Salim Khan

Salim Khan is an instrumentalist in Shankar Khan’s group of musicians and instrumentalists who have been playing Khartaal for a long time. He began to earn music when he was just about a dozen years old. He is a Manganiyar musician in a long line of succession.

Salim is an expert percussionist for Shankar Khan’s group. Along with Ghulam Khan, he plays Khartal and makes for a perfect fit in the group. He and his fellow instrumentalists focus on traditional Rajasthani folk music melodies which are native to the state. They also sing the songs of celebration for various auspicious occasions and ceremonies that are celebrated in Rajput families who reside in the region.

Salim has a family of four people to feed and earns a mere ten thousand rupees per month from music. This means that he has to look for other opportunities to work in order to earn an adequate income, especially during the offseason.

• Jaisalmer
• Rajasthan