People and Culture

"Culture is the process by which a person becomes all that they were created capable of being."
-By Thomas Carlyle

Punctuating the barrenness of the Great Thar Desert, Rajasthan, the vibrant and wonderful culture of Rajasthan has added various hues to this land of international fame. The colourful culture of Rajasthan is the contribution of various communities and rulers who settled here at one point of time—from ancient Indus valley people to pastoral Aryan herdsmen, Bhil forest dwellers, Jain merchant princes, Jat and Gujjar cultivators, Muslim craftsmen and the Rajput warriors. Today the culture of Rajasthan has become so famous that tourists from across the world come to this majestic land to see and experience its fabulous culture. The rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan can be best seen in its fairs and festivals, cuisine, religions, arts and crafts, music and dance. Passionate about life, the people of Rajasthan love to wear bright colours. The women of Rajasthan wear colourful duppatas, choli and ghagra and sport traditional silver jewellery. They are famous for their beauty the world over. In her prime days, the present Rajmata of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi, was considered to be amongst the ten most beautiful women in the world.

Hindi is the official language of Rajasthan but English is widely spoken. The primary spoken language is Rajasthani. Majority of the Rajasthanis are Hindus. Jainism and Islam are the other religions followed here. The cuisine of Rajasthan deserves mention as it is one of the richest cuisines in the world. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of Rajasthan are popular with the tourists. Rajasthan is a land of colourful fairs and festivals, full of fun, entertainment and religious rituals. Pushkar fair is the largest cattle fair in the world and plays an important role in Rajasthan tourism. Kite festival and Elephant festival are the two important festivals of Rajasthan, which are unique in their concept. No celebration in Rajasthan is complete without dance and music. Ghoomar, Bhavai and Fire dance are the most graceful and vibrant dances of Rajasthan. The beautiful and colourful handicrafts of Rajasthan are a big hit with tourists. Its markets are filled with blue pottery items, tie and dye fabric, block print fabric, embroidered footwear, carpets, miniature paintings and colourful puppets. Jewellery, Gems and Stones, Leather Craft, Woodcarving are also a part of Rajasthan  handicrafts.