Rajasthan - An Oral History

Author: Rustom BharuchaPublisher: PenguinYear: 2003Language: EnglishPages: 358ISBN/UPC (if available): 0143029592 DescriptionAn epic-style narrative that celebrates the living traditions of the desert. Informal in its discourse and packed with nuggets of folk wisdom, this work, based on conversations with Komal Kothari, brings out the diversities and play of local traditions.For over five decades, Komal Kothari has journeyed through Rajasthan exploring its rich cultural and musical traditions. Neither an old-fashioned seer nor a modern academician, he has developed an understanding of people's knowledge systems in a manner that is uniquely his own. In this book, Rustom Bharucha attempts to map his vast experience of the desert, drawing on extended and freewheeling conversations with Kothari.Weaving in and out of several context, Kothari's interconnected reflections on land, water, agriculture, irrigation, livestock, sati and shrines supplement his observations on musical and perform