Documentations

Jaha dikha bas chah tu hi

Bas raam ka naam hai

 The one who has rhythm in his soul is near to god. Their culture is dependent on yajmaans. But want that it should not vanish.. feels like the younger generation is only acquainted with 25% of the music that this culture has to offer (yangrashaili, dhoda, bhaavan- traditional). wants them to focus on studies but also cultivate respect for them and learn it. 

Pempo Khan is an artist from the Manganiyar community of Jaisalmer. He is a leading vocalist as well as a percussionist in the his musical group. All the musicians in this group formed by Pempo Khan are expert musicians from the same community which has an ages-old tradition to teach their children music since the beginning stages of their lives.

The Manganiyars have a deep-rooted history in Rajasthan as the Rajputs have been patrons to them for centuries. They teach their children music since the beginning stages of their childhoods and instil a great passion for the art form within them. Pempo Khan himself began learning at a very young age from his father, Gaffer Khan and developed a certain level of expertise in the musical form very early in his life. He also learned most of the ragas involved in classical music such as Maad and Bhairavi, and understands the technicalities that go into the composition and structure of a song.

Apart from following his passion for music, Pempo writes poetry in a regional language known as Dingal-Pingal. He has received quite a bit of support from his patrons, The Rathore family Senawaran near the Pokhran region. Due to the unfortunate lack of opportunities within the music industry folk musicians like Pempo Khan have to find other jobs in order to earn a livelihood, especially during offseason. He works as a housekeeper at a resort known as Gorbandh palace for the time being but wishes to pursue his passion for music as his profession. Through this art form, he aims to make an impact on the livelihoods of all the musicians like him and set their lives on a course for prosperity.

Kabir kuan ek hai, panihari anek

Bartan sabke nyaare nyaare

Banda pani sab me ek

Follows all religions. Feels that the value of the soul is above mere traditions and norms that religions bind us in. ‘ I am a Muslim. My name is fakir khan. But look at me. People say that I am a Rajput. Even though I perform at their events, I perform in mandirs, at the dargah, they sing about Shiva, Krishna, Mira. Makes bhajan as well.   

Has issues with organizers many times as they embezzle money. He believes that there should be no mediator between Guru shishya parampara. He wants signing schools in India so that children can learn music without compromising with their studies. 

Pempo Khan himself is deeply knowledgable about classical music and its components such as the ragas. He has gained this knowledge with the help of his father and passes it on to his children as their guru. He loves to sing the ‘Bhairavi’ raga, which can be sung at any time of the day. His talents and abilities show the true meaning of brilliance and dexterity. Using these abilities and a display of various emotions through his music, Pempo Khan wants to make an impact on the Manganiyar community’s presence in the world of music. The group also likes to work with different instruments and styles of music. They have played and composed a few songs along with western instruments such as guitar. 

All of these artists, despite receiving the support of the royal Rajput families that reside in the region have to work in different professions during the offseason to get the financial support needed to feed their families. Through their musical talents, they wish to pursue a career in music and promote the Manganiyar culture across the world and create a sustainable environment wherein these musicians can work with their art forms and prosper.

A troupe of folk musicians who belong to the Manganiyar community, Pokhran Manganiyar are quite popular in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. Happe Khan steps up with his vocal ability as the lead singer of the group. He also has expertise in playing the traditional instrument called Harmonium. Along with masters of percussion instruments such as Dhol and Khartal, that are played by Ghulam, Sikander and Raees Khan, almost every individual in their group have had years of experience in performing their art and presenting it to the audiences.

Passion, they say is a great energizer. We are wired in such a way that many times passion and purpose comes together. Happe KhanKhan is a young folk music artiste. The 25-year-old is passionate and proud to be identified by this genre. His undying passion for Rajasthani folk music is a contrast to what people his age prefer.

Happe khan and others in his group are manganiyar. Muslims themselves, their patrons are largely Hindu  Rajputs. They are renowned as highly skilled folk musicians of the Thar desert. Their songs are passed on from generation to generation as a form of an oral history of the desert. In his own words,” The culture of Rajasthan has been recorded through songs. When we are playing folk music, we are telling stories, stories that speak to the human conditions, stories that tell us who we are, stories riddled with anecdotes of love with all its complexities and simplicities. These stories define us as a community. They help us relate to each other.” It is said that on occasion in the Rajput family is ever complete without a Manganiyar. Be it birth, marriage, family festivity, the manganiyars would help evoke the right mood with songs that have a flair of Rajasthan and many specially composed songs to praise the patron and his family.

