ABSTRACT
The Indian state of Rajasthan, whose name means “land of kings,” lies on the Pakistani border in northwestern India. It is divided diagonally by the Aravali hills and comprises two distinct geographic regions: the vast Thar Desert in the west and north, which covers 212,000 square kilometers and is characterized by frequent famines, scanty rainfall, and sparse population; and the hilly, forested, fertile land to the south and east. These two regions exhibit different linguistic and artistic features; yet common to both are the traditions of martial honor and an exuberant joy of life that characterize the Rajasthani people. Ever since the sixth and seventh centuries, the conservative Rajput warrior clans ruling the various princely states patronized traditional music and dance in the feudal system known as jajmānī, in which services were exchanged for portions of the harvest. Rajasthan even attracted artists from other states, who came and received this generous patronage. Many Rajasthani dancer and musician castes have now migrated to other parts of North India to perform on Indian radio, television, stage, and in films.
