Rajasthan Culture
Since ancient time people from varied region made Rajasthan their home.
Ever since then the golden sand of Rajasthan has been caressed by waves of
settlers ranging from ancient Indus Valley urbanites to pastoral Aryan
herdsmen, Bhil forest dwellers, Jain merchant princes, Jat and Gujjar
cultivators, Muslim craftsmen, and the Rajput warrior aristocracy. All
shaped this region into a wide spectrum of brilliant hues. The royal
splendour and enviable heritage of Rajasthan is evident in its fairs and
festivals, folk music, Rajasthani cuisine and crafts of Rajasthan. People
travel to Rajasthan to savor its splendors and imbibe its enviable heritage.
Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan
There is a celebration for every religious occasion, every change of season
and every harvest. Altogether these celebrations are a reflection of the
genius of their arts and crafts and their austere refinement. In fact,
celebrations occur almost round the year and are a splendid opportunity for
tourists to gain an insight into the life of the Rajasthan during their
travel. The desert glitters with the colours of festive celebration and gay
abandon with every fair and festival of Rajasthan.
Folk Dance and Music of Rajasthan
The folk dance and music of Rajasthan are lively, intoxicating and
compelling. Folk dance and music is a part of life in this strange and
wondrous land. Indeed Rajasthan has a very vibrant, highly evolved tradition
of performing arts carefully nurtured and preserved over the centuries.
Rajasthan cuisine
The cuisine of Rajasthani was highly influenced by both the war-like
lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in the
desert region. Scarcity of water and lack of fresh green vegetables also had
their effect on Rajasthani cooking. There is a wide variety to choose from
in Rajasthani cuisine during your Rajasthan holidays. The best-known
Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma. The bati,
lachhedar paratha and besan ki missi puri are types of bread peculiar to
Rajasthan. Two meat specialties - lal maans (red meat), a fiery heavily
spiced dish, and safed mass (white meat) cooked with almonds, cashew nuts
and coconut - should not be missed during your Rajasthan tour.
Apart from this, each of the regions of Rajasthan has its own popular sweet
- ladoos of Jaisalmer, mawa kachori of Jodhpur, malpuas of Pushkar, dil jani
of Udaipur, mishri mawa and ghevar of Jaipur, sohan halwa of Ajmer, mawa of
Alwar, to name a few. Bikaner also has a whole range of other savories and
snacks like the world famous Bikaner ki bhujia.
Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan
The patronage for artisans of the state was extended by the kings and
rulers of Rajasthan, which one can still see in the handicrafts of
Rajasthan. Rajasthani handicrafts are highly appreciated by the western
world. Major craft traditions in Rajasthan include Tie-and-Dye Textiles,
Hand block Printing, Quilting, Jewellery, Gems and Stones, Blue Pottery,
Leather Craft, Woodcarving, and local Painting traditions, all in exquisite
taste and style.