Influenced by family traditions and his elders, Happe khan has been singing since he was a child. He formed his group six years ago. The six group members are from his family itself. They have adapted themselves to play all kinds of instruments. Harmonium, khartaal, Bhapang, Dholak find common use in their performances. Happe Khan plays the Harmonium which he learnt and developed an affinity towards while he was in school. 

Like any other professional singer, he has a generous understanding of ragas. Khamaj Raga is immensely used in their music. He says that tradition calls for the beginning of every performance in khamaj raga. When asked about how he learns songs, old and new, his answer is simple. To them, he says, the need to write and then learn songs was never required. Music is so deeply ingrained in their lives that just as little as listening to their elders sing once or twice is enough for them to follow up. However, he feels that technology today has found purpose and use in all fields and as an aspiring artist he doesn’t shy away from deviating from the traditional methods of learning music and using tech and social media to his benefit. They appreciate the fact that technology has made it easy for them to expand their repertoire in folk music.

Besides singing the traditional old folk songs, this young artist has penned down a few songs of his own and composed rhythms and tunes for others. He claims that there are a few songs that only he can sing in his community. Reciting Shiv Tandav,  which is a Hindu hymn that describes God Shiva’s power and beauty, is one of his speciality. This is satisfying to observe that though they are Muslims, many of their songs are in praise of Hindu deities where the performer traditionally invokes the Gods and seek their blessing before the recital.

Despite everything, he exclaims that more needs to be done to attract youth towards traditional music. According to him, the youth are the key in the preservation of folk music. This calls for creating space for young talented Rajasthani musicians to keep old-age traditions fresh, but also relevant through music. Although many children come to him to learn music, he feels that the rush towards modernity is dwindling their interest. With more people looking up to Bollywood and western music, their audience and patronage are slacking. With most of his family members being solely into music, they want to build their art into something more sustainable.

Happe khan envisions a bright future for his group. “ money is not an incentive, I want to take my traditions forward. We want people to see what we do and like it enough. That will truly be encouraging.” We can’t agree more on the fact that their culture is very rich but some people are clueless about it. This is the time to know deeply about Indian culture through different mediums that are sustainable. Through loving and showing pride in it, the world will come to know of it too.

Their community is known for musically talented and passionate individuals who have a desire to showcase their rich culture and create awareness about it in the outside world. Many are learned in the field of classical music and understand the intricacies that affect the structure of the songs that they play, including all the ragas that are involved in the composition of the melodies.

Young artists like Devu Khan and Shaukat Khan, with their incredible vocal ability, are also an important part of their clique and show an unforgettable display of their talents whenever they perform. Through their youthful drive and desire to create as well as inspire, these artists bring a disparate light to the otherwise highly experienced musicians of the group. 

Despite the struggles of living in the rural regions of the Thar desert, these artists have done a brilliant job of getting their talents together in order to form a musical group that compliments each other. Their melodies are captivating and transpire through word of mouth as most of them haven’t had the privilege to get a college education and gain the required marketing skills but they wish to make an impact on their community and livelihoods through their art form.

A chorus of village boys celebrates their musical heritage in a joyous production that challenges the rigid modern education system that threatens their traditions.

Jaisalmer Boys are a young group of child artists and musicians who are still in the beginning phases of their lives as they embark upon a path taken by almost every person living in their community. These children have already gained a substantial amount of experience in music but are still at a learning stage in their quest to master the art only due to their youthful school-going age. Not only have they developed a brilliant vocal ability, but they have also set themselves on the way toward mastering various traditional instruments.  

They sing songs that are traditional to their community, the Manganiyars. Their culture has brought these young individuals together as they play the traditional instruments of Rajasthan and learn all the skillsets and knowledge required in the field of classical and folk music. Dhol, Khartal and Harmonium are some of the common instruments that are a part of their area of expertise.

