outdoor decor
honour status and polity
the concepts of honour and status have remained central to the lives of the people social hierarchy and political culture . significantly these concepts as exemplified in the region of rajasthan and the iconic figures and symbols of the mewar area have enriched the nation s cultural legacy . the present work is a cultural study that looks at the ideology of honour and status through a theoretical framework as also their projection in symbols rituals and polity of the native states of rajputana . deviating from the dominant historiographical trend of rajput centric construction the study also sketches the contribution of other communities like charans oswals brahmins bhils and muslims . the issues of honour and hierarchy are intrinsically linked with gender construction as reflected in the legends of meera and padmini . the book also recapitulates the remarkable process of the state s transition from monarchical governance to a democratic polity . the electoral processes and the series of land reform measures democratized polity and agrarian structure . however despite an enduring democracy people continue to have respect for the erstwhile royalty and its symbology . the changing context and complex character of the concepts of status and honour reveal unusual and hitherto unexplored facets of the polity of the state of rajasthan .