Rajasthan Travel Guide

Rajasthan, the land of royalty, is a glittering jewel set in the golden sands of a barren deserts landscape. The light that reflects off the golden sands engulfs a land renowned for its vibrant colors, people in bright clothes and beautiful jewelry, living in cities dotted and dominated by towering forts and palace that rise from the sands like mirage.

The culture of Rajasthan is today a curious and charming blend of the traditional aspects of the culture which Rajasthan has inherited from the ages gone by as well as the more modern influences which are today seeping into the culture, often seen to be one of the most traditional cultures in the world as well as that of the Hindu heart land. The language that is most widely used in Rajasthan is the Rajasthani language, while the predominance of Hindi can also be observed in certain parts of the province. The language varies as we travel around the different districts of Rajasthan, with almost each and every district of the province exhibiting its own dialect as well as the addition of several new words. Striking and melodious, the Rajasthani language is a pleasure to listen to even to ears untrained in the language.

The brightness of its life, the legends of its heroism and romance are all captured in the vibrant and evocative music of this desert land. There is a richness and diversity in Rajasthani music which comes from a tradition that is old and undisturbed, and from a culture that has imbibed the best from its neighboring states of Sindh, Gujurat, Malwa, Mewar, Haryana and Punjab.

The tough life of the desert dwellers made them seek means of making life more pleasant by developing their artistic talents. There are many traditional communities who are professional performers and their skills are handed down from generation to generation. The Bhat and Charans are bards, who could inspire the Rajput warriors with accounts of heroic deeds by whipping up patriotic flavor or even ridiculing the royal families with their satire.

The wandering balladeers, like the Bhopas who sing about the Marwar folk hero-Pabuji, travel from village with their phad painting and rawan hahha entertaining people with their ballad. There are many singing communities in Rajasthan known as the Dholis. Dholis are also known by other names like Mirasis, Dhadhis, Langas, Manganiyars, Kalbelias, Jogis, Sargaras, Kamads, Nayaks or Thotis and the Bawaris.

Rajasthan is famous for its paintings, music and folk dances. Its miniature paintings of the many different schools of Rajasthan are now collector's items. The arts and culture has been influenced by the Persian elements during Mughal rule, and can be seen in the graceful Bikaner paintings and frescoes on palace walls. The major styles of painting are the Kota style, Jaipur, Bikaner and Marwar. Some are as old as 400 years. The Bikaner school of painting gave Rajasthan the paintings based on the famous poet Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda. Devotional in nature, these paintings depict Lord Krishna in play with his cowherd friends, or the gopis of Vrindavan. Kota style paintings, some of which are drawn on the walls of Kota's palaces, depict nature in all her glory. The Kota painters also drew hunting scenes and beautiful women. Jaipur, and surrounding regions of Alwar and Tonk, are famous for the Jaipur style paintings that have a substantial Mughal element. The fine Bikaner paintings also had Mughal influence, but the technique of the painting differed. The paints were painstakingly created using vegetable dyes and minerals, and applied in a manner unique to the Bikaner style. Marwar paintings are themed around Marwar's Rajput warriors, their royal hunts and majestic palaces.

Rajasthan is famed for its jewelry and gem cutting techniques. A strong Mughal influence is visible in the Thewa style of pendants, which are painstakingly handcrafted and inlaid with semi precious stones and gold. The enameled lac bangles of Rajasthan are made by etching designs on the material, filling it with colors and enameling with gold. The artist endeavor of the people of Rajasthan also plays an important role in the promotion of the Culture of Rajasthan, with several varieties of paintings, handlooms as well as handicrafts spreading the fame of the Rajasthani artisans not just in India but all around the world. Block Prints, Tie and Dye Prints, Bagaru Prints, Sanganer Prints as well as Zari Embroidery are some of the most notable examples of the art of Rajasthan, most of which have their origin in the History of Rajasthan.


A combination of geography, history and lifestyle of the people make the culture of Rajasthan a unique and so very distinct from others. The unique culture of Rajasthan has evolved as a result of the combination of various factors but geography of the Desert land has certainly played the dominant role in the evolution of the Rajasthani culture. Colorful costumes, multitude of festivals and fairs relieve the dullness of the harsh living conditions.

Like the topographical variation of the land, the culture of Rajasthan is a wide spectrum of brilliant hues 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 called the land of kings. Colorful costumes, festivals and customs relieve the tedium of coping with a harsh, demanding land. People travel to Rajasthan to savor its splendors and imbibe its enviable heritage. Discover it all in the fairs and festivals, folk music, Rajasthani cuisine and crafts of Rajasthan.

The Rajputs (Rajputs) though representing only a small percentage of the population, are the most important section of the population in Rajasthan. They are proud of their warlike reputation and of their ancestry. The Brahman class is subdivided into many gotras, while the Mahajan (the trading class) is subdivided into a bewildering number of groups. Some of these groups are Jainas, while others are Hindus. In the north and west the Jats and Gujars are among the largest agricultural communities.

Aboriginal peoples in the Alwar, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Dholpur areas include the Minas (Mewatis); the Banjaras, who are traveling tradesmen and artisans; and the Gadia Lohars, another itinerant tribe, who make and repair agricultural and household implements. The Bhils, one of the oldest peoples in India, inhabit the districts of Bhilwara, Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur, and Sirohi and are famous for their skill in archery. The Grasias and nomadic Kathodis live in the Mewar region. Sahariyas are found in the Kota district, and the Rabaris of the Marwar region are cattle breeders.

The principal language of the state is Rajasthani, comprising a group of Indo-Aryan dialects derived from Dingal, a tongue in which bards once sang of the glories of their masters. The four main dialects are Marwari (in western Rajasthan), Jaipuri or Dhundhari (in the east and southeast), Malvi (Malwi; in the southeast), and, in Alwar, Mewati, which shades off into Braj Bhasa in Bharatpur district. The use of Rajasthani is declining with the spread of modern education, and its place is being taken by Hindi (the official state language of Rajasthan).

Hinduism, the religion of most of the population, is generally practiced through the worship of Brahma, Siva, Sakti, Vishnu (Visnu), and other gods and goddesses. Nathdwara is an important religious centre for the Vallabhacarya sect of Krishna followers. There are also followers of the Arya Samaj, a reforming sect of modern Hinduism, as well as other forms of that religion. Jainism is also important; it has not been the religion of the rulers of Rajasthan but has followers among the trading class and the wealthy section of society. Mahavirji, Ranakpur, Dhulev, and Karera are the chief centres of Jaina pilgrimage. Another important religious sect is formed by the Dadupanthis, the followers of Dadu (d. 1603), who preached the equality of all men, strict vegetarianism, total abstinence from intoxicating liquor, and lifelong celibacy.

Islam, the religion of the state's second largest religious community, expanded in Rajasthan with the conquest of Ajmer by Muslim invaders in the late 12th century. Khwajah Mu'in-ud-Din Chishti, the Muslim missionary, had his headquarters at Ajmer, and Muslim traders, craftsmen, and soldiers settled there. The state's population of Christians and Sikh is small.