 The children, some of whom are as young as eight, make up the cast of Jaislamer Boys – a buoyant, energetic group showcasing the music of the Manganiyar people, a community of Muslim musicians from Sindh, Pakistan, and Rajasthan, India. They are the keepers of distinctive musical traditions that include vocal acrobatics, percussion and a variety of instruments, which for a long time were supported by aristocratic patronage.

 These young kids have been aspiring about becoming artists in the field of music from such an early stage. This is what sets them apart from most folk music communities and groups from the state. They do what they are passionate about and want to discover the professional aspect of it as well.   

“Life is a struggle unless you really make it. But here we’re talking about a whole community, a whole tribe of musicians. Where is the place for them to flourish?” says the eldest of them all.

One would think they are just like any other children and the innocence in their eyes does not reveal their talent. It is when they start singing together then one realises that these little bundles of joy have mastered this art of transporting you to a magical land.

 The influence of the market, which is not kind to things like tradition or heritage, coupled with the inflexibility of their children’s schooling, means the Manganiyar musical traditions are under threat. After listening to them, one realises deeply that it is essential to look after these traditions because it’s not something that you have in every other part of the world, it is a treasure we need to look after.”

They are a lovely bunch of talented and mischievous kids. One has a lot of fun working with them. But the whole point is to give them and many more like them in the villages of Rajasthan a better life. The idea is to give them choices and chances. We want to give them better infrastructure and more exposure, so they can really go places. The people from this community are blessed, in a way, and their talent shouldn’t go to waste. If you are a child born in a city with affluent parents, your parents would make sure to avail you of the best possible path. But, if you are a Manganiyar child, it can be possible that you are super talented and yet there are no avenues. They can’t go anywhere and in helplessness, they resort to odd jobs. 

Manganiyars are a part of our splendid history and the painful realisation that despite their contribution to music, these carriers of a great tradition have so far remained unnoticed, forgotten to be included in the programmes of ‘progress’. But when the children perform, they make us believe that there is still hope for a better world.  They are just so full of life and they have immense talent. Their music gives a lot of joy and it gives a lot of joy to the whole world. All they need is a good direction towards providing them with a better lifestyle without having to give up this hereditary art form in order to earn enough to survive.

The leader, Rais Khan had to learn to pick himself up without the support of his father who passed away when Rais was just a month and a half old. Rais describes that event as a tragic and yet transformational one as he then went on to live with his paternal uncle, Jazman Khan who taught him all the basics of traditional Rajasthani music and dance. Rais himself sings as well as plays the Harmonium even though he understands the classical music form very well and knows how to play a lot of other instruments. The whole group has great theoretical knowledge on the subject of music as well. They know how to play and sing ragas like Maad and Bhairavi. Maad raga seems to be their favourite one as they sing it in their welcome song which can be sung at any time of the day.

The roots of Sufi can largely be found in Persia, parts of the Arabic world, Pakistan and India. The qawwali and kaafi are the most popular styles of Sufi and are associated with poets such as Hafez, Rumi, Amir Khusro, Baba Bulleh Shah, Hazrat Shah Hussein and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. But still, in today’s scenario, the number of Sufi singers is much lesser than that compared to artists in other genres. Sufism, as the mystical dimension of music preaches peace, tolerance and pluralism while encouraging a way of deepening one’s relationship with the Creator. Sufi music seeks to unite listeners with the Divine. In the songs of Rais Khan, you can feel the pain of separation from the Creator at the core of Sufi lyrics and music, and hence the intense longing to dissolve the physical realm and transcend into the spiritual universe with the ambience.

Together they have performed in various regions of the country, especially all districts of Rajasthan. Their passion for the art form leads their path towards performing and showcasing their skills in front of audiences from various walks of life. From royal Rajput families to everyday street vendors, their music has the capacity to draw everyone and their songs are relatable for a large percentage of people wherever they go.

The entire ambience becomes serene with Rais Khan in the midst of his singing, narrating the story, pauses to sing a few bars in his full-throated voice and then smiles as he takes you through the twists and turns of the story. The mesmerising, uplifting voice of Rais Khan takes you on a troll to the journey with his songs which are defined usually as expressions of the longing to be close to the divine. Rais Khan recalls the time when he was 8 years old and used to accompany his father, who taught him harmonium. The same he did with his son and grandson, but what he worries the most is that what one misses is a concrete effort to educate listeners about this wonderful genre as, without that, things may well remain at a standstill.

