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| Rajasthan | |||
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Rajasthan is the third largest State of India by area. This state
is the home of the Rajputs. It was known as Rajputana in older times.
It was formed by the merger of many smaller Rajput states.
Rajasthan is mainly rocky uplands and vast desert areas. It is
divided by the Aravali hills. The north-western part is a great
expanse of sandy desert while the south-eastern part has hill ranges, fertile
tablelands and dense forests. The river Chambal,
the Banas and the Luni flow through the state.
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In the desert one sees endless stretches of sand, bare, barren and
blistering. Water is scarce. Sometimes even drinking water has to be brought
from far off places. Naturally, bathing and washing of clothes become a
luxury. To meet this scarcity of water, people in the past built lakes where
rainwater was stored and used for months. In some villages, even at present,
rainwater is stored in large earthen pots for use when the streams and wells
dry up. With the waters of the Gang Canal and the Rajasthan Canal, people grow
wheat, barley, maize, millets and pulses.
In desert-areas, the camel is man's best friend. At places, it is the only means of transport. The Maharajas of old maintained corps of camels which, in the desert, were more useful than cavalry. The Bikaner Camel Corps is maintained even today in the Indian Army. A distinctive feature of Rajasthan is its forts. In them were enacted some of the heroic dramas of world history. Each fort tells the story of Rajput valour, patriotism and chivalry. Chittorgarh is one such fort which witnessed the woeful end of bravery and beauty. History tells us how the Rajputs, dressed in saffron robes, embraced death as if it were their bride ! Not to be left behind in this competition for bravery, the Rajputanis boldly leapt into the consuming flames to preserve their honour. To them death by jauhar was better than the security and luxury of inglorious captivity. The brave deeds of the Rajputs have few parallel's in the annals of history. The Rajputs make the finest soldiers, keeping up the proud traditions of Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap. The monotony of the endless stretches of the murky sand is broken up by the charm and bright coloured costumes of the people. The material and mode of dress differ from people to people, depending on tradition and social status. The Rajput men usually wear a kneelength dhoti and a waist coat. The gentry wear tight-fitting churidars and achkan. Both poor and rich wear earrings and turbans. The turban is many metres in length and it is said to be useful as a long rope for drawing water from deep wells, in case of emergency. Turban-wearing however, evolved into an elaborate convention, varying in style from region to region and caste to caste. The women are colourfully dressed in a ghagra (skirt), a kanchli (a waisthigh and backless blouse of triangular. multi-coloured pieces patched together), and an ordhni (veil). The ghagra is sometimes made of forty to sixty metres of cloth. The Rajput women also wear heavy ornaments, literally from head to foot. The ornaments are of gold or silver, depending on the wearer's status. The womenfolk also adorn the palms of their hands and upper part of their feet with mehndi designs. During the Gangaur festival which, is held in honour of goddess Gauri, the women come out in their gayest dresses. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and is known as the 'Pink city of India'. Jaipur was planned by Raja Jai Singh who adorned the city with pink sandstone buildings and gateways. Outstanding among them are the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), the City Palace and the observatory. In the bazars of Jaipur, one can see craftsmen at work giving forms to their aesthetic urges and inherited skill. Tie and dye is an old art of Rajasthan. The sari or the turban resembles a twisted rope when purchased and displays waves of colour when opened. Carving in stone and marble, enamelling, cutting and setting of precious stones in delicate jewellery are some of the crafts that are striking and distinctive. Not far from Jaipur is Amber, the ancient capital of Rajasthan. The Dargah of Khwaja Muin-ud-Din Chishti at Ajmer attracts pilgrims of all faiths. Udaipur (City of Sunrise) is another picturesque city of Rajasthan. Among its manifold attractions, is the Water Palace in Pichola Lake. Mount Abu, known for its exquisitely carved temples in marble, is the hill resort of Rajasthan. The ancient fortresses of Chittorgarh, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Bundi, Jaisalmer and Bharatpur tell their own story of valour and fame. Rajasthan can be proud of its mineral wealth. The marble of Makrana near Jodhpur is quite famous. It was used in the making of the Taj Mahal at Agra. Copper and mica are also found in appreciable quantities. It has also a sizable salt industry at Sambhar. The Marwaris are the enterprising community of Rajasthan and the leading businessmen of India. They are shrewd and hard working and have earned fortunes as industrialists and business magnates in many parts of India. Many schools, hospitals and temples have been built by them. Equally well known is the Marwari showman's art of kath putli (kath is wood and putli is puppet). These are string puppets which are operated by the showman who sits hidden behind an improvised stage and manipulates the puppets into various actions to the accompaniment of song and story, mostly of past Rajput heroism. The cultural traditions of music, dance and drama, of art, architecture and painting are still continuing to keep up the glory of Rajasthan. [Bikaner] [Chauhans of Delhi-Ajmer] [Kuchchwahas of Amber-Jaipur] [Rajasthan early history] [Imperial Guptas] [Harachauhans of Bundi-Kotah] [Muslim Invasions] [Raja Jai Singh] [Rana Kumbha] [The Mauryans] [Post-Mogul history] [Rana Pratap] [Rajasthan history] [The Rajputs] [Rana Lakha] [Rana Sanga] [Rao Jodha] [Sisodias of Mewar] [Colonel James Tod] [Rana Udai Singh] |