Rajasthan

Gypsies, Historians, Jesters

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Three things you should know about Rajasthani Musicians

1. Gypsies (or ‘Roma’ people) claim their origins in Rajasthan 
El Farruco and Rajki Sapera in a Flamenco/ Kalbeliya dance-off at Jodhpur RIFF, 2009

Tony Gatlif made a beautiful musical history of the Roma people, ”Latcho Drom’ (‘Safe Journey’). Watch this first section, shot in Rajasthan.
2. Folk musicians in Rajasthan are geneologists and oral historians too.
Vinod Joshi, from the Jaipur Virast Foundation, with Koja Ram, explaining the storybox-mobile temple tradition of the Kawad, Jodhpur RIFF 2009
For generations rajput royals, as well as their carpenters, tailors, cooks and iron mongers, have relied on these turbaned minstrels-cum-geneologists to keep track of birth, deaths and marriages in their families, so they don’t accidentally marry a cousin, or worse.
This party of Manganiyars, from near Barmer, are particularly wonderful
3. The ‘bahrupiyas’ (Rajasthani comedians) may have been considered lower caste, but they alone have the right to abuse the king
Check out this film trailer about Hajari Bhand, an especially cheeky ‘bahrupiya’  and listen to his style of cursing!

One thought on “Gypsies, Historians, Jesters”

  1. This is the Most Popular Rajasthani Folk Music that had developed in the royal courts and the local musician play it.traditional instruments are played by the musicians and the folk singers sing the glory and praise of the rajput rulers like Tejaji,Goga ji & Ramdev ji..

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