Folk Music and Musical Instruments of Rajasthan

Folk Music and Musical Instruments of Rajasthan reflect the vibrant cultural heritage preserved through generations. In Rajasthan history, folk music has played a vital role in storytelling, rituals, and celebrations, often accompanied by traditional instruments like the sarangi, kamayacha, and dholak that echo the spirit of the desert land.

Folk Music

Folk songs are musical and poetic expressions passed down through generations in oral traditions. They reflect the emotions, experiences, and daily lives of common people. Rabindranath Tagore called them art of culture, which is a carrier of a pleasant and delightful message, while Mahatma Gandhi described them as “the language of people and custodians of our culture.” Folk Songs Can Be Primarily Divided into Three Types – 

1. Folk Songs of the General Public
2. Folk Songs of Professional Castes
3. Regional Folk Songs

Folk Songs of the General Public

These songs are sung by common people during various social and religious occasions. The themes of these songs include rites, seasons, festivals, and folk deities.

Ritual-Related Songs :- 

• Jachcha: Songs sung at the birth of a child.
• Ghooghri: Sung by women, especially during celebrations of childbirth.
• Badhawa, Bana-Bani, Bindhola, Jala, Ghodi: Songs associated with weddings and other rituals.
• Haalariya: A folk song sung in the Jaisalmer region on the occasion of a child’s birth.
• Kaman Var: Sung to protect against witchcraft or evil spells.
• Seethne: These are “Gali Geet” (taunting songs) sung during weddings by the bride’s side to the groom’s relatives.
• Bindhola (Bandola): Sung while inviting the groom’s relatives and again during their departure before the wedding.
• Ghodi: Sung during the ghurchadhi ritual (the groom’s ceremonial horseback ride).
• Jala: Sung during the inspection of the wedding camp by the bride’s female relatives.
• Olyun: Sung at the time of the bride’s farewell.
• Pawana: Sung by women upon the arrival of a new son-in-law.
• Falsa: Sung during the arrival of guests at weddings.

Seasonal Songs :-

• Papaiyo: A plea by the beloved to meet her lover through the cuckoo bird during the rainy season.
• Peepali: A popular separation song sung during the rainy season, particularly in the Marwar and Shekhawati regions.
• Mor: Describes the calls of the peacock.
• Kuranja: Sung in the Marwar region, where a heroine addresses the kuranja bird during the rainy season. Example: “Kuranja e Mharo Bhanwar Mila Dijo Ae” (“Kuranja, help me meet my beloved”).
• Songs like Saawan, Chaumasa, and Peepali celebrate seasonal changes like monsoons, festivals, and related symbols.
• Suwatiya: A separation song sung by the Bhil women in the Mewar region during the rainy season, where she sends a message to her husband through a parrot.
• Heendo/Heendolya: Sung by women while swinging on swings during the Shravan month.

Festival-Related Songs :-

• Gangaur: Sung during the worship of Gangaur. Example: “Khelan Do Gangaur Bhanwar Mhane Khelan Do Gangaur”.
• Ghudla and Ghoomar: Sung during Holi and Teej festivals. Example: “Ghudlo Ghumela Ji Ghumela Ghudla Re Bandhyo Soot”.
• Ghoomar: A dance and song performed during Gangaur and Teej festivals. Ghoomar has become a symbol of Rajasthan’s identity. Example: “Mhari Ghoomar Che Nakhrali Maa Gori Ghoomar Ramva Mhain Jasyan”.

Songs Related to Local Deities :- 

• Tejaji, Devji, Pabuji, Gogaji: Songs about the bravery of these deities.
• Teja ji: A popular song of farmers, sung while worshiping Tejaji during farming.
• Local Goddesses: Songs dedicated to goddesses such as Sati Mata, Sheetla Mata, and Diyadi Mata.
• Hymns of Meera, Kabir, Dadu, Raidas, etc., also hold significant importance.
• Languriya Songs: Devotional songs sung by the devotees of Kaila Devi in Karauli, accompanied by Languriya Dance.
• Lavani: Songs related to the worship of deities; the Lavani of Bhartrihari is famous. (Lavani can also be romantic songs).
• Rasiya: Devotional songs for Krishna, popular in the Bharatpur-Dholpur region.
• Harjas: Devotional songs related to the divine plays (leelas) of Ram and Krishna, sung on auspicious occasions.

Miscellaneous Folk song :- 

• Indoni: Songs sung by Kalbelia women while fetching water.
• Panihari: Songs sung at water sources (ponds or wells) that describe the virtues of a devoted and steadfast wife.
• Kangsiyo: A romantic song sung during the Gangaur festival.
• Jhorawa: Sung in the Jaisalmer region when a woman’s husband travels far away.
• Hichki: Sung when remembering a loved one, especially in the Alwar-Mewat region, by women.
• Mumal: A romantic song from Jaisalmer, describing the beauty of Princess Mumal of Lodrava (Jaisalmer).

Folk Songs of Professional Castes

These songs are performed professionally by Rajasthan’s tribal and occupational groups such as the Dholis, Dhadhis, Mirasis, Langas, Manganiyars, Bhats, and Kalbeliyas.

Langa Singing :-

• Region: Western Rajasthan (Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner).
• Special Features:
  • Badwana Village in Barmer is known as the village of Langas.
• Main Instruments: Kamaicha and Sarangi.
• Famous Song: “Neebuda” (identity song of Langas).
• Famous Artists:
  • Fuse Khan, Mahardeen Khan, Alladeen Khan, and Kareem Khan Langa.

Maand Singing :- 

• Origin: Jaisalmer.
• Prominent Regions: Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Bikaner.
• Famous Song: “Kesariya Balam Aavo Ni Padharo Mhare Desh”, a welcoming invitation to tourists.

• Other Notable Maand Singers:
  • Gavari Devi (Bikaner)
  • Gavari Bai (Pali)
  • Mangi Bai (Udaipur)
  • Banno Begum (Jaipur)
  • Jameela Bano (Jodhpur)

Manganiyar Singing :- 

• Region: Barmer and Jaisalmer.
• Special Features:
  • Main Instruments: Kamaicha and Khartal.
• Famous Artists:
  • Sadiq Khan (The Magician of Khartal), Sakar Khan (Kamaicha Player), Gafur Khan, Rukma Devi, Ramzan Khan, and Samandar Khan.
  • In 2002, the Sadiq Khan Manganiyar Lok Kala Parishad (Lok Rang) was established in Jaipur in Sadiq Khan’s memory.

Talbandi Singing

• