People of Rajasthan

Population composition

Most of Rajasthan’s population consists of Indians of various social, occupational, and religious backgrounds. The Rajputs (various clans of landowning rulers and their descendants), though representing only a small percentage of Rajasthan’s residents, are perhaps the most-notable section of the population; indeed, the state draws its name from that community. In terms of caste structure, the Brahmans (highest caste) are subdivided into many gotras (lineages), while the Mahajans (trading caste) are subdivided into a bewildering number of groups. In the north and west the Jats (peasant caste) and Gujars (herding caste) are among the largest agricultural communities.

Aboriginal (tribal) peoples constitute more than one-tenth of the population of Rajasthan. In the eastern part of the state, those groups include the Mina (and the related Meo), most of whom are farmers; the Banjara, who have been known as traveling traders and artisans; and the Gadia Lohar, another historically itinerant tribe, who traditionally have made and repaired agricultural and household implements. The Bhil, one of the oldest communities in India, generally inhabit southern Rajasthan and have a history of possessing great skill in archery. The Grasia and Kathodi also largely live in the south, mostly in the Mewar region. Sahariya communities are found in the southeast, and the Rabari, who traditionally are cattle breeders, live to the west of the Aravallis in west-central Rajasthan.

Hindi is the official language of the state, and to some degree it has overshadowed the local languages of Rajasthan. Much of the state’s population, however, continues to speak Rajasthani languages, which comprise a group of Indo-Aryan languages and dialects derived from Dingal, a tongue in which bards once sang of the glories of their masters. The four main Rajasthani language groups are Marwari in western Rajasthan, Jaipuri or Dhundhari in the east and southeast, Malvi in the southeast, and in the northeast Mewati, which shades off into Braj Bhasa (a Hindi dialect) toward the border with Uttar Pradesh.

Hinduism, the religion of the vast majority of the population, is generally practiced through the worship of Brahma, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, and other deities. The town of Nathdwara, in southern Rajasthan, is an important religious centre for the Vallabhacharya school of Krishna worshippers. There are also followers of Arya Samaj, a type of reformed Hinduism that stems from the late 19th century.

Islam, the state’s second largest religious community, expanded in Rajasthan with the conquest of the city of Ajmer and the surrounding area by Muslim invaders in the late 12th century. Khwājah Muʿīn al-Dīn Chishtī, the Muslim missionary and mystic, had his headquarters at Ajmer, and Muslim traders, craftsmen, and soldiers settled there.

Jainism is also important; it has not been the religion of the rulers of Rajasthan but has followers among the trading class and the wealthy section of society. The towns and temples of Mahavirji, Ranakpur, Dhulev, and Karera are the chief centres of Jain pilgrimage. Another important religious community is formed by the Dadupanthis, the followers of the 16th-century saint Dadu, who preached the equality of all people, strict vegetarianism, total abstinence from intoxicating beverages, and lifelong celibacy. The state also has small populations of Christians and Sikhs.

Settlement patterns

Rajasthan is one of the least densely populated states in India, with roughly three-fourths of its residents living in rural settlements. Traditional rural houses are huts with mud walls and roofs thatched with straw. They have a single door but no windows or ventilators. The houses of more-affluent farmers and artisans in larger villages have more than one room. They are roofed with tiles and have a veranda and large courtyard, whose main door will admit a loaded bull cart. The earthen floors are coated with mud and dung.

The state’s urban population has grown faster than the rural population since the late 20th century. Jaipur is by far the largest city of Rajasthan. Other major urban centres include Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Udaipur. With the exception of Jodhpur and Bikaner, all lie to the east of the Aravalli Range.

Agriculture

The agricultural sector has long been the mainstay of Rajasthan’s economy. It accounts for about one-fourth of the state’s economic output, employing about two-thirds of the state’s working population. Despite scant and scattered rainfall, nearly all types of crops are grown, including pearl millet in the desert area, sorghum around Kota, and mainly corn (maize) around Udaipur. Wheat and barley are fairly well distributed (except in the desert area), as are pulses (such as peas, beans, and lentils), sugarcane, and oilseeds. Rice is grown in the irrigated areas of both the southeast and the northwest. Cotton and tobacco are important cash crops. Rajasthan has a large livestock population and is a major wool-producing state. It also is a source of camels and draft animals of various breeds.

Rajasthan needs extensive irrigation to be agriculturally productive. The state receives much water from the rivers of Punjab, from the Western Yamuna Canal in Haryana and the Agra Canal in Uttar Pradesh, and from the Sabarmati and Narmada Sagar projects in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, respectively. Desert land in northwestern and western Rajasthan is irrigated by the Indira Gandhi Canal (formerly called the Rajasthan Canal), which carries water some 400 miles (640 km) from the Beas and Sutlej rivers in Punjab. Rajasthan shares the Bhakra Nangal project with Punjab and Haryana and the Chambal Valley project with Madhya Pradesh; both are used to supply water for irrigation and for drinking purposes.

Resources and power

Rajasthan is an important producer of lead and zinc concentrates, emeralds, and garnets. A major portion of the country’s gypsum and silver ore also are produced in Rajasthan. Electricity supplies are obtained mostly from neighbouring states and from the Chambal Valley project. Power is generated primarily from hydroelectric stations and gas-fired thermal plants. The state also draws a portion of its energy from wind farms and from a nuclear power plant at Rawatbhata, southwest of Kota.

Manufacturing

Textiles, vegetable oil, wool, minerals, cement, and chemicals are among the major manufactures of Rajasthan. However, handicrafts—such as leather goods, marble work, jewelry, pottery, and embossed brass—have earned much foreign exchange. Kota, which is the industrial capital of the state, has a nylon factory and a precision-instruments factory as well as plants for the manufacture of calcium carbide, caustic soda, and rayon tire cord. There is a zinc-smelter plant near Udaipur.

Services

The service sector has grown substantially in importance since the late 20th century to constitute about half the value of the state’s economy. Notable has been the increase in tourism, visitors being drawn by Rajasthan’s large number of historical sites and natural areas.