Centuries-old Rajasthani royal custom welcomes its first girl heir

In a significant break from centuries-old custom, a 13-year-old girl has been formally declared the heir to a erstwhile royal family in Rajasthan’s Pali district, marking a rare shift towards gender inclusion in a traditionally male-dominated practice.

Tejaswi Kumari Jodha was invested with the ceremonial turban under the traditional “Paag Ka Dastoor” at Kherwa village on Thursday, symbolising her succession to the Kherwagarh lineage following the death of her father, Harish Chandra Jodha.

The ceremony, held at the historic Kherwa Fort which is believed to date back to the 17th century, drew hundreds of villagers and onlookers. It marked for the first time in the region that a girl was recognised as an heir under this long-standing Rajput custom.

As part of the elaborate ritual, Vedic chants were recited while Tejaswi sat through the ceremony with composure. A ceremonial pink turban, signifying the end of mourning and the assumption of responsibility, was placed on her head.

The turban was sent by the former royal family of Jodhpur-Marwar according to tradition. A ‘tilak’ was also applied on her forehead using blood drawn through a ritualistic gesture, in keeping with age-old customs.

The “Paag Ka Dastoor” has historically been practised in parts of Pali that were once under the Jodhpur kingdom, where the heir of a deceased family head dons a turban as a mark of succession.
The ritual symbolises not only inheritance but also the transfer of social and moral responsibility within the community. However, it has traditionally been reserved for male heirs.

Community elders said the decision to recognise Tejaswi as the successor was taken collectively, as her father had no son. The Kherwagarh family had not performed the ceremony for nearly 65 years due to the absence of a male heir, making this occasion both rare and symbolic.

Villagers described the move as progressive and reflective of changing social attitudes. Ravindra Singh, a resident of a neighbouring village, said the community chose to uphold the tradition while adapting it to modern values of equality.

Another resident, Ajay Singh, said the decision was also intended to honour the legacy of Tejaswi’s father, who was known for his social contributions and had served twice as sarpanch.

“It is a matter of pride for all of us that, for the first time, a daughter has been recognised as the head of the family in this region,” former sarpanch Kanhaiya Lal told reporters.