Meet People of Rajasthan: The Life of the State

Rajasthan as a state has history at its heart, heritage as its ornaments and culture as its soul, but what gives life to all these aspects of this amazing place is its people. It is the people of Rajasthan who keep its history alive in local folklores, heritage shining with their dedication and culture glorious with their naturally feisty disposition.

In keeping with the traditions of ancient India, the state still shows prominent signs of occupation based social diversity. The different communities that inhabit the region have exclusive cultural values and traditions contributing to the colorful cultural spectrum of the state that can hardly be found anywhere else. Here are the names and brief details about four of the major communities and tribes of Rajasthan-

Bhil Tribe: The largest tribal population of South Asia Bhil tribe is also one of the earliest inhabitants of Rajasthan. The tribe makes up to 39% of total tribal population of the state. The tribe, for most part, have dwelled in the forests of the state making them extraordinarily skilled in the arts of hunting, with a special knack in archery. Can you remember Eklavya from the Hindu epic Mahabharata? Yes, he too was a Bhil, an unparalleled archer and devoted scholar. One important aspect of Bhil community in Rajasthan is the celebration of the great Beneshwar fair, a grand annual affair that witnesses one of the greatest tribal congregations on Earth.

Gaduliya Lohars: These are the eminent nomadic blacksmiths of Rajasthan who, as per a legend, left their dwellings to support Maharana Pratap, a great name in the history of Rajasthan. It is believed that Gaduliya lohars were the celebrated weapon makers of Rajput confederacy when Mughal emperor Akbar led an attack on Mewar. Maharana Pratap, the then ruler of the kingdom, then took refuge in the forests of the region to form a separate guerrilla army, and it was none other than Gaduliya lohars who supported Pratap’s agenda, forsaking their well- established communal settlements to lead a nomadic life with their chosen leader.

Rajputs: Rajputs, the warrior and ruling class of the state, are debatably the most prominent community of Rajasthan. In fact, the prominence of this particular community once made the state’s identity as Rajputana Province! Medieval history of Rajasthan is full of exemplary instances of virtuous Rajput rulers and valiant warriors. At present, there are over fifteen major clans of Rajputs residing in Rajasthan including Bhatis, Chauhans, Kachwaha, Parmar, Solanki, Rathore and Tomar. The fundamental traditions and cultural values of all these Rajput races are identical and formulate the substantial part the state’s culture.

Marwari: Marwari is a common title given to the ethnic group of rich merchants and businesspeople of Rajasthan who in early years migrated to the nearby kingdoms and expanded their trade to magnanimous levels. The earliest Marwaris are believed to hail from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, hence the name. Historically, Marwaris broke the British monopoly in the Jute industry after World War I and thereafter entered into various other sectors of economy. As a matter of fact, the major business groups of India including Birlas, Biyani, Bajaj, and Mittals all belong to the Marwari group of ethnicity.

The other major Rajasthani tribes and communities include Bishnois (The environmentalist community), Jats (descendants of brave rulers of Bharatpur), Mali (the pastoral community), Manganiars (the musical people), Chhippas (the traditional dyers), Meenas, Meghwals, Rabaris, Lambadis, Meos, Kalbeliyas, and many others.