Abstract
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. 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. Some of India’s key business families of the twenty century hail from Rajasthan. 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. Livestock rearing has been the most vital source of income for a significant portion of the inhabitants. Besides this, the tourism business has thrived in this state, with famous attractions like Forts, Palaces, Havelies Chhatris, Jharokhas, Bawaris, fair and festivals, etc. Growing population, depleting ground water and rising temperature negatively impact the sand stabilization posing problem of increased sand mobility and more atmospheric dust. Due to modern lifestyle, the younger generation is losing connect with the rich traditional heritage and knowledge evolved by the people of this area over time. Preservation of traditional culture for protection of natural resources assumes great significance.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to record my gratitude to Sh. Javed Hassan Usta, Usta Heritage Arts Bikaner for sharing the photos of their unique piece of art and to Mr. Vipul Goswami, Bikaner and Sh. Shailendra Kachchawa, Tourist Guide, Bikaner for providing photos of different event and heritages of Rajasthan.
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Swami, A., Rajni, Hemrajani, P. (2023). People and Culture of the Thar Desert. In: Varghese, N., Burark, S.S., Varghese, K. (eds) Natural Resource Management in the Thar Desert Region of Rajasthan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34556-2_2
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