Jantsar is a collection of rare folk songs from the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, which is now almost extinct in the daily lives of the people there. Jaant is a traditional machine made of stone that was used to grind wheat and jowar grains to make flour. Women in the household would grind flour every day in the morning, and it was immense physical labour. The Jantsar songs served as a means of distraction and also to encourage a feeling of community as the women in the villages all ground flour in the homes.

The origin of this form is unknown, although it is traditionally attributed to Kabir. Kabir advocated for remembering God’s name every waking minute of our lives and particularly in the morning during sunrise. The women found it difficult to follow as they had to grind flour and cook food for their families during that time. When the problem was presented to Kabir, he composed these Jantsar songs to help them pray while they performed their daily duties. The song is also an example of how Kabir taught that our work is itself our worship and to do our work with the right intention and dedication is the best way to remember God.

Rajendra Pandey belongs to the Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh and grew up listening to the many folk songs in his region. Despite going abroad for his studies and later joining the Indian Air Force, he remains connected to his roots in Uttar Pradesh and frequently performs there. Along with Jantsar, he can sing many other rare folk songs which are now on the verge of extinction and is working on preserving their history and literature.