But as a ray of hope, the group has the younger generation learning and taking a keen interest in music. If one goes around the group they can witness both the maestro Rais Khan and the young but extremely talented Dholak players — Askar Khan and Tareef Khan, Khartal by Shaukat Khan and Anwar Khan, brother of Rais Khan on backing Vocals perfectly blending with an essence of music. The young Askar Khan wants to work really hard in his field and make his family proud. He wants to learn so much that he could teach his children and other children in his society the traditional Dholak. Similarly, for Tareef Khan and Shaukat Khan the learning just never goes stop, they feel it helps you grow as a person you are from within and makes it easy to get to know ones’ soul.

Although Rais Khan has gained a lot of name and fame in comparison to others even till today if you ask him why he sings at the age of 55, he would simply look at you and smile and say “bass Khuda se ghuftagu ho jaati hai to sukoon milta hai or jab tak wo chah raha hai guftgu yunhi barkarar rahegi. Hum to bass isi mein khush hain jo wo chahta hai (it feels relaxed and contended after talking to the Almighty and till the time he wishes the conversation shall continue. We are happy with what He wants.”

They come from humble backgrounds but have a powerful desire to create and perform their art not just to make a living but contribute to their community’s musical culture. They have come together form similar walks of life and different age groups to form a clique in order to showcase their skills and abilities to promote the culture of Rajasthan and set it on a path of prosperity and welfare for the Manganiyar community.

The unfortunate demise of Rais Khan’s father when Rais was just about a month and a half old had already put him in a tricky situation right from the beginning of life. Eventually, during his childhood years, he moved to his paternal uncle’s place and began to explore the art form that is so close to his heart. He then moved on to learn and polish his vocal ability as well as musical skills through Harmonium when he turned eighteen.

About five years back, Rais Khan started his musical group in Jaisalmer along with Shaukat Khan and Muqaddar Khan. Since then he has had opportunities to perform in almost every state within the country as well as two foreign tours to the United States. Besides the traditional Rajasthani folk melodies, Rais has also understood and mastered various ragas such as Mada, Bhairavi and Kalyan.

With a humble attitude towards every performance and event, Rais Khan appreciates all the opportunities he gets. He wishes to make a substantial contribution to the Manganiyar community of Jaisalmer through his performances and aims towards more performances across the globe in order to promote this folk art form.

(The groom looks like a bunch of flower in the garden)

Beend raja aisa bana

Tara ke beech Chand

(He looks like the moon amongst stars)

Aiso din aaj ko

Nit nit hoe

(May the day like this occur every day)

The lyrics of this song along with many others have been written by Sabir’s ancestors and they pick up on the age-old tradition. In fact, he tells that most of these songs are never written and they are considered down upon for their own storylines and characters. Even though some of the characters taken are from the mainstream tradition but there are differences in the plots suiting to the local imaginations of the people. But it can still be considered as a heritage for its centuries of transmission and the belonging to the world of local and indigenous. In fact, the folk artists of Rajasthan are the forgotten storytellers of the rich culture and tradition of the area and the songs tell the stories of bravery, love, romance and everything happened and did not happen.

He has practised multiple traditional instruments like Dholak, Dhol, Khartal, Morchang etc. As he is still at a learning stage in his craft he still takes classes from his paternal uncle and used to play dholak with his grandfather. He has performed in almost all district within Rajasthan and metro cities such as Mumbai as well. He considers his performance in Mumbai as the most memorable one and wishes to replicate more experiences of the same kind.

Sabir Khan has set an aim to support and promote the Manganiyar culture at such a juvenile age. He aspires to do so and create more awareness as well as opportunities for the folk musicians who reside in the region through his artful display of their traditional genre of music as well as dance.

Sabir and all the members of his musical group are children who have yet to be initiated into the world of responsibilities of adult life. This gives them a substantial amount of buffer time to take advantage of their talents and make a presence for themselves in the musical sphere of the state as well as the country. Young instrumentalists like Hazur, Moti and Hanif Khan, who are quite dedicated to their art make for brilliant talents at such young ages. The vocals of Sarvar, Sohail and the leader himself have shared with each other a spectrum of knowledge in music and shall keep doing it for as long as they can.

