Mansharam

48-year-old Mansharam belongs to a family of theatre performers who performed plays on stories of Bundeli kings and warriors. He gave his first performance for a ticket price of ten rupees and has come a long way since. He comes from Khadauwa village in the Moth block of the Jhansi district, where he first started as a theatre performer and later became a musician. In addition to singing, he even played the harmonium and learnt it from his family by imitating them. He performs in many genres like Raula, Bilwari, Ledh and Chetavni.

Mansharam has been performing for over 25 years with his group, and they have been based in Jhansi now. In addition to music, he also works as a mason on construction sites. Given his background in theatre and acting, his singing performances also include theatrics and exaggerated mannerisms that are very amusing.

Outside of folk music, he sings film-based music and also songs on Babasaheb Ambedkar. He performs on special occasions related to the Dalit community and in functions like weddings and house-warming, where he charms the audience with improvised lines. He set out to become a singer of versatile talents and not restrict himself to any genre. 

• Bundelkhand
• Uttar Pradesh