A Day In the Life of Rajpal

(including information on Habitat)

by Anne Harwood

for the Scholars of St. Thomas, June 2008

  “Having completed his studies and acquired the means of livelihood by gifts received, conquest, trade and work, or else by inheritance, or both, and having married, the well-bred townsman must settle down in a refined manner.”--Chapter Four, The Kama Sutra

Rajpal lives in the Rajasthani city of Jodhpur, at the southern edge of the Thar Desert. This walled city is dominated by the Mehrangarh Fort atop a 125 metre hill. It is visible from virtually everywhere in town.

The town is well laid out. A contemporary writer describing Jodhpur writes that there is one main road in the city from which lanes branch off. Roads and streets are not straight and their width varies, depending on platforms built off of homes and shops. Cloth shops dominate the main road. Other merchants and artisans make their homes in other parts of the city, and usually merchants dealing in the same commodity are found in the same area.[1]

Rajpal’s home is the center of town in the shadow of the fort. The front door opens onto the street, and the back door lets onto a courtyard that adjoins the homes of his neighbours.  The walls of the house are constructed of clay and washed with quicklime to reflect the heat. There are few windows, and glass is only for the wealthy: Rajpal’s windows are covered with sweet smelling reeds. While a lack of windows cuts down on light and air circulation, it also helps to keep out the rain and dust.[2]

The shop occupies the main floor. The family lives on the upper level. The roof is thatched.[3] Rajpal lives with his mother, his wife, his two children, his younger brother and sister-in-law. These provide the labour force required to run the business. Rajpal has no need of staff, and cannot afford servants. His physical needs are met by his wife and mother, to whom fall the tasks of cooking, cleaning and child rearing.

Most of the year, the family sleeps outdoors on the verandah, as it is too warm to sleep inside. Everyone sleeps together in the same space. Rajpal and his wife sleep on a light cot made of woven cotton, called a charpais.[4] Other family members rest on straw mats.[5] Due to the heat, sheets and blankets are not used to cover the body, but to provide cushioning. Also, when sleeping inside due to inclement weather, cotton sheets are hung between beds to provide the sleepers a modicum of privacy.

The amount of furniture in an Indian home depended on economic status. Chairs were costly, and Indians preferred to sit cross-legged on the floor, which was made of pounded earth.  Wealthy Mughals lit their homes with candles, but the common man employed dozens of simple clay lanterns fuelled by oil and a cotton wick. Chests were common.[6]

Upon rising at daybreak, Rajpal immediately bathes himself. Water is fetched in large earthenware jars from wells and reservoirs within the town walls. On the banks of the reservoirs, the poorest bathe, launderers wash clothes, holy men meditate and wrestlers practice their art.[7] Water sources are hubs of activity, and whoever is sent to fetch the water can catch up on local gossip at the same time.

Regardless of caste or economic status, Indians are fanatical about personal cleanliness. Although he does not enjoy the benefits of a morning massage with aromatic oils rubbed into his skin, as do wealthier colleagues, Rajpal nevertheless scours himself thoroughly (using only his right hand). Traditional Indian mirrors are of polished metal, but the Mughals have brought glass ones to India.[8] With such a one, Rajpal trims his moustache and vigorously scrubs his teeth with a stick.[9]

Although Indians are personally fastidious, sanitation is no more advanced in Hindustan than in Europe: the chamber pots are emptied into the street, and sweepers with their donkeys will come by shortly to pick up refuse and push the mess further along.[10]

Before breaking their fast, the family gathers in the main room of the living quarters to perform puja, or worship. There are temples throughout the city, and while devotees are welcome to visit at any time, each Hindu home has its own altar dedicated to the family’s patron god or goddess. In this case, Rajpal’s family worships the elephant-headed Ganesh, who is considered the remover of obstacles and bringer of wisdom. Of all the gods, Ganesh must be propitiated first. The altar is often set in a niche in the wall or on a low table, which bears the image of the god made of clay, brass or bronze. During puja, it is believed that Ganesh is physically present, and worship is performed by offering him various gifts (prasad), such as the burning of red sandalwood and ladoo (an Indian sweet). Mantras are chanted, praising Ganesh and thanking him for his protection and guidance. It is not unusual for other gods to share the same altar, and in a merchant’s home, the goddess Lakshmi, provider of wealth, is commonly revered.

Breakfast follows puja, and a description of Hindu dining customs can be found here.

After breakfast, Rajpal and his brother descend the stairs to the shop to commence the day’s business. If Rajpal is away on business, the brother will run the store on his own, assisted by his wife and Rajpal’s son, Khirpal, who is learning the craft of making and selling incense at his father’s knee. At mid-day, the heat drives everyone out of the streets, and the shop closes for a few hours. During this time, most enjoy a nap[11] or some other quiet activity, such as talking to pet birds. Rajpal’s wife, Asha, was especially delighted when a few years ago, her husband gifted her with a colourful parrot, and the two of them delight in teaching it to speak.[12] The raising and flying of pigeons is a favourite pastime of many Indians[13], and Rajpal looks forward to the day when he can have his own dovecot. As a boy, he learned how to embroider from his mother, and if he cannot sleep, he will get out his needles and thread to pass the time. (More on Indian embroidery can be found here.)

