About Rajasthan State of Warriors

1. Rajasthan
By-Ishita

2. Rajasthan
• 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") and shares a border with
the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest
and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus river valley.
Elsewhere it is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to
the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the
northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to
the southwest.
• Major features include the ruins of the Indus Valley
Civilisation at Kalibanga and Balathal; the Dilwara Temples,
a Jain pilgrimage site at Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount
Abu, in the ancient Aravalli mountain range; and, in eastern
Rajasthan, the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur,
a World Heritage Site known for its bird life. Rajasthan is also
home to three national tiger reserves, the Ranthambore
National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger
Reserve in Alwar and Mukundra Hill Tiger Reserve in Kota.

3. Capital city
Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. As of 2011, the city had a
population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known
as the Pink City, due to the dominant color scheme of its buildings. It is located 268 km (167 miles)
from the national capital New Delhi.
• Jaipur was founded in 1727 by the Rajput ruler Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amer, after whom the city
is named. It was one of the earliest planned cities of modern India, designed by Vidyadhar
Bhattacharya.During the British Colonial period, the city served as the capital of Jaipur State. After
independence in 1947, Jaipur was made capital of the newly-formed state of Rajasthan.
• Jaipur is a popular tourist destination in India and forms a part of the west Golden Triangle tourist
circuit along with Delhi and Agra (240 km, 149 mi). It is home to two UNESCO World Heritage
Sites - the Jantar Mantar and the Amer Fort. It also serves as a gateway to other tourist
destinations in Rajasthan such as Jodhpur (348 km, 216 mi), Jaisalmer (571 km, 355 mi) Udaipur
(421 km, 262 mi), Kota (252 km, 156 mi) and Mount Abu (520 km, 323 mi). Jaipur is located 616
km from Shimla.

4. Food
Rajasthan is a deserted state fresh ingredients
are not always available to add to their dishes.
Therefore, Rajasthanis prefer food that can be
consumed without heating or after several days. In
other words, the cooking process of Rajasthan is
influenced by its location and unavailability of
things.
Most of their food items include milk or milk
products in order to reduce the use of water. They
use pure ghee in their cuisine that gives a
completely different and amazing flavoraroma.

5. Folk Dance
Rajasthan has many forms of folk dances which are attractive,
skillful and somewhat enjoyable by any age group. Rajasthani
folk dances are popular all around the globe. Some of the
Rajasthan’s traditional dance forms are very much different as
only skilled person can do it. The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur
and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have gained international
recognition. Folk music is a vital part of Rajasthani culture.
Kathputli, Bhopa, Chang, Teratali, Ghindr, Kachchhighori, Tejaji,
etc. are the examples of the traditional Rajasthani culture.

6. Folk Music
• 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). Epic ballads tell of heroes like Devnarayan Bhagwan, Gogaji, Ramdeoji,
Pabuji and Tejaji. The celebration of changing seasons is also very central to folk
music of Rajasthan. Celebration of the coming of the Monsoons or the harvest
season are central to most traditional folk songs. 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. Or for instance another song about Podina (Mint) and
how it is liked by various members of the family (an allegorical reference to a
local liquor extracted from mint is also made). 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.

7. Dresses
• Dhoti is the main Rajasthan traditional dress to the men in Rajasthan. They are called bandia-
angarkha and potia. Bandia-angarkha is the traditional dress in the model of a jacket which
closely fits the chest and seems loose around the waist. The sleeves to this jacket are very narrow
and are longer than the arms. They adjusted at the wrists. Along with this dress men also wear a
bright coloured turban or the headdress. The turbans seem in various colours which are fit to the
different region’s weather. They wear the turbans according to the region’s weather conditions.
Dhoti is the main Rajasthan traditional dress to the men in Rajasthan. They are called bandia-
angarkha and potia. Bandia-angarkha is the traditional dress in the model of a jacket which
closely fits the chest and seems loose around the waist. The sleeves to this jacket are very narrow
and are longer than the arms. They adjusted at the wrists. Along with this dress men also wear a
bright coloured turban or the headdress.
Women of Rajasthan wear mainly Ghaghara, Choli and
Odhani dresses. These costumes are in bright colours,
especially Ghaghara dresses are in many designs. The
dresses are the ankle length long skirt with the narrow
waist, which looks like an umbrella at the base. Rajasthani
Women prefer to wear the cotton Ghaghara dresses,
which are suitable to the weather conditions of Rajasthan.
The cotton Ghaghara also very popular and those printed
or dyed like mothras and leharlya print.