Ghumar: Historical Narratives and Gendered Practices of Dholis in Modern Rajasthan.

Based on several months of fieldwork in Rajasthan, India, this thesis examines the relationship between the Dholis and the Rajputs, formed by their association with Ghumar, in two contemporary locations in Rajasthan: Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, and Jasol, a small town in the Barmer district of Rajasthan. I argue that, in the performance and historical narratives of Ghumar, Dholi communities in both Jaipur and Jasol claim professional, ritual, and personal ties with Rajputs in order to legitimate their hereditary authority over the history and practice of Ghumar dance and music. Furthermore, I demonstrate that Dholis seek, at times, to convert such symbolic capital into economic capital; that is, Dholis have used their links to Ghumar and to the Rajputs as a springboard to higher economic and social status.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Singh, Yasmine

• Ghumar

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14925

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/14925