The Musical world of Rajasthan ” Rajasthan exhibits the sole example in the history of mankind of a people withstanding every outrage barbarity can inflict or human nature sustain, and bent to the earth, yet rising buoyant from the pressure and making calamity a whetstone to courage ” Of the immensely beautiful states of India, each unique in its ethnicity and traditions, Rajasthan is probably the most mystically intriguing of all. The dullness of the desert, in contrast to the rich and colorful heritage, proposes enigma to this land of kings and warriors. Not only does the Rajasthani art have a special place in the Indian traditional art, this exotic and vibrant land is also internationally renowned for its indigenous music and dance. Among the various music groups of this desert land, the most prominent group of musicians is the Langas and the Manganiyars.
Music is undoubtedly the most important aspect of their everyday life. The most important role of the traditional folk music of the Langas and Manganiyars of Rajasthan is the unique identity that it offers these desert musicians. A quick glance at the history of the province, the performers of the Rajasthani folk music and its audience, and the vocals and instruments of the folk singers provides an insight into the way music has impacted them, giving them their deserving place in the international arena. Rajasthan is historically known as the land of kings and warriors.
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The 50 s and 60 s were a time of a nation torn by conflicts: the war in Vietnam and a racial war raging sometimes in the streets. Music played a large role in both of these conflicts. The musical expression of this era allowed an individual voice to speak out, often on issues that challenged the status quo. For people of all colors committed to racial justice, the 60 s were a time of hope. They ...
The state has been privileged with this identity because of the most prominent ethnicity of the land, the Rajputs. The Rajputs rose to prominence in the 9 th and 10 th centuries, and were a major force to reckon with, in medieval India. Passionately attached to their land, family and honor, the Rajputs treated war as a sport, and followed a strong chivalric code of conduct (Ind travel, 1993).
Rajputs were great patrons of dance and music.
Music was engrained in their customs and traditions, such as prewar rituals and celebration of victory. Rajasthani folk music flourished during the reign of the Rajputs, and spread far and wide establishing their distinct identity. Myths and legends of the Rajput velour, gallantry, sacrifice and courage have come to us in the form of ballads sung by folk singers, or in the accounts of bards and court poets. Therefore, historically, music has played an important role in establishing the warrior-like identity of Rajasthan (Rajasthan Travel Tourism).
While Rajasthani folk music was highly patronized by the Rajputs in medieval India, it is now patronized by the villagers who participate actively in the shows put up by traveling entertainers (Rajasthan Club).
Apart from the local people, domestic as well as foreign tourists form a large part of the audience to the Rajasthani folk singers. The performers themselves are the traditional villagers of Rajasthan. The art of singing and composing the traditional Rajasthani folklore is passed down through generations. Therefore, this ethnic music has its own special identity and is recognized worldwide. There is an interesting relation between the performers, the Langas and the Manganiyars, and the audience to their folk music. While the patrons of the Rajasthani music were invariably Hindus, the Langas and Manganiyars were always Muslims.
They were devoted to Islam but without any rigidity. The result is a blend of two religions that is obvious from the names of some of these desert musicians, such as Shankar Khan (Komal Kothari).
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Throughout history, music has made dramatic impacts on the way civilizations and communities function and behave. Likewise, the behavior and attitudes of people in a community add to the flavor and attitude of the music made within the culture. Examples of this sort of connection include the Baroque era in Europe, where the character of the common citizen and the music were very refined and ...
Thus, this interesting relation between the performers and the patrons of Rajasthani folk music has brought forth a distinct new class identity, a mix of Islam and Hinduism. Another distinct aspect of the traditional Rajasthani music is the sound of the traditional folk music, and the traditional instruments used by the musicians. The folk music of the Langas and Manganiyars is simple and full-throated. They sing in groups, which lead to a blending of voices weaving back and forth to form an intricate tapestry of sound (Raj Tourism).
The folk music of Rajasthan has a very typical melodic local flavor that is easily identifiable as the traditional Rajasthani folk music. Folk instruments such as sarangi, , sat ara, NAD, and that originated in this desert land, create a wide range of lighting and melodious sound in accompaniment to the music of the Langas and the Manganiyars (Rajasthan Club).
