Rajasthan
has unmatchable diversities . It has more places
of tourist interest than entire countries. Rajputana
comprises of 22 "thikanas" which explains its
diversity. It has well connected rail, road and air
connections. It has varied topography ranging from
desert to mountains to waterfilled valleys and forests.
No wonder that the wildlife is rich in variety and
includes tiger and many migratory birds. Ranthambor,
Desert National Park, Keoladeo , Sariska and IO are
famous sanctuaries in Rajasthan
Archeological
findings reveals the existence of an advanced urban
civilization 4500 years ago in Rajasthan. Much
later the brave Rajputs carved out kingdom in the barren
desert and built themselves magnificent forts and
palaces. Celebrated for their valour and chivalry the
Rajputs were also known for their sensitivity to
the arts and their patronage to artists.
For
what is referred to as a desert, Rajasthan is fairly
populated; its landscape scattered with a number of
villages and hamlets, telltale signs of tree groves and
populations of cattle being the indication that there is
a settlement is close proximity. The typical
village has always been difficult to spot till one is
actually upon it. The simplest hamlets, the most basic
form of residence with a way of life that has probably
remained unchanged since centuries, consists of a
collection of huts that are circular, and have thatched
roofs. The walls are covered with a plaster of clay, cow
dung, and hay, making a termite -free (antiseptic) façade
that blends in with the sand of the countryside around
it. Boundaries for houses and land holdings, called
baras, are made of the dry branches of a nettle-like
shrub, the long, sharp thorns a deterrent for straying
cattle.
If
a hamlet looks bleak, it is hardly surprising: the
resources for building these homes, which are the most
eco-friendly living unit, are made with what is
available at hand. In Rajasthan, particularly in its
western desert regions, every twig has a value.
A
village that is a little larger may have pucca houses,
or larger living units, usually belonging to the village
zamindar (landowner) family. Consisting of courtyards
and a large
nora or cattle enclosure attached to one side or at the
entrance, these houses are made of a mixture of sun
baked clay bricks covered with a plaster of lime. Floors
are made with a mixture of pounded lime, limestone
pebbles, and water.
Decorative
facades in such units are notable for their textures in
plaster and the use of simple lime colours to create
vibrant patterns. These homes capture for many of its
residents, the only cosmos they know. For the women, but
for visits within the village community, the only social
occasions were the pilgrimages, usually combined with
fairs.
It
is when the village dwellers step out of their homes
that the stark desert breaks into a feast of colour;
turbans bob past in saffron and red; skirts billow
beneath the veil. The
jewellery that glints on their foreheads and arms
adds to the kaleidoscope of their magentas and oranges,
their blues and greens. Trims of gold ribbon add to this
feast of colour, and bangles jangle, not just on wrist,
but all the way up to the arms above the elbow. Into the
bleak, baking hamlets of the desert, the people live a
life that is palpable, carrying in their jaunty strides,
the spirit that is their destiny.
