Bagar Culture

People and caste

Rajasthan, meaning land of the kings, is home to many people from the Rajput clan, a group of people who were former rulers of this princely state. The people of Rajasthan are divided into birth-based castes and sub-castes which, historically determined one’s profession. The Rajputs follows the Vedic religion and worship Surya (sun), Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In Bagar, the caste system remains an influential part of society but does not play as crucial of a role in deciding one’s occupation as it once had.

The most famous community of Rajasthan (and of Bagar) consists of the Marwaris. Mainly, these people have occupations in trading and business. Sub-castes of Marwaris include Mahajans, Sarawagis, Porals, Shrimals, Shrishrimals, Agarwals, Maheshwaris, Sunlas, Bohres, Pheriwalas, Baldias and Lohias. Many of these families migrate to cities or large trading centers and come back to Bagar to visit and help contribute to its booming education industry.

In Bagar, some of the most prominent families are Marwari including the Piramals, Roongtas, and Maheshwaris who have all contributed significantly to the education and development of the town.

Religion

The main religion of the majority of the people of Bagar is Hindu (95%). Hinduism is mainly practice through the worship of Brahma, Shakti, Vishnu, and other gods and goddesses. There are many Hindu temples in Bagar and the Ashram is a large area of worship, decorated in bright and welcoming colors. To learn more about the places of worship of Bagar, click here.

Rajasthan is home to some of the most beautifully crafted and unique jewelry in India and the women of Bagar prove this to be true. Many important precious and semi precious stones come from the area. Most jewelry is made of silver, lac work, kundan work, minakari work, and gold enamel.

In Bagar, silver jewelry can be bought at a number of shops around the market and also in nearby cities such as Jhunjhunu. The most famous jewelry market in the state of Rajasthan is called the Johari market in Jaipur, about 4 hours from Bagar.

Anklets (pajebs) are a very popular style of jewelry for the women of Bagar. They are often made of silver and have small bells attached that make a pleasant sound when she walks.

Another unique piece of jewelry seen in Bagar is called the rakhdi. This is an ornament worn down the center of a woman’s head and is generally made of gold. Necklaces (tussi) and bracelets (gokhrus) are also popular in the area.

Mehendi

Mehendi of Rajasthan is one of the most popular in India. It is prepared by grinding the dry henna leaves into a very fine powder and then making a paste with the water. Once this paste is made, it is applied to the hands and feet of females using a cone or matchstick. The paste is spread into beautiful designs. Once it has dried, the paste is peeled off and leaves a beautiful red color on the skin.

Because the Mehendi found in Rajasthan leaves the skin darker than Mehendi from most other regions, it is in great demand during wedding season and for festivals. For almost every festival or celebration, Mehendi is applied in a unique design to represent what is being celebrated. One popular design is called the chowk, literally meaning courtyard. Other designs include the chopper (dice game, symbolic of marital love), lahriya (waves), and beejani (fan).