1.Customs and tradition
2.Fairs and festivals
3.Costumes
4.People (Bishnois & Tribal settlement)


1.Customs and tradition- Birth, Marriage and Death ceremonies
Customs and tradition of Rajasthan are from ‘Vedas’ For thousands of year the people of Rajasthan have followed the Vedic rites and rituals at every stage, from time to time they have added some regional rituals to these Vedic ceremonies and made them more colorful and fascinating. Some of important customs that are related to three major events in one’s life are still practiced in Rajasthan - Birth, Marriage and Death.

Birth ceremony:
When a child is born, the birth ceremony takes a place by beats of a copper Thali to announce the birth. Specially if child is male, feeding the baby with a spoon full of honey mixed with ‘ghee’ from this beats the entire locality immediately comes to know about the birth and they all come to congratulate the family. People, who possess guns, fire several salvos to mark the birth of the male child. The family priest is invited to note down the time and date of birth of the boy that his horoscope can be prepared. Sweets are sent to friends and relatives and nightlong music sessions are held to celebrate the occasion. In royal families, the birth of a son was a historic event, which called for month-long festivities

Namkaran (Naming Ceremony):
The ‘Namkaran ’ Ceremony is performed generally on the eleventh day of the birth of the child. The family priest is invited to perform the ceremony. He recites ‘Mantras ’ from the ‘Vedas’ and gives his blessings to the child. A name is given to the child on this day. The women of the family and the locality assemble, sing songs and offer their good wishes to the child. The family deity is worshipped with offerings to the priest.

Jharoola or mundan (Head Shaving):
When a boy is two three years old the ‘ Mundan’ ceremony is performed. It is believed that the hair on head of the boy, when he is in the womb, is impure and therefore, should be shaved off. On an auspicious day, the head of the boy is shaved amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns. Only a tuft is left on the head. Some families in their ancestral temple also perform this ceremony.

Marriage ceremonies:
Of the sixteen samskaras in the life of a Rajsthani, Marriage is the most sacred and the most important. There is no fixed age for marriage, but normally girls are married at the age of eighteen and boys at twenty-one in cities and towns. In rural areas, however, child marriages, although banned by law, are still common, especially in tribal areas. From the engagement to the marriage there are a long chain of ceremonies, called - sagai or Tika, Toran-bandana and Saptapadi.

Sagai or Tika (Engagement):
The sagai or Tika ceremony is brief and simple on an auspicious day family of the bride come to the bridegroom’s house and perform the sagai or Tika ceremony. They put a vermilion mark (Tika) on the bridegroom’s fore- head and give a coconut in his hands, and offer clothes & sweets as presents from the family of bride. The relatives and friends of the bridegroom assemble to watch this ceremony. Later, they are given a grand feast to mark the occasion. In rural villages small doses of opium are offered to the people who come to watch the ‘Tika’ ceremony.

Toran- Bandana (Reception):
This colourful ceremony is performed at the bride’s house, when the bridegroom arrives with his marriage procession. He comes riding a horse with a sword in hand, seated on the horse he touches the ‘Toran’(A wooden crown which hangs at the main entrance to the house) with his sword seven times. The mother of the bride receives the bridegroom and anoints his fore head with curd and mustard. The mother’s symbol is milk, while curd is symbol of mother-in-law.

Saptapadi (Marriage)
The main marriage ceremony is performed exactly as it was thousands of years ago, during the ‘Vedic’ age under a beautifully decorated canopy ‘Havana’ is performed and the bridegroom takes the hand of the bride and the oath of marriage in the name of god. Then the bride and bridegroom go round the fire seven times (Saptapadi). During the first three rounds, the bride leads the bridegroom and in the last four rounds the bridegroom leads the bride. During these marriage rounds the priest recites ‘Mantras’ from the ‘Vedas’. During the first three rounds the bride belongs to her own family but with the fourth round, she becomes the wife of the groom. The songs sung by friends of bride on this occasion relates this transfer.

