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People
In olden days, the profession of the people decided
their caste. This system has now been broken. Today,
individuals have the freedom to opt for any profession
irrespective of caste. The profession based caste
system has now been transformed into birth-based caste
system. People of various castes and sub-castes reside
in Rajasthan.
The Rajasthanis are sturdy, cheerful and simple folks
relatively untouched by the fast pace of modern times
making Rajasthan one of the safest destinations
anywhere in the world. |
Colourful and Ornamental
It is also one of the most colourful. To offset the barren, colourless
landscape and the monotony of its cloudless sky, the
people of Rajasthan show a distinct preference for
bright costumes. From the simple village folk or
tribal to the rajas and ranis, the preferred colours
are bright red, dazzling yellow, lively green or
brilliant orange, highlighted by a lavish use of
sparkling gold and silver zari or gota.
Tribal and nomadic women are known for their love for
silver jewellery (although men too sport ear studs and
earrings). The ornaments follow age-old designs
typical of a particular tribe. In daily use the ladies
wear normal ornaments of neck, hand, nose and ear but
on special occasions and social functions. Women wear
all the ornaments of different parts of the body to
look beautiful and attractive. For its exquisite
designs and delicacy of art Rajasthan Jewelry is a
rage not only for ladies of India but also for women
of foreign countries.
Mind-boggling Turbans
In India, the turban is popularly known as a pagdi. There are different
variations of the turban, depending on the religion
and region. In fact, in Rajasthan, it is said that the
turban style changes with every 15km you travel. And
Rajput turbans are different from Sikh turbans, which
are in turn different from the classical Arab turbans.
Then, there are the royal turbans from different parts
of India, and the rural turban which is often just a
towel wound round the head. India is a land of
diversities. And it is all the more pronounced in
Rajasthan. An old local saying sums it up -
"The dialect, cuisine, water and turbans in Rajasthan
change every 12 miles."
In fact there are about 1,000 different styles and
types of turbans in Rajasthan, each denoting the
class, caste and region of the wearer.Turbans come in
all shapes, sizes and colours; and there are specific
turbans for specific occasions as well.
A lineage of beautiful women
Rajasthani women have been renowned for their grace
and beauty. Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, was
so smitten by the beauty of the legendary Maharani
Padmini Devi of Chittaurgarh that he waged a war -in
vain - for her hand. In her heydays, the present day
Rajmata of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi, was
considered by Vogue to be amongst the Ten Most
Beautiful Women in the World. And her charm hasn't
diminished one bit till today!
Marwaris - the Jews of India
The term Marwari literally refers to someone who hails
from or is an inhabitant of Marwar - the erstwhile
Jodhpur state. This term gained currency initially in
Bengal, where the traders from Shekhawati and other
parts of Rajasthan established their business empires.
Distinct in their dress, customs and language, the
traders and merchants of Rajasthan came to be known as
Marwaris. Rajasthan's greatest contribution to the
country's economy has been in the field of Human
Resources. The term Marwari is a misnomer. Literally
speaking, it signifies a person from the
Marwar(Jodhpur) region of Rajasthan, although the
majority of Rajasthan's businessmen are from the
Shekhavati belt. However, colloquially it has come to
denote emigrant businessmen from the vicinity of
Rajasthan.
Traditionally, traders par excellence, they migrated
from their home state way back in the 16th century and
established trading outposts as far away as Assam -
the eastern corner of India. With their ingrained
thrift and perseverance (in those days, people had to
walk miles and miles over scorching sands for a pot of
water!) and business acumen, they soon converted these
small businesses into industrial empires. Today, the
marwaris dominate India's business and economy. As an
American sociologist put it, "more than half the
assets in the modern sector of the Indian economy are
controlled by the trading castes originating in the
northern half of Rajasthan." |
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