Towards the end of the 13th century, the founding sultan of the Khilji dynasty, Jalaluddin Khilji and his forces had laid siege to the...

Café Auberge: The Power of Six By Urvashi Singh A recent addition to Jaipur’s vibrant culinary landscape comes in the form of a quaint...

Conservationist, assistant Vice President to a furniture company, motorcyclist and a mother of two- meet Jamnia’s Preetika Baisa as she...

Famed over the centuries for being India's most enigmatic celebration of Dussehra, Kullu's Dussehra remains as unique as it was 5 centuries ago. This year, Rajputana Collective is privileged to have Kullu's Dei Saab Rupeshwari Kumari Singh account for what these divine festivities have meant to her- as the eldest child and daughter of the house of Kullu. My memory takes me to the Dussehra of 2001 when I was merely 3 years old. My grandfather called for me, I see myself runnin

The sleepy town of Bundi awoke with great anticipation on the morning of the Navsamvatsar. The 2nd of April, 2022 coincided with the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra, which formally heralds the new year for North India. The beginning of the year 2079 of the Vikram Samvat, a year filled with hope and revival, especially so, after the 2 years of the pandemic. However, for the people of Bundi, it was the eagerness to participate in an ancient tradition of the anointment o

The Gond art form remains the legacy of one of India’s largest tribal communities, the Gonds. Spreading over the Deccan, Central and Eastern India, these indigenous people have been perfecting painted and carved art for over 1400 years. Dating back to the Mesolithic Period, Gond art can be found on the walls of ancient caves. More popular expression of Gond art over the centuries is found on the mud-plastered floor and walls of Gond homes, chiefly for the totemic symbolism th

Worldwide, it is a common feature for boys from male-centric family setups to grow up into active perpetrators of the very patriarchy that they were raised amidst. Add to that the socio-cultural dividends accorded to patriarchs in more conservative milieus, which further bolsters male-chauvinistic conducts of behaviours and mindsets as a widely accepted and rewarded norm. Direct and indirect references to social misconducts warranted by patriarchy pervade across class, caste,

Design and philanthropy stalwarts for over thirty years and counting, the Kathiwadas embellish yet another jewel to their ever-growing legacy of creative innovation. Just when their unparalleled contributions to the fields of fashion, cricket and philanthropy leave all of us wonder-struck and gasping for breath, the House of Kathiwada pulls the next surprise that they had thus far hidden in its sleeve. This time around, it’s Circle 1434, a first-of-its-kind members community

Ex-engineer Preeti Rathore and marketing professional Maanveer Shekhawat are making headlines as Pink City’s most power-packed couple and for good reason. The two resigned from their conventional jobs in order to invest themselves fully in their joint passion for sustainable farming. Both Rathore and Shekhawat have found their calling in natural quests since their childhood years, and fate had its way of aligning them with their mutually treasured cause. After quitting his co

In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, celebrity influencer Marie Kondo propagates the Japanese art of decluttering and organising through a purging process of one’s immediate living spaces. The exponential growth of rapid consumerism has met with several countercurrents of ethical questioning, with minimalism leading this fray. Popular streaming channels such as Netflix have taken the lead in broadcasting commentaries on the dire need of minimalism, sustainability and c

A postgraduate student at the London School of Economics, her country’s astonishing lapses in public policy led Shubhangana to take up the subject as her specialisation. Her sister Veerangana is an Economics major from Mumbai’s St. Xavier’s College and endeavours to work in the world of sustainable fashion. Together, they have launched a series of social welfare initiatives for social welfare and wildlife conservation, the most recent one being Dor.

A devotee carrying a divine palanquin on Dussehra The incumbent Raja Maheshwar Singhji of Kullu ahead of the Dussehra festivities THE ROYAL INTRIGUE & A BRAHMIN’S CURSE   Once upon a time, the then Raja of Kullu erroneously convicted a holy man of royal intrigue. His misjudgement cost the innocent victim his life through self-immolation, and until his very last breath, the burning man cursed the Raja for his haughtiness. In lieu of insulting him, the puritan vindictively prop

The Birth of BCEF It all began at their Teach for India Fellowship, wherein both the BCEF co-founders, Shaivya Rathore and Pratul Narayan Singh envisioned an India with an excellent level of education. They wished to expand their vision beyond the urban urban poor and as a part of his masters’ degree in social sciences, Pratul started conceptualising a pilot project in the form of Biyanli’s literacy program. After an initial formulation, he got Shaivya on board as the co-foun

“I realised that no credible online resources existed for rajput families that were looking for matches for their children. There were a couple of commercially motivated players, but nothing that had the personal touch, albeit virtual, of a confident and counsel in a matter which is perhaps the most important to parents” says Kunwarani Tripti Singh, the founder and pioneering lady behind Gathjor, the first-ever online matrimonial community dedicated specifically to Rajputs wo

The Dhoti man then ventured on the Salt Satyagraha road in Orissa until he concluded his journey on the community Seed Bank in Orissa on Mother Earth Day. Having travelled 3000 kilometres across six states, fifteen districts with a travel bag filled with four khadi dhotis, Indra Shekhar Singh or the Dhoti man, as he refers to himself in this article, shares the story of his extraordinary journey. 

Back in February 2015, Indian media and news channels were rife with what was commonly as a ‘cross-border Royal wedding’ between the state of Amarkot in Pakistan’s Sindh district and Kanota in India’s state of Rajasthan. Kunwar Karni Singh Sodha, the 27th generation of Amarkot’s Sodha dynasty was tying the knot with Rajkumari Padmini Singh Rathore, daughter Kanota’s Thakur Man Singhji. Known to have ushered the first tika and lagan ceremonies from India to Pakistan in the nat