At a glance
- Four classes of instruments: tat (strings), sushir (wind), avanaddh (skin-covered) and ghan (solid, self-sounding).
- Female roles: men play them in Gavari and Kuchamani khyal; in Jaipuri khyal women play them too.
- Folk songs fall into three groups: songs of the common people, songs of the castes that took up music as a profession, and regional songs. Songs of love (shringar) are the most numerous, most of them songs of separation.
- Maand: the best-known singing style of Rajasthan, sung in the styles of Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur-Bikaner and Jaisalmer.
Folk theatre (Lok Natya)
- KhyalSung theatre of many stylesPlace and whoAll Rajasthan, in regional stylesKnown forIn the folk theatre since the early 18th century; the styles differ in manner rather than languageFull notes →
- GavariBhil religious dramaPlace and whoBhils of MewarKnown forStory of Shiva and Bhasmasur, played from the day after RakshabandhanFull notes →
- TamashaMusic, dance and songPlace and whoJaipur; the Bhatt familyKnown forBegan under Maharaja Pratap Singh; staged on an open stage called akhada; Gopichand and Heer Ranjha are the main plays
- RammatLiterary Holi theatrePlace and whoJaisalmer, Phalodi and BikanerKnown forPlayed at Holi; Tej Kavi of Jaisalmer started the Shri Krishna Company akhada and gave his Swatantra Bavani (1943) to Gandhi
- SwangDressing up as charactersKnown forThe artist, a bahurupiya, dresses up as a historical, mythological or famous character; Parshuram of Kelwa is the best-known; Jankilal Bhand of Bhilwara represented Rajasthan at the Festivals of India
- Lila theatreKrishna and Ram lilasPlace and whoRaslila: Phulera, Jaipur, Asalpur, Hardona and Gunda · Ramlila: Bharatpur, Patuda and Bisau · Sanakadik lilas: Ghosunda and BassiKnown forRaslila shows Krishna's childhood and youth; Ramlila the life of Ram
- NautankiEastern plays at weddingsPlace and whoDholpur, Karauli, Alwar, Gangapur, Bharatpur and Sawai MadhopurKnown forStaged at weddings, social functions, fairs and festivals; Roop Basant, Nakabposh, Satyavadi Harishchandra and Raja Bharthari
- CharbaitSung contest (dangal)Place and whoTonkKnown forBegan under Nawab Faizullah Khan, started by Karim Khan Nihang; the singer, standing on his knees, plays the daph
- Phad vachanScroll recitationPlace and whoBhopasKnown forA painted cloth scroll of a folk deity's story, recited from village to village
- KathputliString puppet theatrePlace and whoBhat communityKnown forWooden puppets worked by strings; the dhaga-putli style is Rajasthan's giftFull notes →
Tat: string instruments
| Instrument | Played by | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Ravanhatha | Bhopas of Pabuji | Coconut-shell body, bamboo stick and a bow of horsehair |
| Jantar | Bhopas of the Gurjars | Like a veena, with two gourds; the strings are struck upward |
| Kamaicha | Manganiyars | Body carved from one piece of mango or rohida wood; 17 strings |
| Sindhi sarangi | Langas of Jaisalmer and Barmer | Carved from one block of wood; four playing strings of gut and 22 sympathetic steel strings |
| Surinda | Langas | |
| Tandura (chautara) | Kamads | Four strings; played with the bhajans of Ramdevji |
| Bhapang | Jogis of the Mewat region (Alwar area) | A string passing through a skin stretched over a gourd shell; accompanies bhajans |
Sushir: wind instruments
| Instrument | Played by | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Algoza | Two flutes blown together, one for the tune and one for the drone | |
| Satara | Meghwals of the Jaisalmer-Barmer area | Played on its own, without a singer, in intricate note patterns |
| Poongi | Kalbelias | Traditionally played to catch snakes |
| Mashak | Air bag of skin; its pipes play a drone or a tune | |
| Shehnai | Kuchamani and Shekhawati khyal | Also heard with the Ghoomar |
| Bankiya | Gair | Used in processions and ceremonies; in Gair it plays with the dhol and thali |
Avanaddh: skin-covered instruments
| Instrument | Played by | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Dhol | Gair and Ghoomar | Large, double-sided; beaten with wooden sticks |
| Dholak | Manganiyars and Langas, among many | Double-headed; played with both hands, usually seated |
| Nagara | Gindad; Hela khyal (the bam, a big nagara) | Large ones played standing with big sticks, smaller ones in pairs, seated; once a war drum |
| Chang | Holi in Shekhawati; Turra-Kalangi khyal | Each dancer of the Chang dance plays one |
| Daph | Charbait singers | Boys' daph songs are named after it |
| Khanjari | Kalbelias; Jogis | |