This unique style of folk music and instruments provides distinct recognition to the Rajasthani culture. The folk music of the Langas and Manganiyars is an indispensable component of their identity. The very concept of Rajasthani music within the Langa and Manganiyars ethnicity, the behaviorism of the performers and the audience of this traditional music, and the sound of music revolve around establishing the ethnic identity of these talented musicians.
Music is the heart and soul of the Rajasthani culture. It is because music is such an important aspect of the life of the Langas and the Manganiyars that their concept of music defines their identity. Manganiyars were obdurate traditionalists who were reluctant to perform on stage. For centuries they survived on the patronage of wealthy merchants. They performed at times of ceremonies and functions like birth, marriage and other family festivities. Since they owed allegiance to the same patron’s family for generations, they were also keepers of the family tree.
They would artistically weave into their songs incidents of the past (Komal Kothari).
But with the changing economy of India, on stage performances became necessary for survival. This led to the spread of the Rajasthani music to different locales. It brought to limelight the talents of the uneducated masses. Over the years, tourism in Rajasthan has increased immensely due to the growing popularity of the traditional Rajasthani folk music.
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These desert musicians have inspired the music directors of the Indian film industry, who are adding a traditional Rajasthani touch to the Indian film songs. The musical talent of the Langas and Manganiyars has been passed down through generations, as a heritage, retaining their ethnicity and tradition. The authenticity of this folk music has made it immensely popular, and helped to establish a special traditional identity associated with Rajasthan. Not only is the concept of music a reflection of the identity of the Langas and the Manganiyars, but the behaviorism of the musicians also depicts their cultural characteristics. The Langas and Manganiyars are simple and heart warming people who sing from their hearts.
The music performances usually take place onstage for villagers. Visitors to the state, domestic as well as foreign, can request specific entertainment, or simply choose to be swept away by the rhythms and nuances of Rajasthan as it celebrates. Rajasthani folk music, with its deep-rooted tradition has communicated far and wide and established for itself a special recognition. Rajasthani folk music groups in the last few decades have been appearing on the national and international arena. They have participated in the Festivals of India in France, Russia, America and Japan and made a deep impact on the international audience. At the national level too, the Rajasthani folk music gained in importance and there have been several live programs in every cultural zone of the country with great success, overpowering the nation and the world with their ethnic identity (Praga Gaur).
Along with the technicalities of the music, the Langas and the Manganiyars have also passed down through the generations the art of capturing the hearts of the audience through the sound of their melodic music. The brightness of the daily life of Rajasthan the legends of its heroism and romance are all captured in the vibrant and evocative music of this desert land. The Langas and the Manganiyars are known for enhancing the beauty of a tune. Playing and singing together, they echo each other to accentuate their common tune to a vertiginous transcending sound which is one of their magic practices through the music. Rajasthani musicians are known for their strong and powerful voice whether male or female.
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Music on one of the most powerful of the arts partly because sounds – more than any other sensory stimulus – create in us involuntary reactions, pleasant or unpleasant. It may be difficult to connect analysis with the experience of listening to music, but everyone's listening, including performer's, benefits through understanding of some of the fundamentals of music.Music can be experienced in two ...
Their music is also recognized for being simple, full-throated and enthralling melodious (Raj Tourism).
Along with having a unique folk style of music, these desert musicians have developed a set of distinct folk instruments such as sarangi, , sat ara, nad, and to accompany their formidable and magical voices (Rajasthan Club).
It is then no wonder that these musicians have created for themselves a special place in the hearts of their admirers. With so much that this artistically rich land has offered to the world in the form of traditional folk music, it does not come as a surprise that Rajasthan is internationally renowned as a tourist’s paradise. The artists of Rajasthan possess the enchanting power to engulf the tourists into the celebration they call life.
With the change of times, Rajasthani folk music has come out of the domain of a single patron to stage performances world wide, thereby gaining special recognition. The Langas and the Manganiyars have become immensely popular all over the world due to their unique folk style of singing and distinct traditional instruments. For these people music is their life and they live it melodically.
