The
rich heritage of Rajasthan manifests itself in its unique art and culture.
The latticed havelis, ornate palaces and intricately carved temples, the
architectural beauty of forts and palaces symbolize the skills of its
artists. On the other hand, its colourful fairs & festivals with
traditional dance and music represent a unique culture of this vibrant
state.
It is a land of exotic art & crafts and festivals which will fascinate
every traveller. Every fair and festival is a reflection of its rich art and
craft in terms of bazaars, music, dance, cuisine, sport events, which
provides an opportunity to gain an insight view of the life & culture of
Rajasthan. Its art can be seen in terms of handicraft items made of stone,
clay, leather, wood, ivory, glass, silver, gold, brass and textiles.
Each region of Rajasthan has a different and diverse form of art &
culture to present its visitors.
Folk Dance
Every
region of Rajasthan has its own form of dance which display the art and
culture of the state. Several tribal groups have their own old dance forms.
Ghoomer is one of them performed by women on special occasions. Other well
known folk dances of Rajasthan are Gair, Chari, Drum Dance, Fire Dance,
Kachhi Ghodi, Kathputli etc.
Rajasthani Music
Music is a prime part of Rajasthani culture, which displays all aspects of
Rajasthan culture. Rajasthani music and songs talk about its rich past by
many religious and devotional songs and dramas. Various traditional musical
instruments like dholak, ektara, matas, nagada, chang, kamayacha, sarangi,
sitar are commonly used in all types of music.
Painting
Various forms of painting is also a major part in Rajasthani Art. The
Rajasthani School of Painting mainly include murals and miniature that
flourish during 16th and 18th century. Paintings with the use of strong
colours reflect the Rajput culture. The earlier paintings were generally
based on the subjects related to royal life style, religious and secular.
Most of the paintings have the theme of Krishna Leela and other Hindu
religious subjects.
The miniature painting of Rajasthan is the most characteristic paintings of
Rajasthan generally executed in paper, marble, ivory, wood & cloth. The
most important schools related to this category are the Bundi School, the
Kishangarh School, Mewar School, Amber School and the Marwar School.
The
phad and the Pichwais are two forms of cloth paintings in Rajasthhan. These
were generally associated with the legends of Krishna and historic themes.
These were generally done in colours obtained from natural minerals &
vegetable, with red and yellow predominating.
Sculpture & Stonework
Rajasthan is also famous for its sculpture and stonework especially
carvings on marble and sandstone. It can be seen in most of its palaces,
forts, temples, stepwells and havelis. This art was used in carving images
of the deities from the stone block.
Cuisine
Each region of Rajasthan has its own traditional dishes and specialties
with unique flavour. Due to the scarcity of water, areas like Bikaner and
Jaisalmer use milk in most of their food items. The cuisine of Rajasthan is
also influenced by Mughal and Europeans with spicy flavours. Bikaner's
sweets and snacks, the Makhaniya Lassi of Jodhpur, Bharatpur's milk sweets,
Malpuas of Pushkar, Mawa of Alwar and Sohan Halwa of Ajmer are some of the
popular food items of different regions.
Religion
Rajasthan is inhabited by people of all religions. Hinduism is the dominant
religion of Rajasthan. Numerous Hindu temples, tombs, Jain Temples, several
catholic and protestant churches reflects the diversity of religions.
Fairs & Festivals
Numerous fairs and festivals of all religions are a major part of
Rajasthan's culture. The fairs offers a chance to know about the life of
Rajasthan. Some of the well known festivals of the state include the Pushkar
Fair, Desert Festival, Gangaur Festival, Marwar Festival, Camel Festival,
Summer Festival & Teej.
