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Rajasthan Culture


Music and Dance:- Rajasthan is culturally rich and has extensive tradition in art and culture, which reflects Indian way life. The dance, music and art forms have been watchfully cultivated and patronised by the erstwhile courts. An equally rich and varied folk culture from villages is both fascinating & mesmerising.The music is of uncomplicated innocence and songs depict day-to-day relationships and chores more often focal around bring of water. Rajasthan's cultural tapestry takes in simple folk to highly cultivated classical music and dance in its own distinct style.

Arts & Crafts:-Rajasthan is among the richest states in the country as far as the field of arts and crafts is concerned. Obviously, it was a result of the war-like lifestyle of the people of Rajasthan which sharpened the creative senses, artistic skills and inspired them to create the most opulent and richest of treasures. The cave paintings, terracotta and other stone sculptures excavated at different sites prove that a regular art school was existed in the 10th century.

History of Rajasthan reveals that the kings and their nobles were patrons of arts and crafts and they encouraged their craftsmen in activities ranging from wood and marble carving to weaving, pottery and painting. The great palaces and the inner chambers of forbidding forts were decorated with as much attention as were the walls of humble mud huts. The inhabitants were not too far behind when it came to adorning themselves. The horses and elephants that took the warriors to battles received the same care jewelled saddles and intricate silver howdahs were just some of the ornaments that were used to adorn them.

 

Despite their love for the battlefield, the Rajputs have been patrons of art and also their 350 years of contact with the Mughals led to a very strong influence on their lives and arts. Quite a few folk arts received the refinement and delicacy of the Mughal courts. They borrowed freely from the Agra and Delhi courts and in some cases, also sent their skilled craftsmen to adorn the Mughal courts.

For women there was infinite variety tie and dye fabrics, embroidered garments, enamel jewellery inlayed with precious and semi-precious stones, leather jootis.

Jewelery: Rajasthan is rich in jewellery, each area having its own unique style. Some of the traditional designs are rakhri, tirnaniyan, bala, bajuband, gajra, gokhru, jod, etc. Tribal women wear heavy, simply crafted jewellery and seem to carry the weight without much discomfort almost all the time. Men too wear their share of ornaments in the form of chockers and earrings.

 

Ivory: The ivory bangles that most Rajasthani women wear are considered auspicious. Ivory is also inlaid and shaped into intricate items of great beauty. Miniature paintings were also executed on ivory.

Lac and Glass: Lac bangles are made in bright colours and sometimes inlaid with glass. Other decorative and functional items are also available.

Stone: Statues on religious themes are carved all over Rajasthan and in several cities there are still entire lanes where the stone carvers can be seen giving final touches to statues or even pillars. Other crafts like blue pottery, hand block printing, tie and dye, terracotta sculptures, painting on camel hide, embroidery, cloth painting, carpets, durries, inlay work on brass and wood are to be found all over Rajasthan.

 

Handicrafts

Rajasthan is famous for some of its most unique Handicrafts, which they have preserved from the ancient times. Major craft traditions in Rajasthan include Tie-and-Dye Textiles, Hand block Printing, Quilting, Jewelry, Gems and Stones, Blue Pottery, Leather Craft, Woodcarving, and local Painting traditions.

Metal Craft: Some of the finest metal work in Rajasthan uses enameled silver that is used for everything from pill-boxes to figurines. Brass enamel is less expensive, and more prevalent from table-tops to dancing peacocks, caparisoned elephants, dancing camels, swords and shields.

Wooden Artifacts: Wood-sometimes plain often painted- is used to make everything from furniture to artifacts. Its contemporary variants include chairs with painted backs, camel-hide stools, marble-top tables and carved cabinets. Artifacts include a range of animals -horses, elephants, parrots - that are beautifully painted.

Leatherware: The hides of dead animals is used by skilled cobblers for Jooties (foot-wear), chairs, musical instruments (like Tabla, Dhol, Dhapli), stringed instruments (Kamayacha) etc. The Jooties reflect the unique style of every district they belong to. The leather is punched and gouged to create patterns, studded, sequined and even embroidered with woolen motifs. Cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer is famous for Jooties. Bikaner is best known for painted Lampshades, shields, vases, Mojharies made out of camel hide. Hard Bag, belts, hats, chairs, foldable chairs with graphic embroideries are from Tilonia.

