State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 16 Apr 2025

Dhanush Leela

Why in News? 

Dhanush Leela , an ancient folk tradition of Hadauti region,  was organised after 150 years in Baran district of Rajasthan . 

Key Points 

• About Dhanush Leela : 
  • This three-day event was organised on the occasion of Ram Navami and the drama of breaking of Shiva's bow by Lord Ram was enacted. 
  • The program begins with the Teej of Gangaur , in which Ganpati installation , formation of organizing committee , and distribution of arrangements are done. 
  • A procession is taken out before the event , in which the rides of 'Sar Katya' and 'Dhad Katya' are prominent. 
  • Tableaus depicting Tantra rituals are brought to a special square where the performance takes place. 
  • All dialogues are written in the vernacular language 'Bahi' .

Major Folk Arts of Rajasthan 

• Sanjhi: 
  • During the 15 days of Shradh Paksha, girls worship Sanjhi in the form of Goddess Parvati. 
  • Women observe Thumbudha fast on the last day. 
• Mandha: 
  • On auspicious occasions, geometric pictures are made with colours on the walls and courtyard of the house. 
  • These pictures are in the shapes of triangle, hexagon, circle etc. 
• Phad Art: 
  • The stories of gods and goddesses are depicted on the cloth which is called 'Phad'. 
  • Its main centre is Shahpura (Bhilwara), and is made by the Joshi caste. 
• Puppet: 
  • A dramatic performance is given by operating wooden puppets with the help of threads. 
  • These are manufactured in Jaipur, Udaipur and Chittaurgarh. 
• Bevad: 
  • A throne made of wood on which Thakurji is seated and taken to the pond on Ekadashi. 
  • It is manufactured in Bassi (Chittorgarh). 
• Chopda: 
  • A spice container made of wood, having 2, 4 or 6 compartments. 
  • In western Rajasthan it is called 'Hatdi', it is used in worship. 
• Toran: 
  • At the time of marriage, an artistic wooden figure is placed by the groom at the entrance of the bride's house. 
  • It has the figure of a peacock or a suva on it, which is touched with a sword or a green twig. 

Utensil Bank Scheme

Why in News? 

On 12th April 2025, the State Education and Panchayati Raj Minister launched the Bartan Bank Scheme to make Baran district of Rajasthan plastic free. 

Key Points 

• This scheme is launched with the aim of reducing the use of plastic and promoting environmental protection especially in rural areas. 
• Under the scheme, utensils sets will be available on rent for Rs 3 , which can be used for weddings and other social events. 
  • Initially 24 Gram Panchayats have been included and in future utensils banks will be established in all the Gram Panchayats. 
• The name of the Gram Panchayat and 'Swachh Bharat Mission' will be inscribed on each utensil.  
• Special categories, such as Below Poverty Line (BPL), SC,ST, and Divyangjan will get a 50% discount in fare. 
• The maintenance of the utensils will be the responsibility of self-help groups and the operation will be done through Rajivika. 
  • Rajivika is a program under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which focuses on empowering women in rural areas through self-help groups (SHGs) and other livelihood initiatives. 
• For the scheme, the state government has decided to provide an amount of Rs 1 lakh to each Gram Panchayat. 
  

Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 

• This is a massive people's movement whose aim was to create a clean India by the year 2019.Mahatma Gandhi always emphasized on cleanliness because it opens the way to a healthy and prosperous life. 
• Keeping this in mind, the Government of India laid the foundation of the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2 October 2014 (Gandhi Jayanti). This mission covers all rural and urban areas. 
• The urban component of this mission is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the rural component is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.