes in carved wooden furniture that can beautify any living room in the world. Other regions of india such as Shekhawati, Kishangarh have their own styles in wooden furnitures. The furniture of Jodhpur reflects an appealing old look. Painted wooden furniture like chairs and almirahs are also commonly seen. Rajasthan Art launching a new era of Leather Furniture that has traditional or contemporary leather furniture leather chairs, leather wine chairs, leather sofas to suits for your decorative Home.
JEWLERY ART
Rajasthan is an unrivalled center for cut and polished Gem beads and Gem Jewelry - the ultimate place to go for Silver jewelry and Fashion jewelry. Elegant Precious Indian Jewelry , known as Kundan Meena Jewelry, is another high precision art of Jaipur jewelry in which gemstones are set into molten gold with extreme finesse. Gold and 92.5 % Studded Silver Jewelry from India is famous everywhere, more particularly Jaipur is for Silver jewelry and Udaipur for tribal Silver Ornaments
Citrine cut stone Silver Rings Citrine cut stone Silver Rings Blue Topaz cut stone Silver Rings
Traditional Lakh Pendant set Traditional Lakh Pendant set RAJLJ003 Traditional Lakh Pendant set
TEXTILES
Cool cotton much preferred in Rajasthan is given very fine designs by hand block printing. Peacocks, camels and elephants are widely used in formats. Sanganer and Bagru of Jaipur and Barmer are places famed for this art. The people of Rajasthan most commonly use tie and dye fabrics for their everyday use. This work is done everywhere, most finely in Jodhpur and Jaipur. Quilts of Jaipur are known all over the world for their lightweight, fine finish and warmth. Brocade and threadwork over shirts and odhanis are also historically famous of Jaipur. Extraordinary embroidery on skirts and wall cloths is a rare art of Barmer and the surrounding area.
COSTUMES OF RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan, one of the largest northwestern states of India, is famous for its natural beauty, luxurious forts & places and vibrant fairs and festivals. Its rich cultural heritage makes it the most interesting tourist spot of India.
The people of Rajasthan makes the state look more colorful by their vibrant hues of outfits. The attires of men and women are well designed that perfectly suit the hot and dry climate of state. The women’s attire includes ankle length long skirt known as “Ghaghara” teamed up with an upper apparel known as blouse or top and a cotton cloth known as “odhani” that is used as veil. Broad colored fabric or “Sinjafis” is stitched underneath the “Ghaghara” to make it stiff and strong. The width as well as number of pleats in the “Ghaghara” signify woman’s prosperity and success. The “Ghagharas” come in variant vibrant colors and designs. However the most famous ones are the dyed and the cotton “Ghagharas” decked with mothra, laharia and chunari prints.
The colorful apparels of women is well complemented by the dazzling jewellery. Jewellery of Rajasthan is unique for their distinct style. Women coming from royal and noble families adore themselves in diamond, gold, jewelleries studded with precious gem stones while the tribal women of Rajasthan use silver, brass and white metal jewelleries. Apart from wearing metal jewellery, women are also seen to use Lac jewellery that are studded with glass pieces. Women of south Rajasthan also use coconut shell bangles with a silver strip at the centre.
The Rajasthani men like the women also dress themselves in vibrant outfits. Turban known as “Pagari” is an integral part of men’s attire. The color, style as well as the way the turban is worn manifest one’s caste and region. According to the region, the style of turban varies. For instance the people of Jaipur wears angular shaped turbans while the ones residing in Udaipur use flat turban. “Angarakha” is an apparel that is worn to protects the body. It is usually made from cotton fabric. At the festival or ritual ceremonies, men wear printed or dyed “Angarakhas”. “Dhoti”, is also worn by men to cover their lower part of the body. Men wear silk dhotis with a zari border at the time of grand festival or special occasion. “Patka” is usually kept on the shoulders or wrapped around the waist. Nowadays, the trend of wearing “Patka” has become obsolete. Men coming from Brahmin family put traditional “Dupattas” on their shoulders.
Both men and women wear leather footwear known as ‘Mojaris’ or ‘Jootis’. These shoes are made from the skin of camel, sheep and goat. Intricate embroidery works are embellished on brocade or velvet and it is pasted or stitched on the outer part of the footwear. This unique and colorful dresses manifest the vibrant spirit of the people of Rajashan.
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WOMEN COSTUME
The women wear long, flowing cotton ‘ghagras’ (skirts) made from upto 10 m of cloth in dazzling colours, highlighted by sparkling gold and silver ‘gota’ or ‘zari’ that offset the dull, barren landscape. They love to wear chunky silver jewellery and keep their faces completely veiled for privacy and also to protect themselves from the scorching sun and sand.
Women from Rajasthan weat the ankle length long skirt with the narrow waist that gives the look of the umbrella at the base.
The length of the skirt has been kept little short as the ornaments of the foot should be visible. The Ghaghara comes in many vibrant colors and styles.
The ghaghara comes in many style and but the cotton Ghagharas are most popular ones are dyed or the printed clothes like mothras and lehariya print.
The Odhani is made up of the 2.5 meters or 1.5 to 2 meters, and is the cotton cloth.
COSTUME OF MEN
The men are tall and handsome and usually sport long, twirled moustaches and often a beard. They wear colourful turbans (worn in different styles, denoting caste and region), often made of the tie-and-dye fabric that is a specialty of the region.
In the Rajasthani costume the style of tying the turban is very different and elegant as well. The people in the Rajasthan is recognized by the style and the color of the turban the person is wearing.
The style of Pagri (turban) signifies the region from where the person belongs like Jodhpuri Safa which is little different from the Jaipuriya Pagris, it is slightly curved bands. Angarakha which can be said as Body Protector which is normally made up by the cotton textile.
Angarakha is the costume which is made in two types and they are- frock style and waist length which is called as kamari angarakhas. One reaches below knees and one is in short pattern. Dhoti or pajama is used to wear in the lower part of the body. The Dhoti is 4 meters by 1 meter cotton cloth.
The people from the royal families wear a patka which is 1 and half meter or 1 meter long cloth which is kept around the shoulders or is also worn around the waist to keep weapons in the olden days.
The people have an amazing zest for life and are as fun loving as industrious. They have a rich tradition of folk music and dance, each region with its own dance styles, songs and music. Several communities of professional performers - the Bhaats, Dholis, Mirasis, Nats, Bhopas and Bhands, spend their lives going from village to village. The villagers patronise them and even participate in their performances.
