SOCIOLOGY DESERT CULTURE ASL PRESENTATION CLASS 11 BY NITHYA MAHESHWARI.pptx

sociology desert culture ppt

1. SOCIOLOGY DESERT CULTURE ASL BY NITHYA

2. RICH HERITAGE OF DESERTS Thar deserts one of the most famous deserts of india the people and culture of the Rajasthan state have made Thar Desert as ‘the Most Colourful Desert in the World’. People of various faith, castes, languages and culture peacefully co-exist in this state, and hence, it is a perfect example of unity in diversity . Rajasthan state is the gem of folk culture, it is the ocean of folk beliefs and vast universe of folk experiences. The cultural tradition here has not deviated from its originality even today  It is a joyous state that embraces its bright culture with a slew of fairs and festivals that continue throughout the year. People here strongly believe in living life to the fullest.

3. Faith and respect for social institutions are still present in the folk culture of Rajasthan. Here the joint family system is still respected. The geography of this state has contributed significantly in creating the physical identity of the residents of Rajasthan, i.e., a bundle of courage, tolerance and generosity . The adversity of nature has made the residents here lively and courageous and also gave the Marwari community an opportunity to show their professional talent in every nook and corner of India . Thar Desert region of Rajasthan faces significant socio-economic issues and challenges despite rising earnings from several industries including agricultural, mining, services, transport, and tourist industry, etc.

4. Most of Thar’s familial generations live in small villages. Complex social structures of the main religions of Islam and Hinduism are integral to each community. In the Great Indian Thar Desert, Rajasthani languages predominate—especially Marwari in the west . Each small village is mostly self-contained but connects with like-minded villages around them. The village community is founded on enduring relations, cooperation and sharing, customs and common culture. Kinship and maintaining tradition, respect and connection amongst family members is vitally important in the village community, strengthened by a deep religious faith whether it be Muslim, Hindu or other.

5. For centuries, the camel has been an intrinsic part of life in Thar Desert and was a crucial means of transport on the caravan trade route that connected India to the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe . Most of India’s camel population lives in Rajasthan. The Raika community—a pastoral nomadic community—has been herding camels for aeons , roaming through farmers’ lands in a symbiotic relationship, exchanging fertiliser and fresh camel milk with meals and places to rest. Male camels were sold to villagers as a means of travelling and for transporting loads and ploughing fields. Modernisation has changed the need for camels and the means of income for Raikas . Changes in legislation in 2015 preventing the slaughter of camels further placed their means for money earned and the lifestyle of the Raikas in peril.

6. People of  Rajasthan  love traditions and customs, and are moved to express the joys and sorrows of past glories and tragedies through poetic expression, euphonious folk songs and tribal dances, thus portraying the courage and fortitude of its people and culture. In this way, the daily challenges and struggles of Thar Desert life and historical knowledge and customs have been pass ed away from generation to generation. Folk dances are an integral component of local culture, not just because they are charming, but because they also convey tales distinctively and intriguingly. Ghoomer , Kathputli dance (puppet dance), Kachchhi Ghodi (dummy horse dance),   Bhavai  dance (pots on the head),   Kalbelia  (energetic snake charming dance), Gair (men perform with wooden sticks), Chakri and Chari (usually a flaming pot on the head) are the most famous folk dances of Thar Desert.

7. At evening cultural shows, women dancers typically perform the Ghoomer , Chakri , Kalbelia and Bhavai dances as men play music with the Dholak , Khartal , harmonium and dol drum and sing tribal ballads. If you are lucky, during a  Thar Desert Tour , you may stumble across an   Algoza  musician playing twin wooden flutes with impressive skill. Each type of dance has a cultural heritage. Rajasthani Kalbeliyas are also known as Sapera , literally meaning ‘snake charmer’. Years ago, Kalbeliyas were semi-nomadic communities that would go from village to sell snakes and perform.   Their roots and deference for the snake can be seen in the Kalbeliya dance that invokes snake imagery. The dances and ballads are a crucial part of their tribal heritage and are passed from generation to generation. 

8. Industrialisation forced many villagers to move to the cities for employment where the approach to animal welfare and handicrafts has diminished. However, many villages in Thar Desert continue to live simple lives and produce much of their own crafts and gifts as the village’s economic mainstay.   Demonstrating their courage and resilience, the people of the harshest region in India have ensured traditions have endured through tourism, industrious self-employment and self-sustaining practices . Handicrafts, architecture and paintings are the hallmarks of Thar Desert’s rich culture and diverse history, from the chivalric opulence of the Rajputs to the prosaic embellishments of the Mughals .

9. Despite modernisation , handicrafts are still plentiful, reflecting the continuing customs and endurance of the desert people The work of  Usta artists , ivory on wood, applied on houses and to make statues, and gold enamel on camel skin (Gold  Meenakari   and  Munawwati ) in Bikaner are famous. Jaipur and Jodhpur are famed for the work of lac, used to make decorated bangles, toys, idols, carousels and other objects. Men of the Kumhar caste (Sanskrit meaning ‘earthen pot maker’) have long made pots from clay . Probably best known is the printing on textiles. Bandhej, Mothda  and  Lahariya  art is a technique of tying cloth in various designs and then dyeing in different colours . Jatkatarai artwork is created by shearing the hair on the body of the camel to create shapes and designs. 

10. The colourful history and vibrant traditions of the Rajput and Mughal dynasties have greatly influenced Rajasthan’s fashion landscape. Rajputs (in Sanskrit ‘son of kings’) ruled the region historically known as Rajputana (‘land of the Rajputs ’) since the 7th century. Although Rajputs vary greatly in status, they are largely renowned as a warrior ruling class famed for their fighting abilities, validating their high standing amongst the castes. With the coming of the Mughals in the 16th century, great rulers and conquerors, social, cultural and artistic exchange occurred, resulting in a blending of textile patterns, dress styles and ornaments.