Social structure
Indian society is governed by a large number of complex rules, and in Rajasthan society operates in a very traditional way. While in the big cities, the lines seem to be shifting somewhat, this is not the case in the countryside. The caste system, religion, family, gender and status all generate rules and customs to which Indians adhere.
The varna hierarchizes and organizes society along broad lines. Members of a caste belong to it by birth. They are expected to marry within the group and follow the rules governing many aspects of life (food prohibitions, purification rituals, etc.). Some members of lower or intermediate castes tend to adopt the prohibitions of higher castes, hoping to be assimilated into them. This process is called "sanscritization". The jati determines the profession, which at least the eldest son is expected to perpetuate.
Religion sets the pace for daily life, with numerous rites and rules to be followed to ensure a better future. However, the differences between religions are significant, and the weight of religion differs depending on whether you belong to the large Hindu majority, the Muslim minority, or the Jain, Sikh, Christian, Parsi or Buddhist communities.
The family is an anchor, but also a rigid framework in which everyone has an assigned place. Gender determines certain obligations and behaviors. Men and women have clearly defined roles within the family circle and in society. Traditionally, women run the household, while men are responsible for outside life. This does not prevent some women from working. For example, they are responsible for carrying basins of sand or piles of bricks on their heads on construction sites.
Status implies responsibilities that no one is expected to shirk. Access to wealth and power varies considerably, and differences in socio-economic status are obvious. The poor and the rich live side by side, and it's not uncommon to see a prosperous man walk past gaunt inhabitants without paying much attention. In many villages, solid concrete houses stand side by side with fragile adobe huts. Even when they're not so glaring, these class distinctions mark virtually every settlement.
The family
In principle, the importance of family ties never fails to amaze Westerners travelling to Rajasthan, and the individual freedom we hold so dear comes across as a curious fantasy. All major decisions, including the choice of a profession, a spouse or a newborn's name, are made by the parents. Existence is divided into 4 ages with fairly precise boundaries: childhood and study; marriage and children; retirement; renunciation. The lives of the majority of the population are regulated like clockwork.
In rural Rajasthan, Indians have retained the principle of the joint family. Several generations live under the same roof. The father keeps his sons, their wives and children under his authority. When families grow, a floor is added to the house or the land is divided to build a new dwelling. Each working son is obliged to hand over his income to the father, who manages the family budget. No one tries to escape this environment, which leaves little room for privacy, but is ultimately secure.
In the big cities, the younger generations are moving away from this model, especially in educated circles where the constant control exercised by parents or in-laws is perceived as a brake on progress. Nevertheless, children are still expected to take care of their aging parents. Traditionally, this responsibility falls to the eldest son. You'll be surprised, however, by the conservatism of India's youth, who rarely think of breaking away from family authority.
The wedding
This is the major event in the life of every Indian, the one that marks their entry into society. Arranged marriage is the rule. Parents look for a wife for their son in their caste, preferably in the community. Physical appearance, diplomas, social rank, financial wealth, horoscopes - everything is studied. Love marriages are still very rare, and parents are called upon to find a life partner, even if they have gone to live abroad. The dowry, though illegal, is at the heart of negotiations between parents. The girl provides her trousseau, often a bed and wardrobe for the bedroom, kitchen utensils (food processor, saucepans, spice box, etc.), a sewing machine, gifts and money for the family that is preparing to welcome her. The young man gives his wife jewelry and clothes.
The young wife leaves her parents to live with her in-laws, a change that often proves painful. The young woman falls under the thumb of her mother-in-law, who will teach her the rules of the household, and under that of her husband, who will tell her how to behave. Sari accidents" are not uncommon in Indian kitchens: the bride is burned alive after an argument with her mother-in-law, or in the event of non-payment of the dowry.
Traditionally, weddings take place in November and December, or in April. A Hindu wedding is a colorful celebration that lasts ten days or so. The first few days are punctuated by ritual ceremonies, pujas, which bring together members of the immediate family. Every morning, a Brahmin performs the haldi ceremony, in which the legs and arms of the bride and groom are coated with a turmeric paste. On the penultimate day, the groom and his male relatives visit the bride's family. The women who remain at home organize a mock wedding ceremony. No men are allowed to participate. One woman disguises herself as a man, another plays the role of the bride, and the wedding ceremony is mocked with laughter. The actual wedding celebration takes place in the bride's family. The bride and groom circle the sacred fire 7 times and exchange flower garlands. A grand feast with a pantagruelian meal is held. The next day, the bride and groom return to their families. Further ritual ceremonies mark the couple's arrival home. The groom's family then throws a big party, complete with a meal, to introduce the couple to friends, neighbors and acquaintances. The more guests, the better, and 600 guests is considered a small wedding in India. Families incur considerable debt for these weddings, which are always more lavish than they can afford.
Child marriage
The customary practice of child marriage is still very much alive in Rajasthan, despite its prohibition by the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. The legal age for marriage is 18 for women and 21 for men. Although reliable statistics are hard to come by, a 2021 National Health and Family Survey reported that 24.5% of Rajasthani women aged between 20 and 24 surveyed said they had been married before the age of 18. This practice has its roots in the Akha Teej festival held in May. During the harvest festival, young girls are given in marriage to young boys. These marriages provide an opportunity for financial arrangements, land consolidation or convergence of interests between the two families. The girl from the family then receives financial and in-kind compensation from the boy's family. The girl is not reunited with her in-laws until she reaches puberty.