Stone Carving: White marble, pink Dholpur, green Kota, white and grey soapstone everything is used to make elegant statuary, idols, figurines, carved panels, even elaborate jharokhas for gardens and pavilions. One of Rajasthan's most enduring arts that is evident in its prevalence in homes all over the state, stone carving is both an artistic as well as an industrial product.

 

Textile: The Textile of Rajasthan has a fascinating range of dyed and block printing fabrics. Each state has its own special colour-scheme design and technique. The various types of Textile are:- Hand-block prints, Bandhej, Bandani, Lehriya, Batik, Mothra, Ekdali, Shikari, Cheent comes under tie & dye category. In addition, the art of embellished fabrics with embroidery using thread-work, mirror work or gold brocade is prevalent. Block Printing in vegetable dyes is another famous art.

Paintings: Rajasthan is known for its miniature paintings, reflecting an incredible portfolio of scenes from myth and legend to history to nature The variation in art of painting ranges from Wall paintings on Palaces to huts, Miniature paintings, Phad and Pichwais.

Shopping in Rajasthan:-Rajasthan has something for almost every kind of traveler, revealing a vast range of arts and crafts, which is a treat for the visuals and are ready to be picked. The Bazaars spill with products and there is a magnificent glow of colours all over. Intricate work carved on handicrafts or the wonders of gems and stones, it has it all and even more like the colours dancing on the textiles and fabrics with silver or gold threads settings and complimented with the variety of Silk-threads, Beads, Gota, Zari, Zardosi, Banarasi, etc. designed by the age old families of skilled artisans. 

The amazing use of clay in the form of sculpture and decorative arts, the paintings from different schools like Miniature, Mughal and the different Rajasthani shailis (school of art) and more are piled up, revealing the medieval splashes and recording historic and dramatic events. Almost capturing the senses! The age old art of dyes and colours hold the centre of attraction.

 

Architecture:- The mixture and brilliance of Rajasthan's architectural heritage can amaze a visitor. Majestic forts, intricately carved temples and havelis (meaning mansion) and even step wells make Rajasthan a paradise for an architecture buff. The desert State of Rajasthan is a land of irony and extremes. This vibrant and striking region is the home of the Rajput warrior clans who had ruled here for many years. Rajasthan is also home to some of India's most romantic cities. The Rajputs were prolific builders and have dotted the arid Aravali landscape with their legacy of some most imposing and magnificent forts and palaces in the world. Today the structures defy time to tell the story of gallantry, courage and tragedy of the bygone era and its story of survival in the harsh Thar Desert. Some of the prominent structures that represent the architectural heritage of Rajasthan are Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Chittaurgarh Fort, Lake Palace Hotel, City Palace and Jaisalmer havelis.

Religion:- Hinduism, the religion of most of the population, is generally practised through the worship of Brahma, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, and other gods and goddesses. Nathdwara is an important religious centre for the Vallabhacharya sect of Krishna followers. There are also followers of the Arya Samaj, a reforming sect of modern Hinduism, as well as other forms of that religion.

 

Islam, the religion of the State's second largest religious community, expanded in Rajasthan with the conquest of Ajmer by Muslim invaders in the late twelfth century. Khwajah Muin-ud-Din Chishti, the Muslim missionary, had his headquarters at Ajmer, and Muslim traders, craftsmen, and soldiers settled there. The State's population of Christians and Sikhs is small..Jainism is also important; it has not been the religion of the rulers of Rajasthan but has followers among the trading class and the wealthy section of society. Mahavirji, Ranakpur, Dhulev, and Karera are the chief centres of Jain pilgrimage.The Dadupanthi forms another important religious sect the followers of Dadu (d. 1603), who preached the equality of all men, strict vegetarianism, total abstinence from intoxicating liquor, and lifelong celibacy

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