After the worst of the heat has dissipated, Rajpal may meet friends and colleagues to discuss business and/or local politics. Some of these he may invite back to his home for an evening’s entertainment. In addition to wine and arrack, Rajpal and his cronies indulge in bhang, commonly known in the west as marijuana. Tobacco is available, but costly, and opium even more so. Hookahs do not appear in Indian until the 17^th century.[14]  What is ubiquitous at every social gathering, however, is paan. A mild intoxicant, paan is areca nut, lime paste and spices folded into a betel leaf and chewed. It turns the chewer’s saliva red, which is discarded into a spittoon. This was very alarming to European visitors, who were “much surprised to see that almost everybody was spitting something red as blood. I imagined it must be due to some complaint of the country or that their teeth had become broken.”[15] While betel does not break or weaken teeth, over time, it does discolour them. Nevertheless, the custom of chewing paan is universal in India, and it is a mark of good hospitality to offer it to one’s guests.

While they talk, they may play at games, like chess, chequers and pachisi[16]. Cards are also available in India, and they are very popular at Akbar’s court. Rajpal cannot afford a deck like the Emperor’s, which can be made of ivory, and has to content himself with a deck made of thin wood. Abu Fas’l gives a description of such cards in The Ain-I-Akbari.[17] Kite flying is another pastime enjoyed by many Indians of all ages.[18]

Gambling and dice games enjoy a special sanction in the Hindu religion, as it is considered auspicious to gamble, especially during the festival of Diwali.[19] Known as the Festival of Light, Diwali commemorates the victorious return of King Rama from the slaying of the demon, Ravenna. On this night in early November, each house is lit by dozens of lanterns, and fireworks are set off. Gifts are exchanged, and everyone joins in a general revelry, celebrating the triumph of good over evil.

Festivals help to break up the monotony of the working year, and another important date on the Hindu calendar is Holi, which marks the beginning of spring in late February or early March. This day is spent with everyone running about throwing coloured water and powder at each other. As this is the time of year during which the weather changes, illness is a concern. Therefore, the colours are traditionally made of medicinal Ayurvedic powders.[20]

In Rajasthan, too, there is the famous Pushkar Camel Fair, held in the Thar Desert, in late October/early November. This is not merely an opportunity for Rajpal to make some extra coin, but the camel fair also offers him and his family a chance to see some amazing sights. Alongside the camel races, visitors to the fair can see dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers and snake charmers.

Akbar’s capital is in Agra, and if Rajpal is there on business, he may be fortunate enough to glimpse some of the wonders of the Imperial Court, especially if he is there during the festival of Nauruz, Persian New Year’s Day.[21] This Islamic celebration lasts for eighteen days, and it is an excellent time for Rajpal to meet customers, make contacts and see the sights. Anthony Monserrate, a Jesuit priest at Akbar’s court, wrote of the celebration, “Games were held and pageants conducted each day. The King…gave instructions that all classes of the citizens should be bidden to show their joy…. He welcomed all who came to see the festival with largesse, free supply of wine, and free banquets.”[22] A favourite Mughal sport was polo: Emperor Akbar is so enthusiastic about the game that he has devised a way to play at night by making the balls out of wood that smoulders slowly when set on fire.[23]

In Agra, the area between the river and the fort is an arena for elephant fights, which only the Emperor may arrange.[24] This is a highly dangerous sport, in which two elephants, ridden by two men each called mahouts, battle each other across a mud wall three or four feet wide and five or six feet high. Eraly tells us, “The fight began with the elephants rushing on each other and butting, and it ended when the mud wall was demolished and one elephant chased away the other, or they got into a clinch, in which case they were separated by setting off fireworks.” The mahouts wear no armour and routinely die during these contests, but the danger of physical injury is distinctly possible for the on-lookers as well. Bystanders are often trampled to death by the elephants or by other men fleeing from the animals.

The life of a Hindu is defined by tradition and ritual, and Rajpal rarely does anything of significance without consulting an astrologer.[25] As his youngest daughter nears puberty, it is time for him to find her a suitable husband (Hindus consider it a sin to permit a female to remain unmarried once her menses begin).[26] Of prime importance, however, is that any potential husband must receive the blessings of the astrologer, who will carefully examine the birth charts of both bride and groom. If the signs are auspicious, and Rajpal’s dowry pleases the groom’s parents, then the marriage can go ahead. Very often, neither bride nor groom will meet prior to the ceremony, and once it is over, Rajpal’s daughter will leave her home to live with her groom in his parent’s home. It is entirely possible that, if she leaves Jaipur to marry, she will never see her family again.

Having a daughter is considered a misfortune by many Hindu parents, since daughters mean paying a dowry when she marries. Female infants are sometimes abandoned or killed outright as a result.[27] Rajpal is genuinely fond of both his children, but takes more interest his son, Khirpal, to whom he is teaching the business. The bulk of child rearing falls to his wife and the other females of the household, and while Rajpal sees his daughter everyday, he is not as close to her.

As head of the household, Rajpal demands and expects obedience from every other member. In return, he works hard to ensure that everyone is fed and clothed and receives the spiritual guidance they require to make their lives as happy and fulfilling as possible.