 These children idolize the elders of their villages who have passed on their musical knowledge to them. They also idolize popular folk and Sufi musicians from the state and understand the importance of their success which brings prosperity to their culture and raises awareness about it in the outside world.

But he says, “We sing songs of happiness and royalty. We do not let our pain surface our voice. It remains within us.” But he is still caught up in the shackles of poverty due to the negligence of folk music.

But then he says, “music is our refuge.”

Edhe Khan is a vocalist from the Dagga tribe of the Manganiyar community. He began to learn music during his teenage years from his grandfather. He also learned how to play various traditional instruments such as Dhol, Khartal, and Harmonium. Specializing in folk melodies that are sung and performed on numerous auspicious occasions as well as bhajans, Edhe Khan formed his group of folk artists and now these young musicians are on the cusp of gaining more popularity in the state.

Edhe Khan has only received formal education till the 5th grade. Beyond that, he began to learn and take music more seriously. He also started learning about the ragas and taals involved within the classical music spectrum and considers the Des raga as his favourite raga of all stating the reason that it involves all the seven notes while being played. He has also performed in various districts of the state of Rajasthan and his most memorable performance was when he performed at the wedding ceremony of Lucknow’s royal family’s daughter.

All the singers and instrumentalists in his group are passionate about pursuing music and intend to work in the field of music while promoting the Manganiyar culture from Rajasthan to the whole country and eventually the world. 

Ujri bhabooth ang

Mastang soye gang

His body is smeared with ash, the river Ganga rests on his forehead.

Raate rate naino aankho

Neelkanth dhaaye

One who has red eyes and has a blue throat (as per mythology, Lord Shiva has a blue throat)

Aarso hamare bhaag bhole shambho aaye

We are truly blessed that Lord Shiva has come to our abode.

Edhe Khan has performed all over India and has also spent a considerable time abroad. When asked about the current situation of folk music, he says that folk music is endangered these days due to the influx of popular Bollywood songs. Edhe Khan adds that folk music requires a lot of energy to sing, as the complex raagas like Khamaj, Bhairavi, Sorath require powerful vocals, and which should be produced straight from one’s heart and breath. Edhe Khan’s father was a poet and a storyteller, who has composed many poems with themes like various stages in the life of a man.

Edhe Khan is concerned about the future of this folk music and believes that they need good people and patrons for promoting this art, he says that the Government should help them for their upliftment. He wants future generations to revive this art. As per him, Manganiyaars are the most humble people on this earth, unlike a king, who can even kill his own brother to usurp his throne, Manganiyaars live by their talent, and they eat, sleep and breathe music.

Mathura ji mein baaje dhol

Gokul mein arak hove

Lord Krishna was born in Mathura where his birth was celebrated, with all the pomp and show,

Later on, he went to Gokul, where he was raised, and Gokul was happy to receive him too.

Dhan Dhan halariyeri maa

Blessings to you, O Mother of Lord Krishna

The ties between the Manganiyars and Rajputs are hundreds of years old. The Rajputs would protect the Manganiyaar community during times of wars and invasions which in turn helped in the preservation of the age-old art form and various compositions that originated from it. This community is quite peculiar as all of them belong to the Muslim religion but besides Sufi, they mostly sing praises of Hindu gods and goddesses such as Lord Krishna and Goddess Durga. A lot of the inspiration also originated from the extreme weather conditions of the desert as well as the dunes. 

The whole community is basically a musical family that has continued its tradition from uncountable generations and Edhe Khan is just the latest one in a long line of musicians who start learning how to sing and play music before they start going to school. At such an early age they master traditional instruments such as Dholak, Kamaicha, Morchang, and Khartaal. Unfortunately, due to a lack of financial support from the government as well as a lack of awareness about the form of music they like to present, most of them have to engage in other occupations. For instance, Edhe Khan himself has worked as a carpenter during the early days of his career in the field of music. 

They understand a lot of the theory that goes into producing classical music such as the ragas and talas. They are most fond of singing the Des Raga which involves the usage of all seven notes in a song. As a group, they have performed in a lot of places, especially in multiple districts of Rajasthan. Their most memorable performance, in their own perception, was in Lucknow. They want to continue to showcase their art form and perform their music in order to expand their horizons and promote the culture of Rajasthan and the Manganiyars.