Death ceremonies-
Funeral ceremonies in Rajasthan are complete by these three main ceremonies- Antyeshthi, Tiya and Mausar.

Antyeshthi
When a person dies, he or she is taken in a funeral procession to the cremation ground. If deceased was quite old, a band leads the procession. The eldest son or a near relative, light the funeral pyre. The bereaved family goes in to mourning for twelve days.•

Tiya
On the third day after the death, the relatives go to the cremation ground and collect the ashes which they later immerse in Pushkar lake or the Ganges river. On this day ‘Vedic’ hymns are recited by the family priest and ‘Havana’ by the family.

Mausar (Death feast)
On the twelth day a grand feast is given in honour of the dead. Hundreds of people are invited and this costs the family a good deal of money. Sometimes the poor have to take loans and incur heavy debts which they are unable to repay unless they sell their land and house. Now that modern ideas have reached Rajasthan, the young often refuse to give this death feast which they consider wasteful, so some old men and women give their death feasts in advance for fear their son and relatives may not hold it after their death.

2.Fairs and festivals-Every parts in all seasons
A popular saying is ‘Saat Bar, Nav Tyohar ’ - There are nine festivals on the seven days of the week - Proud of their historical background rich traditions and customs, the people of Rajasthan have cycle of fairs and festival in every part and in all seasons. The fair and festivals of Rajasthan are perhaps the most colorful and spectacular in the whole of India. A chance to see the life with differences of Tribes, their lack of colorful costumes and folk Jewellery. Not only this, Rajasthan is also known for it best breeds of cattle amongst all Indian states. These cattle fair is best example of interdependence of man and animal as we rajasthani believe that the milk- yielding cow is mother and bestowar of bliss and prosperity. Bull is the "proud progenitor" like the ‘sun’ to fertilize and increase the race of cows. The goat is the sister, living on anything ‘cheapest of the cheap and give of milk even during famine. The horse is the revered father and victor of wars, while the camel and she-camel (ship of Desert) are good friends and resisters of hunger and thirst. Such regard for cattle and their importance in the daily life have made the kartik fair at Puskar. The Tejaji fair at Nagour and Malinath fair at Tilwara near Balotra are based on legends about gods and goddesses while other are in memory of illustrious persons or heroes with superhuman power sush as Ramdev Ji fair Jambeshwar fair, Malinath fair Goga ji fair and some seasonal fair are Teej, and Gangour. Hariyali Amavasya and Basant-Panchmi are among the other seasonal fairs of Rajasthan are held at many places.

3.Costumes-
The costumes of people have made this landscape simply colorful. The majestic headgear of the men folk and the graceful skirts and Odhanis (veil) of the women folk. Men’s turban; Rajasthani turbans vary in the style from region to region and caste to caste. The style adopted by the Rajputs of the former princely states was different from that of the mixed Rajput classes, the Darogas. Generally speaking, the safa style is favored by the Rajputs and the Pagri by business-men. In Marwar high turbans are used and the same style is found is Sirohi and Jaisalmer. Bikaner has a special type known as the ‘Khirkia pag’ in Udaipur region the styles called Mewari all turbans are in bright colours. Women’s skirt; The women wear long skirts (Gagra ) and Choli or kurti -kanchli and veil on their faces for respect of elders in their families. Moustaches; Like turbans, men have versions styles of moustaches. Rajputs sport long and hairy mustaches, a sign of their chivalry. It also vary from region to region.

