History of Rajasthan

Rajasthan was divided into nineteen kingdoms. Each ruled by a Maharaja. A brave Rajput was bestowed the noble title of Takhur. The Takhur was given control over a part of the land in the kingdom, and established his own mini kingdom, ruled from a fort or a palace. In return he supplied cavalry - horses, camels and warriors - to fight the wars for the Maharaja.

Most of the Takhurs gained the title through some forefather’s bravery in war. This bravery, however, often ended with the death of that warrior. The Takhur’s family was proud that they got the estate in “mund kati", literally meaning beheaded. Others gained the Takhur title through marriage, and obtained the estate through the less flattering term “gagharia". Gagharia literally means skirt, referring to the skirt of the woman who was married.

Less than a tenth of the population in Rajasthan descend from the Rajput, among the others we will find all kinds of castes, from high caste priests to low caste sweepers. Each caste had their duty, and their lives were closely interlinked with that of the nobility; the farmers cultivated the land belonging to the Takhur against a share of the harvest; each Takhur family had their own priests who performed the sacred rituals in the palaces; the clan of musicians entertained the nobility, playing even at the battlefields.

Rajasthan today

Today Rajasthan is peaceful and filled with romance from the bygone era. Even though land reforms have removed wealth and power from the hands of the Maharajas and the Takhurs, social structures from the past are still prevalent. The Maharaja still lives in his palace; the Takhurs try to maintain their fort, and often hold the position of village chief  - with its varied positive or negative implications. The village is still divided into castes, and the common man is in many ways still living like his forefathers did for centuries.