| Mandal | Bhils in Gavari |
Ghan: solid instruments
| Instrument | Played by | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Khartal (khadtal) | Manganiyars | Four thin wooden plates, two held in each hand, played with dance-like swings |
| Morchang | Langas | Small iron instrument pressed between the teeth; its tongue is struck with a finger and the mouth is the resonator |
| Manjira | Kamads; Jogis | Small metal cymbals |
| Thali | Gair and Gavari | Metal plate struck like a gong |
| Chimta | Rammat troupes; Jogis |
Singing communities and styles
- ManganiyarHereditary desert musiciansWhere and patronsJaisalmer and Barmer area; mainly Hindu patronsKnown forMuslims who pray to Krishna before a performance; songs of past rulers and battlesFull notes →
- LangaSingers of the Sindhi SipahisWhere and patronsJaisalmer and Barmer area; patrons are the Sindhi SipahisKnown forSing at all their patrons' ceremonies and lead the wedding procession to the bride's houseFull notes →
- JogiBallad singersWhere and patronsBanda village (Sawai Madhopur); the Jogis of the Mewat region (Alwar area)Known forBallads of Shiv-Parvati, Bharthari, Gopichand and Ramdev, sung sitting in a circle to the jogiya sarangi
- KamadRamdevji's devoteesWhere and patronsFairs and festivals of RamdevjiKnown forWomen dance Terah Tali; men play the manjira, tanpura and chautara
- Dholi, Mirasi, Dhadhi and othersProfessional music castesWhere and patronsCastes that took up music as a professionKnown forSongs decorated with small taans like khyal and thumri, carrying shades of ragas such as Maand, Des, Sorath and Maru
- MaandPadharo mhare desWhere and patronsBikaner's Allah Jilai Bai (Padma Shri, 1982)Known forHer rendering of this song is an open welcome to visitors
Folk songs
| Kind | Songs | When and where |
|---|---|---|
| Rites | Bana-bani, Bindola, Ghodi, Jala, Mayra, Haldi; Jachcha at a birth | Weddings and births; mostly sung by women |
| Festivals | Khelan do Gangaur; Teej songs; the Ghoomar song Mhari ghoomar chhe nakhrali | Gangaur, Teej and Holi; at Holi, troupes of men sing rasiya, hori and dhamal |
| Seasons | Fag, Beejan, Shiyala, Barahmasa, Cheti, Kajli, Jada; Sawan songs Chaumasa, Papaiyo, Badli, Mor | Sharad (the cold season), summer, rains and spring; songs praising Indra |
| Objects and feelings | Indoni, Kangasiyo, Gorband, Panihari, Loor, Olu, Supna, Hichki, Kajaliya, Kaga | Wishes and feelings told through nature or objects |
| Marusthal | Kurjan, Peepli, Ratan Rano, Moomal, Ghughari, Kevda | Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur |
| Mewar and the southern hills | Patelya, Bichhiyo, Lalar, Machhar, Nokhila, Thari Unta ri Aswari, Navri Aswari, Shikar; Hamsidho | Lands of the Bhils, Meenas, Garasias and Saharias; Hamsidho is sung by women and men together among the Bhils of north Mewar |
| Gods, goddesses and saints | Bhajans of Tejaji, Devji, Pabuji, Gogaji and Jujharji; padas of Meera, Kabir, Dadu and Raidas; Languriya of Kaila Devi | Languriya is very popular in Karauli; Krishna songs at Bharatpur and Kaman |
Remember: often mixed up
- Morchang's classghan (solid) on the Ministry of Culture's Indian Culture portal, and Rajasthan Tourism groups it with percussion; many exam books list it as sushir (wind).
- Bhapang's classexam books list it as tat (string); Rajasthan Tourism and Sahapedia call it a percussion instrument, a 'talking drum'.
- Kamaicha or Sindhi sarangikamaicha, Manganiyars · Sindhi sarangi, Langas.
- DangalCharbait of Tonk and Turra-Kalangi khyal of Mewar are both played as a sung contest (dangal).
- Mewar or desert songsBichhiyo, Lalar, Nokhila and Shikar (spelt Shikhar in a paper) are Mewar songs · Kurjan, Moomal and Peepli are desert songs.
Test yourself: asked in exams
CET Graduation Level 2022 · Q20
Which one of the following musical instrument is different from the other three?
- (1)Khadtal
- (2)Mashak
- (3)Shehnai
- (4)Algoza
Show answer
✓ (1) Khadtal
See the full paperRAS Prelims 2024 · Q128
Consider the following statements about the folk instrument 'Chautara' and choose the correct option from below : A. It is a four stringed instrument. B. It is generally used in singing bhajans of Ramdev ji.
- (1)Only A is true.
- (2)Only B is true.
- (3)A and B both are true.
- (4)A and B both are false.
Show answer
✓ (3) A and B both are true.
See the full paperCET Senior Secondary Level 2024 · Q25
In Rajasthan Bichchiyo, Lalar, Nokhila and Shikhar are:-
- (1)Folk Dramas
- (2)Folk Songs
- (3)Folk Dances
- (4)Playing Instruments
Show answer
✓ (2) Folk Songs
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