Many local citizens and associations are protesting against this outdated practice. Thus, the Akha Teej of 2016 saw the birth of an original operation. Ravi Jindal, president of an association of marquee and barnum suppliers, demanded the birth certificates of both spouses before renting them equipment. More than 45,000 vendors and renters of festive tents rallied to this cause. This initiative has been taken up by invitation card printers, who now ask for proof of identity. The initiative may seem trivial, but Ravi Jindal claims to have saved 4,000 or 5,000 children from early marriage.
The place of women
Despite their colorful outfits and dazzling jewels, women don't have the upper hand in Rajasthan. From an early age, the girl child receives less attention than her brother. In rural areas and when family incomes are low, education is limited to the first few years of school. The parents' main concern is to provide her with a dowry(dahej), which sometimes requires several years' savings. A local proverb sums up the arrival of a daughter in the family: "raising a girl is like ploughing the neighbor's field". For many families, a daughter's education is limited to making her a good wife: learning to cook, sew, run a house, look after her husband and the other members of the household. Living at the service of her husband and in-laws, the young woman's main task is to have children (preferably sons), raise them and run the household. She must abide by strict rules. She is not allowed to speak to her father-in-law or brothers-in-law older than her husband, and must veil her face in their presence. She is not allowed to address her husband by his first name in public. In poor rural areas, she is required to fetch water from the well and wood from the countryside. In wealthy circles, she lives in seclusion in one part of the house, under the purdah rule, without the right to speak to visitors. She is then assisted by an army of servants, whom she is responsible for keeping in check. Fortunately, however, this rule has fallen into disuse.
In the cities, the strict rules confining women to the home are being diluted out of necessity or a concern for modernity. Women from middle-class or affluent backgrounds are studying and working. The income generated enables them to ensure a better future for their children and to live more comfortably in urban areas where prices are constantly rising.
Despite its ban by the British in 1829, the tradition of sati (widow sacrifice in her husband's pyre) continued until 1987, when the last case was recorded. The young Roop Kumar, aged 18, jumped into her husband's pyre in a small village in Rajasthan. 35 years later, the young girl is idolized by part of her village's population, who have elevated her to devi status, worshipping her.
Education
India is catching up in terms of literacy, with a rate of 84.7% for men and 70.3% for women by 2021. Rajasthan is lagging behind. While the literacy rate is close to the national average for men, at 80.08%, it is catastrophic for women. Only 57.6% of women in Rajasthan can read and write. This is the widest gap between men and women in the whole of India. It unequivocally confirms the attention paid to the place of women in this state. There are several reasons for these poor results. School enrolment is virtually non-existent in desert areas and among tribal populations. In some districts, it is as low as 10%. In the rest of the countryside, every village has its own public school, at least for the youngest children. Rajasthan has 105,379 elementary schools. Schooling is free, but families must pay for the compulsory uniform, supplies and books. Many families cannot afford such expenses and send only one child per family.
Education has become a major issue in India, almost an industry. Families who can afford it are bleeding to death to ensure a superior education for their children. Advertisements for private schools, from primary to university level, flourish on every city wall, displayed in 4x3 format and testifying to intense competition. Paradoxically, Rajasthan is the state with the highest number of universities. More than a million young people are enrolled in higher education, with 5.26% more enrolled in 2021 than the previous year.
Social protection
India and Rajasthan are not champions of social protection. With one of the world's largest populations, and a labor system that is often underground, it's difficult to ensure good protection for every fellow citizen. The government is focusing on revising and strengthening social protection for workers in the organized sector. Thus, civil servants and employees of large private-sector companies benefit from health coverage, pensions and sometimes unemployment insurance. In 2015, Narendra Modi introduced a program for the working poor. For a symbolic contribution of around fifteen rupees a year, workers can benefit from a lump sum of up to Rs 200,000 in the event of an accident at work. However, medical and hospitalization expenses are not covered, and many Indians do not seek medical treatment. Similarly, the pension scheme only benefits private-sector employees and civil servants. However, the New Pension Scheme introduced in 2004 and extended in 2009 allows voluntary participation by all workers aged between 18 and 60. The capital is not blocked and can be withdrawn at any time, even though the aim is to ensure the payment of a pension from the age of 60.
Unemployment insurance is limited to private-sector employees and civil servants. To qualify, employees must have been dismissed for any reason other than their own fault, have at least 2 years' seniority and have never received the benefit. Compensation amounts to 50% of salary and is paid for 3 months. There is a special insurance scheme for redundant workers earning less than Rs 21,000 a month. They receive compensation equivalent to 50% of their salary for up to 2 years, as well as health protection for themselves and their families, and entitlement to vocational training. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Rajasthan has set up an employment scheme for urban day laborers. The state guarantees 100 days' work a year at an average wage of Rs. 259 a day, ensuring a minimum income for the poorest households.