4. people- A lot of Cast !
The oldest inhabitants are the Bhils and Meenas, the most prominent scheduled tribes in Rajasthan. As the name suggests, Rajasthan is the region of the proud Rajputs who are generally regarded as the personification of chivalry and whose exploits loyalty and bravery in battles are legendry. Leaving aside the ruling race of the land who rose to prominence by martial valour and political sagacity, the oldest inhabitants are the Bhils and Meenas, who are the most prominent scheduled tribes in the state. The Bhils are mostly concentrated in the hilly area of Rajasthan Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara while Meenas are settled mainly around Jaipur and Swai Madhopur. Among other important scheduled tribes, the Garasias, Gadolia Lohar and Saharias contribute a very small percent respectively, towards the tribes population. The Garasias are concentrated in the Pali and Sirohi district while the Saharias are limited in some part of Kota district. The Gadolia Lohar is a nomadic tribes of Rajasthan and can found wondered all around the state with their Bullock-Cart. Rajputs claimed to be the original "Kshatriyas" (warriors) of the ancient Varna system, born out of the fire offering of the gods on Mount- Abu. This noble descent belong to the well known clans such as the Sisodias, Rathors, Chouhans Kachawahas, Bhattis, Panwars and Solankis. Other than Rajputs there are at least 35 castes and sub- castes of Brahamins and seven interesting groups under the head Bards and other eulogizing communities; among them Charan the friend, philosopher and guide of the Rajputs and the Bhat, who maintains the family tree and other chronological records of his patrons. The Brahmins, the conscience-keepers of Rajput rulers, form a significant section of the population. They have retained religious fervors at a high Peak in this land of valor and Chivalry. The trading and Business communities, generally called Marwaris include the Mahajans, Sarawagis, Porwals, Shrimals, Agarwalas, Maheshwaris, Bohras, Baldias and Lohias. The communities of instrument players and musicians are namely the Doli, Dhadi, Mangniar or Langa, kalawat and Bhand. The longest list is of the artisan communities including the servant classes and menials. Carpenters, barbers, tailors, black- smiths, utensil- makers, cloth- printers, dyers and tiers, patwaris, weavers, washer men, potters, cobblers, stone-dressers, nats, sansis and some other workers ; the rural Rajasthan is mostly their home for ages. Some of the rajasthan’s other sect like Dadupanthis, Ramsnehi and Bishnois follow their own religious terms and way of worship.


Bishnois &Tribal settlement

Bishnois-
A tribe who protects environment “Sar Sante Rookh Rahe To Bhi Sasto Jaan” (If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s life, it’s worth it) The Bishnoi community of Rajasthan have been identified as conservators. Located mostly in pockets of western Rajasthan, especially around Jodhpur and Bikaner areas. The Bishnoi are followers of the 15th century saint,’Guru Jambeshwar’ (Jambho Ji) who following a particularly prolonged period of drought, bade all his followers 29 principles of life. The most is to protect all animals and plant life, and do not allow either felling or hunting on their lands. They also believe that in their afterlife they will be reincarnated as deer, which could be the reason that herds of antelopes and deer are always in their fields without any fear. The Bishnoi men are distinguished by their large, white Turbans while the women wear colorful cloth and have a particularly ostentation nose ring that established their identity. Cattle rearing and agriculture are dominant pursuits.

Tribal settlement:

The Bhils-
Who some calls ‘Van-Putras’ (sun of the forest) are not gypsies. They stick to their place of birth as steadfastly as the rocks and trees of their mountain wilds. The home of Bhil Tribs is Arravali mountain (South western part of Rajasthan) they are living in scattered hamlets among the hills each hut standing on a small mound in the midst of its patch of cultivated land. In desert area this tribs is called Bhopa.

The Garasia-
A Garasia settlement too is not a cluster of houses as in a typical Indian village elsewhere. The dwellings are scattered over slopes of hills and mounds, the fields extending in front of them. They are made of bamboo and leaves and lightly plastered over with cow-dung, these solitary dwellings are generally very neat and clean.

The Meenas-
The Meenas are Rajasthan’s largest and most widely spread tribal group. The meenas are tall with on athletic build, light brown complexion and sharp features. Their settlements were called mewasas.

The Gaduliya lohar-
Named after their beautiful bullock-carts (gadis) are nomadic blacksmiths, said to have wandered from their Homeland of Mewar because of their promise to their ‘lord ‘ Maharana Pratap, who was ousted from Chittaurgarh by Akbar. Tthis claim of warring Rajputs vowed to re-enter the city only with a victorious Maharana Pratap. Unfortunately the Maharana was killed on the battle field, so even today many of them prefer a nomadic life.