Rajasthan, India: the name evokes colorful images of delicious traditional cuisine, the Thar desert, camels, royals, music gharanas, Panihari style of singing, folk culture and above all – “Padharo Mhare Des” – the legendary Rajasthani folk song inviting guests to come and experience Rajasthan!
Rajasthan is truly an amalgamation of all this and much more. As someone who has lived her entire childhood here, it is like déjà vu when I write about my very own state. Here are some of the amazing things this state and its people stand for :-
• Rajasthan is the “land” of the “royals” as the name depicts – “Raja” + “sthan”. Over the centuries, it has nurtured the brave Rajputs – the warrior clan whose tales of courage form part of our folklore. To this day, Rajasthanis are chivalrous and believe in working hard
• Rajasthanis have a rich cultural heritage which can be seen very well in the folk dances, the splendid royal palaces and the traditional fairs. In fact, the Pushkar Camel fair held every year in Pushkar draws in huge crowds and curiosity with an astonishing 50,000 camels participating this year itself!
• Containing the Thar Desert, this is also one of the hottest places in India, but amidst the desert Mount Abu stands like a jewel – the only hill station of the state. And this is enjoyed tremendously by the locals and tourists alike!
• Rajasthanis are religious and God fearing in general with the various religious festivals celebrated with full zest and vigor
• Mustache is considered to be a symbol of pride for the men along with colorful turbans that adorn the head
• Rajasthanis are among the most hospitable people in India with an infectious smile and helping attitude
• The world famous fabric printings like the Block print, Tie and Dye, the Bandhej etc are all done laboriously by hand, giving them a finishing touch that far exceed those done by machines
• Horse Polo is the most popular game here, mostly played by the royals
• The Family forms the fulcrum along which the lives of the people revolve. Rajasthanis are strictly private with their internal affairs and adore their children
• Rajasthani women, mostly dressed in their traditional attire of ghaghra choli, are shy and do not take to talking to complete strangers easily
• Elegant and fearless in their own way, the Rajasthanis are full of tolerance and respect for others – unless you rub them the wrong way – until then it is – “Padharo Mhare Des”!!
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About the author
Arwa
Arwa, please translate this: “Padharo Mhare Des”!! Although I think I have some idea of what it means 🙂
Do they call it the blue city too?
@ Ana: “Padharo mhare des” means Welcome to my region. Its in Marwari and is considered as a warm welcome to the guests! Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan is known as the Blue city since all the houses that form a part of the old city are painted blue.
I am glad to see that my post got you interested, thanks for your comment and wish you a great day ahead!
Oh Rajasthan! It’s a part of India I’ve wanted to see for a long time. Thank you for the information:-)
@ Marie : I am glad to hear that, its definitely one of the most beautiful states of India. Its my pleasure sharing information about it!! Wish you a great day ahead!
Hello Arwa, I am a tour operator in South Africa that specializes in tours to India, and I really enjoyed your blog and was wondering if your would allo me to us it in my next news letter.
Thank you
Yashika
Hi Yashika. All our content on PocketCultures is licensed with Creative Commons; that means you are free to reuse it as long as you attribute the work to Arwa Lokhandwala and PocketCultures.
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Thanks for writing!