Rajasthani Folk : Pride of India

In Rajasthan, music plays a very important role in the life of the people. One of the finest folk music in the world, its rhythm, melody and diversity will fascinate and mesmerize you. The real folk song is not something to be read where the lyrics are read in a prosaic style. The real folk-song is not something to be read. The themes revolve around love, separation, heroism, patriotism, nature, seasons, festivals, rituals, customs and daily lives. The lyrics expressing the mundane, is also medium to reach the divine.



Ghoomar :  (Download)



Gangore :  (Download)



Choumaso :  (Download)



The people of Rajasthan live life to the hilt. After hard work in the harsh desert sun and the rocky terrain whenever they take time off they let themselves go in gay abandon. There is dancing, singing, drama, devotional music and puppet shows and other festivities, which transform the hardworking Rajasthani into a fun-loving and carefree individual. Each region has its own folk entertainment, the dance styles differ, as do the songs. Interestingly enough, even the musical instruments are different.



The most widely used ragas in Rajasthani folk songs are Mand, Bilawal, Kafi, Desh, Khamaj and Peelu. Some are in their pure forms and others in combinations. The folk songs nurture an element of Indian classical music knowing no rigid rules. The exclusive contribution of Rajasthani music to the classical music of India is Mand which is well recognized in classical circles.

Rajasthani music makes use of six, seven or eight matras of Tal on the dholak, tabla and nagara. Madal, mridang, changri, naubhat, dhumso, dafra, khanjari, dhibko, apang, matki and damru are the other Tal instruments. The musical instruments used with folk songs help to keep the taal for the effective rendering of the music. These range from the soft tinklers to thunderous kettledrums, from simple flutes to fascinating trumpets. The Ravanhattha, Ektara and Sarangi are the stringed instruments used with folk songs.



The Kamaichi is another stringed instrument with twenty seven strings. Its shape is quite different from the Sarangi-Veena. It is worn round the neck and played in standing posture in certain areas of Mewar. The Rawaz is another instrument used by the Raos and the Bhats in Mewar. It has twelve strings and is played with a nakha instead of rod. There is a variety of instruments played by the mouth including the bansuri, algoza, satara, shehnai, toto, pungi, nad, bankia, conch and singi.

More Bole Re :  (Download)



Podina :  (Download)



Panihari :  (Download)





Songs sung by women, are mostly about water and is cantered around the well, the style is called 'Panihari'. 'Gorbund' is a famous folk song which depicts the process of preparing a decorative string for a camel. The other folk songs are 'Indhani', 'Lawarji', 'Jallo', 'Hichaki', 'Olyun', 'Sapno', 'Kurjan' etc. Songs, laden with religious flavor, are sometimes folk idioms of saints, Surdas, Kabirdas, Meerabai and others. In the ballad tradition, minstrels sing and narrate heroic tales of folk heroes like Tejaji, Gogaji and Ramdeoji and even of legendary lovers and their tragedies.

Roomal :  (Download)



Gorband :  (Download)



Ganesh Jogi & Teju Behan - Some Excerpts :  (Download)



Rajasthan has a number of communities whose hereditary profession is to sing to entertain people. Music traditions are kept alive by entertainer communities like the Langas, Manganniyars, Mirasis and Dholis. Professional performers like the Bhaats, Dholis, Mirasis, Nats, Bhopas are omnipresent across the state. They are patronized by the villagers who participate actively in the shows put up by these traveling entertainers. The education of music in these groups begins early and is passed down from generation to generation. The folk musicians are expert in hindustani classical tradition too.