Rajasthan
Rajasthan literally means “The Land of Kings”. Rajasthan is located on the northwestern side of India, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the “Rajasthan Desert” and “Great Indian Desert”) and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej–Indus river valley.
Culture of Rajasthan
Since many rulers ruled Rajasthan, each region has its own folk culture. The folk music and dance of Rajasthan are similar due to their geographical confinement, but each differs in their unique style. Manganiyars and Langas are two prominent groups that contributed to the Rajasthan folk music. They perform ‘ragas’ (songs) for different purposes. Like during the pre-monsoon time, they would perform ragas to call forth the rains. Other famous groups are Banjaras, Mirasis, Jogis, and much more.
Rajasthan’s Culture dates back to the years of Kings where it was previously called Rajputana. Over the years it has been ruled by various kings including the Rajput, Marathas and even Muslim rulers, which have resulted in the diverse culture of Rajasthan, bearing numerous beautiful forts with a wide variety in its architecture, language and customs of its people. Rajasthan, in spite of being a desert, has been endowed with such beautiful sites that include various palaces, forts and pilgrim centres that define what Rajasthan is.
Since many rulers ruled Rajasthan, each region has its own folk culture. The folk music and dance of Rajasthan are similar due to their geographical confinement, but each differs in their unique style. Manganiyars and Langas are two prominent groups that contributed to the Rajasthan folk music. They perform ‘ragas’ (songs) for different purposes. Like during the pre-monsoon time, they would perform ragas to call forth the rains. Other famous groups are Banjaras, Mirasis, Jogis, and much more.
Many traditional instruments are used by them that include sarangi, kamayach, dhols, shenhai, and been. Folk songs were usually for certain purposes like weddings or birth or were passed to tell a story of bravery or a romantic tale. They were usually in the form of ballads. The dance is varied as well. Dance differed among different tribes. It was mainly for the entertainment of the people and the king. Some of the dances include chang, ghoomer, bhopa, tejali, and kathipuli. Ghoomer dance, Kalbeliya dance, has gained international recognition and appreciation.
If you visit Rajasthan, be sure to reserve a few hours or even a day for shopping. You will find beautiful carpets, garments, jewellery, paintings and more, that are all made by the local people. Any leather item is usually camel leather – they use it making journals, shoes and bags. The carpets are made from the hand-knitting techniques and much like Persian carpets; they have a geometric design and borders. There are also many miniature items made out of red sand or clay as toys for kids or decoration pieces with bells attached to it. You may also find safah or pagri (traditional headwear) in most of the shops that you may bring back as a memory from the place.
Shopping in Rajasthan is very reasonable and is an opportunity not to be missed. Antiques are a whole different thing. If you like to collect antiques, there are various sellers in Rajasthan. However, do some research on which sellers are authorised so that you are aware of where you can purchase them. Most antiques are things that were the possessions of the kings.
Camels are commonly found animals in Rajasthan. Camels are desert animals that are meant to survive conditions of scarcity of water, extreme winds, heat and cold due to their biology. Most camps in Rajasthan will include camel rides, and you will get to experience how well the camels can travel in deserts due to their long footed legs. Camel fairs take place every year in Bikaner, Pushkar and other regions. It is a festival or celebration of sorts dedicated to the ship of the desert and their owners. There are various events and competitions carried out for fun like camel race and camel dance. These festivals are usually held for two days.
The women wear sarees with the ‘odhni’ covering their head as a sign of respect. The men wear dhotis and kurtas with a headgear called pagri or safah. There are a lot of Handmade unique designs in cloths in Rajasthan
The designs on their clothing are either embroidered or dotted. The material of the clothing is usually cotton and even silk for women.
The major painting styles are phad paintings, miniature paintings, kajali paintings, gemstone paintings etc. There is incredible diversity and imaginative creativity found in Rajasthani paintings. Major schools of art are Mewar, Marwar, Kishangarh, Bundi, Kota, Jaipur and Alwar.
Our Painting
Our most paintings are inspired by Rajasthani Tradition and culture, You will see Beautiful Rajasthani women in traditional dresses in vibrant colors, and camels in desert in our paintings Which will remind you of our beautiful culture of Rajasthan.
