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Will the Sur Mandal Fall Silent? — A Musician and a Craftsman in Jaisalmer Worry
Will the Sur Mandal Fall Silent? — A Musician and a Craftsman in Jaisalmer Worry

By Kuldeep Chhangani

Chanan Khan is perhaps one of the last musicians who can play the Sur Mandal in the desert district of Rajasthan. Artists like him, and Kishanlal Suthar who crafts this musical instrument are fast disappearing.

Chanan Khan is perhaps one of the last musicians who can play the Sur Mandal in the desert district of Rajasthan. Artists like him, and Kishanlal Suthar who crafts this musical instrument are fast disappearing.

The Memory Pillars
The Memory Pillars

By Abhishek Verma

Memory pillars are erected on the occasion of the death of a person. It is an age-old tradition going back 3,000 years or more of the Maria and Gond tribes inhabiting Bastar and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.

Memory pillars are erected on the occasion of the death of a person. It is an age-old tradition going back 3,000 years or more of the Maria and Gond tribes inhabiting Bastar and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.

The Lonely Pied Piper: Meet the one man left who can play the khal, West Bengal’s famous bamboo flute
The Lonely Pied Piper: Meet the one man left who can play the khal, West Bengal’s famous bamboo flute

By Gurvinder Singh

The traditional khal, a tribal bamboo flute from West Bengal, signifies celebration and pain, and has traditionally been essential to weddings, festivities and funerals in West Bengal’s ancient Rabha culture.

The traditional khal, a tribal bamboo flute from West Bengal, signifies celebration and pain, and has traditionally been essential to weddings, festivities and funerals in West Bengal’s ancient Rabha culture.

A teacher brings glory to the Mewati language
A teacher brings glory to the Mewati language

By Rajesh Khandelwal

A government school teacher in a village in Bharatpur, Rajasthan composes poetry and songs in Mewati language to increase public awareness about ills in society. His aim is to promote harmony amongst the common folk through his melodies and verses.

A government school teacher in a village in Bharatpur, Rajasthan composes poetry and songs in Mewati language to increase public awareness about ills in society. His aim is to promote harmony amongst the common folk through his melodies and verses.

When women dance like mustard seeds: Come, sway to the Rai folk dance of Bundelkhand
When women dance like mustard seeds: Come, sway to the Rai folk dance of Bundelkhand

By Shivani Gupta

Bundeli Rai is the traditional folk dance of Bundelkhand. Rai means mustard seed. The way mustard seed swings around in the saucer, the dancers also dance likewise on the beats of traditional musical instruments of Nagadiya, Dholak, Jheeka, and Ramtoola. This traditional folk dance was fading away when the Jhansi administration stepped in to revive the culture, also support the livelihood of dancers and singers.

Bundeli Rai is the traditional folk dance of Bundelkhand. Rai means mustard seed. The way mustard seed swings around in the saucer, the dancers also dance likewise on the beats of traditional musical instruments of Nagadiya, Dholak, Jheeka, and Ramtoola. This traditional folk dance was fading away when the Jhansi administration stepped in to revive the culture, also support the livelihood of dancers and singers.

A Journey With Kabir: Bhakti music enthrals 'pilgrims' of the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra
A Journey With Kabir: Bhakti music enthrals 'pilgrims' of the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra

By Pankaja Srinivasan

India's longest travelling folk music festival features performers and singers from different communities who come together and celebrate the oral traditions of the Bhakti, Nirgun, and Sufi saints and poets who preached universal love. The Yatra will go on from October 2-8.

India's longest travelling folk music festival features performers and singers from different communities who come together and celebrate the oral traditions of the Bhakti, Nirgun, and Sufi saints and poets who preached universal love. The Yatra will go on from October 2-8.

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