CULTURE OF WESTERN INDIA-RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan is a state in northern India.  It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. 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").

Rajasthan has artistic and cultural traditions which reflect the ancient Indian way of life.Rajasthan was also called Rajputana (the country of the Rajputs).

It is also a tourism destination with lots of tourist attractions and good tourist facilities. This historical state of India attracts tourists and vacationers with its rich culture, tradition, heritage, and monuments. It has also some sanctuaries & national parks.More than 70% of Rajasthan is vegetarian, which makes it the most vegetarian state in India.

Music

Music of Rajasthan originates from Rajasthan, one of the states of India and home to several important centers of Indian musical development, including Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur. The region's music shares similarities both with nearby areas of India and the other side of the border, in the Pakistani province of Sindh.A classic example of Rajasthani Folk music is 'Dholi taaro' song from Bollywood classic Hum Dili de Chuke Sanam.

Rajasthan has a diverse collection of musician castes, including langas, sapera, bhopa, jogi and Manganiar. There are two traditional classes of musicians: the Langas, who stuck mostly exclusively to Muslim audiences and styles, and the Manganiars, who had a more liberal approach. Traditional music includes the women's Panihari songs, which lyrically describes chores, especially centered on water and wells, both of which are an integral part of Rajasthan's desert culture. Other songs, played by various castes, normally begin with the alap, which sets the tune and is followed by a recital of a couplet (dooba). Songs also revolve around daily activities of the local people for instance a song about not sowing Jeera (Cumin) as it is difficult to tend. Every day common themes are the center of traditional rajasthani folk music.One of the most famous Rajasthani Maand singers is Allah Jilai Bai of the Bikaner Gharana.

Dance

Ghoomar

Ghoomar is probably the most popular folk dance in India. This dance form was introduced by the Bhil tribe, and later adopted by the royal communities of Rajasthan, including Rajputs.The women wear traditional outfit, which is ghagra (a long, swirling skirt) and kanchli or choli (a blouse). To complete the ensemble, a veil is worn covering the face. The beauty of this folk genre is in its graceful movements that involve swaying hands, beating palms and spinning around, while singing the traditional songs. The coordinated movement among women and their whirling outfit, coupled with the upbeat rhythms and songs, leave the spectators mesmerised.

Kalbeliya

Women deck up in traditional costume, which is angrakhi (a jacket-like garment), odhani (veil) and black swirling ghagra (long skirt), and dance sensuously and sinuously to the music played by the men using traditional instruments, such as dholak (two-headed hand drum), khanjari (percussion instrument) and pungi (a woodwind instrument). The dance movements are mostly serpent-like, hence it is also referred as ‘Snake Charmer dance’ or ‘Sapera dance’.

Bhavai

Bhavai is Rajasthan’s ritualistic dance, which is usually performed by women belonging to Kalbelia, Jat, Meena, Bhil or Kumhar tribal communities of the state. The dance involves women balancing eight to nine brass pitchers or earthen pots on their head as they dance and twirl with their feet on the perimeter of a brass plate or on the top of a glass.

Kachchhi Ghodi

 Kachchhi Ghodi is one of the most popular folk genres that depict the stories of the local bandits of the region through dance and music. Traditionally, only men – dressed in dhoti-kurta and turban, and riding on an elaborately decorated dummy horse – perform this dance, which is meant to be symbolic of chivalry and bravery. The rhythm of the dance is defined by the flute music and drums, and the dancers usually mock fights using swords to complement the rhythm. It is mostly performed during weddings or social events.

Art

Maru Gurjara Art is an ancient Rajasthani art that developed during the early sixth century period in and around Rajasthan during Gurjara Pratihara empire.

Maru-Gurjar Painting

Colorful tradition of Rajasthanis reflects in art of paintings as well. This painting style is called Maru-Gurjar Painting. It throws light on the royal heritage of ancient Rajasthan. Under the Royal patronage various styles of paintings developed, cultivated and practiced in Rajasthan and reached its pinnacle of glory by 15th to 17th centuries. 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.

  

Phad paintings

Phad paintings (Mewar Style of painting) is the most ancient rajasthani art form. Phad paintings, essentially a scroll painting done on cloth, are beautiful specimen of the Rajasthani cloth paintings. These have their own styles and patterns and are very popular due to their vibrant colors and historic themes.The Phad of God Devnarayan is largest among the popular Pars in Rajasthan.

By-

G.Abirami