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About Rajasthan

Culture of Rajasthan

Rajasthan- the land of royalty is a glittering jewel set in the golden sands of a barren deserts landscape. The light that reflects off the golden sands engulfs a land renowned for its vibrant colors, people in bright clothes and beautiful jewelry, living in cities dotted and dominated by towering forts and palace that rise from the sands like mirage.

The brightness of its life, the legends of its heroism and romance are all captured in the vibrant and evocative music of this desert land. There is a richness and diversity in Rajasthani music which comes from a tradition that is old and undisturbed, and from a culture that has imbibed the best from its neighboring states of Sindh, Gujurat, Malwa, Mewar, Haryana and Punjab.

Music which rich evocative heroic plaintive and joyful governs all aspects of Rajasthani lives. The voices both male and female are strong and powerful. The numerous songs sang by the women reflect the various feminine moods and strong family ties that govern their lives, Peepli and Nihalde are songs imploring the beloved not to leave her or to return to her as soon as he can.

There are songs about the family comparing every member to the numerous ornaments worn by women. The festivals of gangaur and teej, celebrating marital bliss and the brief but splendid moonsoon of Rajasthan call for special songs without which no celebration is complete.

Men and women of Rajasthan sing devotional as well as festive songs. Songs by the saint-poets like Kabir, Meera and Malookdas are part of the folk repertoire. They are sung all night during the raatjagas (all night soirees spent singing devotional songs) which are held as thanks giving to a particular deity. The resonant singing of the Rajasthani folk is accompanied by music from simple instruments like the Baara and Algoza, that usally give a beat or a drone to offset the poetry.

Fairs and festivals bring an even greater riot of colour and music into lives of these desert people .Holi the festival of colours,brings forth the joyous,lively rhythms of the change and dhamal songs Marriage ,childbirth ,the visit of the son-in-law, all call for song and music. Even children have their own special songs called the saanjhi and the Ghulda. Favorites that are sung at all times are the Panihari Eendoni, the famous Kurjan Digipuri-ka-raja and the Rasiya songs of the Braj region.

The hard life of the desert dwellers made them seek means of making life more pleasant by developing their artistic talents. There are many traditional communities who are professional performers and their skills are handed down from generation to generation. The Bhat and Charans are bards, who could inspire the Rajput warriors with accounts of heroic deeds by whipping up patriotic flavor or even ridiculing the royal families with their satire.

The wandering balladeers, like the Bhopas who sing about the Marwar folk hero-Pabuji, travel from village with their phad painting and rawan hahha entertaining people with their ballad. There are many singing communities in Rajasthan known as the Dholis.. Also known by other names like Mirasis, Dhadhis, L angas, Manganiyars, Kalbelias, Jogis, Sargaras, Kamads, Nayaks or Thotis and the Bawaris.

Today their musician be heard all over the state and is pepular even on the national & international circuits. The best flavor of this rich artistic talent can be savored during various fairs & festivals of the state, especially during the Desert Festivals (Jan-Feb), the Pushkar Fair (Oct-Nov), the Marwar Festival (Sept-Oct) and the Camel Festival (Jan-Feb).

Hindi is the official language of the state. But the principal language is "Rajasthani", and the four major dialects are Marwari in the west, Jaipuri in the east, Malwi in the southeast and Mewati in the northeast. But Hindi language is replacing Rajasthani. Moreover, you will find English speaking people in all the major cities, and in remote villages also you will find someone who can speak and understand English. But other languages are completely unknown. You may ask Tour Operators to help you on this and they do have guides who knows almost all the languages
Rajasthan is famous for its paintings, music and folk dances. Its miniature paintings of the many different schools of Rajasthan are now collector's items. The arts and culture has been influenced by the Persian elements during Mughal rule, and can be seen in the graceful Bikaner paintings and frescoes on palace walls.
The major styles of painting are the Kota style, Jaipur, Bikaner and Marwar. Some are as old as 400 years. The Bikaner school of painting gave Rajasthan the paintings based on the famous poet Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda. Devotional in nature, these paintings depict Lord Krishna in play with his cowherd friends, or the gopis of Vrindavan. Kota style paintings, some of which are drawn on the walls of Kota's palaces, depict nature in all her glory. The Kota painters also drew hunting scenes and beautiful women. Jaipur, and surrounding regions of Alwar and Tonk, are famous for the Jaipur style paintings that have a substantial Mughal element. The fine Bikaner paintings also had Mughal influence, but the technique of the painting differed. The paints were painstakingly created using vegetable dyes and minerals, and applied in a manner unique to the Bikaner style. Marwar paintings are themed around Marwar's Rajput warriors, their royal hunts and majestic palaces.
Rajasthan is famed for its jewelry and gem cutting techniques. A strong Mughal influence is visible in the Thewa style of pendants, which are painstakingly handcrafted and inlaid with semi precious stones and gold. The enameled lac bangles of Rajasthan are made by etching designs on the material, filling it with colors and enameling with gold.
The folk dances of Rajasthan are known for its lively, and belles in rich ghaghra and armful of bangles dancing to the tune of the Sarangi, a Rajasthani string instrument. The folk poets of Rajasthan, known as Bhopas, recite ballads as they wander from village to village.
Rajasthan is famous for its mirror work, done on clothes, cushions, even walls. Some old havelis, or mansions, in Rajasthan still have richly frescoed walls with mirror work.

The varied, colorful arts and folk dances lend color to the barren desert of Rajasthan.