Samandar Manganiar

Manganiar Music Tradition

Rajasthan comprises a big landmass, abutting on several important cultural zones: Sindh and Punjab (the former, and part of the latter, now in Pakistan) to the west and northwest, Gujarat to the southwest, Malwa to the southeast, Braj Pradesh, that is, mid-western Uttar Pradesh, to the east and Haryana to the northeast. Interaction with these cultural zones has invested Rajasthan’s folk music with diversity and a great variety of forms and musical instruments. More particularly, the melody of the Middle East comes winging to the western borders of Rajasthan via Sindh.

The music of southwestern Rajasthan, namely the districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer, is, in the main, that of the hereditary Manganiar musicians. Some noteworthy features of their music are these : they represent the meeting point of the folk and the classical, mentioning raag names (like Jog, Shaam Kalyaan, Dhaani, Bilaawal, Sorath, Khamaaichi, Saarang, Maand, Sindhi Bhairavi and Kaafi) and employing aalaap, murkies, tihaais and taan-like sallies, displaying advanced consciousness of rhythm and melody, that is, laya and sur, although the classical overtones are mostly incipient and rudimentary, rooted in inherited and acquired dexterity rather than in grammar; their rich repertoire includes Jaangada, a distinctive song – type that, inter alia, employs Dingal poetry and is an exacting form to be rendered in a vigorous style that calls for musical skills of a high order, devotional songs by saint - poets like Meera Bai, Kabir and Soordas and compositions by Sufi saint - poets of Sindh, songs about legendary figures and ballads concerning them, for example, Moomal - Mahendra, Dhola - Maaru, and Lakhaphulani. Musical instruments such as the Dholak, Kamaayacha, Saarangi, Khartaal, Harmonium, Sataara (twin flutes), Morchang and the Dhol are some of their main musical instruments.

Presentation

Samandar Manganiar presents vignettes from the cultural life of Rajasthan, a whole world of vivid diversity, through his various music and dance presentations - The Desert Symphony - featuring Manganiar music; Rajasthani Folk & Jangdaa songs; Sampravaahi: An Ensemble of Manganiar Music & Jaipur Gharana Kathak Dance Traditions, and, Sufi Music - his own compositions in his inimitable singing style, as well as traditional Manganiar Sufi singing. Samandar has also provided performance opportunities to many Rajasthani Folk Dances.