Rajasthan
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A man of many firsts, Khemchand Prakash’s unparalleled contribution to the music of Hindi film industry pioneered a legacy that should never be forgotten. We train the spotlight on the life and work of the musical genius ‘whose contribution to Hindi film music was far greater than just the songs he…
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The chhatris of Rajasthan, especially the precinct in Gaitore, are well-known tourist attractions. But not many know that the origin of this integral Rajput tradition has Mughal influences, and that the unique complex close to Jaipur is dedicated solely to the queens of Rajasthan. Sahapedia finds…
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One doesn’t often think of men when talking about jewellery, unless you’re in Rajasthan, where jewellery traditions are as much a male domain as a female one. From turban ornaments to beaded necklaces, rings and earrings, male jewellery traditions are not just about decoration, but also symbols of…
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Vijaydan Detha, fondly known as ‘Bijji’, brought ‘to prominence not only the richness of the storytelling traditions of Rajasthan, but the inventive forms of locution characteristic of Rajasthani.’ He treated folklore as a seed, attempting to explore limitless stories from it. Sahapedia remembers…
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The 400-year-old oral tradition of storytelling, Kaavad baanchana, is struggling to stay alive in Rajasthan. However, there have been some attempts at preserving this unique art and the craft of kaavad-making in the modern era. We explore how craftsmen and artistes are trying to keep kaavads…
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Long before environmentalism became a buzzword, 363 members of Rajasthan’s Bishnoi community, led by the fearless Amrita Devi, sacrificed their lives to save the Khejri tree. Sahapedia trains the spotlight on the significance of the Khejarli Massacre and how it inspired another environmental…
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With the waning power of the Mughals in the eighteenth century, slaves, especially concubines, close to the ruler wielded great influence and power in the state of Rajputana. But how? We investigate how the companionship between Maharaja Vijay Singh and his chief concubine Gulabrai—compared with…
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Between the rugged Aravalli Mountains and the parched desert landscape of the Thar lies the region of Marwar in present-day Rajasthan. This largely arid swathe of scrubland with a few sturdy trees came to be the home for numerous pastoral communities that reared camels, cattle, goats and sheep. In…
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A Ragamala—meaning a ‘garland of ragas’ in Sanskrit—is a set of miniature paintings depicting the ragas, a range of musical modes arranged in specific sequences. We look at this genre of painting which captivated artists and patrons for over 400 years. (Photo courtesy: Six Principal Ragas, With a…
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A book authoured by Dr Horst Metzger, the distinguished collector of Indian art, and Maharao Brijraj Singh of Kota gives an insight into life in the Kota kingdom from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries through paintings, writes Prof. B.N. Goswamy. (Photo courtesy: LA County Museum/Wikimedia…
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