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The art of selection or
choosing the horse is exceedingly complex and is
described in the ancient text, 'The Salotar'. A
Salotar is an encyclopedia, which encompasses
all the aspects related to a horse such as
breeding, training, grooming, shoeing,
veterinary cover etc. The Salotar has been
written by eminent horseman based on their
experiences. The horses which took part in this
ceremony were selected and bred along the
guidelines provided in such books.
The poojan is a sacred ritual, where Shriji
himself will worship the five royal horses
taking part in the ceremony; Raj Tilak, Raj
Roop, Ganesh, Chance and Tarangini. These
Marwari horses from the royal stables put on
their finery, decorated with silks and jewels.
The Halra is a many stranded silver necklace;
Kilingi, an ornament worn between their ears,
Neveri, a silver bracelet worn at the knee.
A Mewari will say that without their horses they
would never have survived; this is the origin of
the love and respect they show in caring for the
Marwari horses. As part of the Equine Institute
of Udaipur a separate breeding programme for
Marwari horses has also been established, as the
breed is threatened with extinction. What the
audience witnessed this year was one such
traditionally reverential acknowledgement of the
empathy between a Rajput and his horse as each
ritual used for worship had a special meaning
and significance.
This year's festival also witnessed a special
exhibition
'A Visual Encounter with our Living Heritage' at
the Moti Chowk. The exhibition featured rare
photographs and copies of priceless paintings
from the collections of the City Palace Museum.
It was inaugurated by Princess Bhargavi Kumari
Mewar of Udaipur who also released a
commemorative brochure to mark the 2006 Ashwa
Poojan celebrations. Princess Padmaja Kumari
Mewar of Udaipur, General Manager Shiv Niwas
Palace and Fateh Prakash Palace also attended
the exhibition. |
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