Rajasthan, which means ‘Land of the Kings’, is awash with beautiful palaces and majestic hilltop forts silhouetted against rich and varied topography. It is one of the most popular Indian states with a well-developed infrastructure and tourist facilities that all enjoy the colors of tradition and culture along with modern outfit. Rajasthan simply pulsates with life. Everywhere people are walking, riding, running, sitting, talking, buying, selling, haggling or just ‘being’, and Rajasthan’s sheer wealth of culture, tradition, dazzling color and ancient sites have attracted and captivated generations of visitors.
Rajasthan is among the richest states in the country as far as the field of arts and crafts is concerned. May be it was a result of the war like lifestyle of the people of Rajasthan which sharpened the creative senses, artistic skills and inspired them to create the most opulent and richest of treasures. Stone, clay, leather, wood, ivory, lace, glass, brass, silver, gold and textiles were given the most brilliant forms. For women there was infinite variety – tie and dye fabrics, embroidered garments, enamel jewelry inlayed with precious and semi-precious stones, leather jootis, etc.
Declines of patronage in the Mugal court at Delhi artists moved to a more congenial environment and were welcomed by the rulers of Rajasthan. Then the Rajasthani school (1550-1900 AD) of paintings, murals, miniatures came into existence. Fresco paintings were done on the walls of palaces at Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Jodhpur. Another branch of Rajasthani school was at Orcha and Datia Bundelkhand. Most of these paintings have the themes of the Krishna stories, Raslila and Hindu religious subjects.
Each period of history saw its own contribution to the thriving art scene. The history of Rajasthan reveals that the kings and their nobles were patrons of art and crafts and they encouraged their craftsmen in activities ranging from wood and marble carving to weaving, pottery and painting. And art seems to have been an obsession with the inhabitants of this parched landscape.
The inhabitants were not too far behind when it came to adorning themselves and it was not only the women that beautified themselves – the heroic warriors extended equal attention to their clothing and armor – they went into battles with meticulously ornamented swords and shields. The horses and elephants that took the warriors to battles received the same care – jeweled saddles and intricate silver howdas were just some of the ornaments that were used to adorn them. As we can see, the sometimes stark landscape is transformed into a mosaic of vivid colors by Rajasthanis adorning themselves in wildly colorful garments and beautiful jewelry.
Jewelry has always been a quintessential part of personal adornment in Rajasthan. From chunky tribal jewelry to exclusive and delicate jewelry studded with precious stones, the range available is astounding.
There is a vast & exclusive place for Rajasthan jewelry in Indian & International market, made of the purest and finest materials. The artistic delicacy and elaborateness in its manufacturing is world-renowned.
Rajasthan excels in a wide range of ornaments using Emerald, Diamond, Pearls, Kundan, Garnet, etc made especially in Jaipur and Jodhpur. Jaipur is a famous export centre for precious and semi-precious gem stones.
Jaipur has been famous for the diamond industry throughout the world. The artisans can beautify anything as per the choice of customer by modeling the stones and special polishing. Johri Bazaar in Jaipur is very famous for this trade and is the biggest centre in Asia for shaping and polishing of the diamonds. The designs of the jewelry made by the artisans are basically on the pattern of Mugal and Rajput styles.
One of the best known Jaipur enamellers was Shri Deen Dayal Meenakar. He has made a small elephant of gold which is considered one of the best works of enameling in the world. He was later awarded a National Award for the enameling work in 1968. He passed away in 1985; and his son Shri Rajkumar Sankit and his grandson Deepak Sankit are now following his work.
Influenced by the surroundings, Rajasthani medieval paintings have their own unique styles – the hills and valleys, deserts, places and forts, gardens, court scenes, religious processions; and the highlighting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna were the recurrent themes of these paintings. The Raagamala paintings and paintings based on Goeta Govinda are treasures of Rajasthani style of art and painting. The miniature artists of Rajasthan were practicing their art since 16th century and were later employed by the Mughal courts including the emperor Akbar.
In Rajasthan, the spectacular is commonplace. There is always something to gaze at – elephants in the main road, children on their way to school, village life, exuberant wedding processions, women in fabulous saris, artisans hard at work. Many civilizations forged by waves of settlers ranging from ancient Indus Valley urbanites to pastoral Aryan herdsmen, Bhil forest dwellers, Jain merchant princes, Jat and Gujjar cultivators, Muslim craftsmen, and the Rajput warrior aristocracy have all shaped this region called the land of kings. Colorful costumes, festivals, and customs relieve the tedium of coping with a harsh, demanding land. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of flamboyant religious festivals celebrated with a special local fervor. People come here to savor its splendors, and imbibe its enviable heritage. Discover it all in the fairs and festivals like Pushkar and Desert Festival, dances like Kalbelia, Rajasthani cuisine, and crafts of Rajasthan. With its colors, light, hustle and bustle, sumptuous palaces, forts and temples, peoples and heritage, Rajasthan is the perfect subject.
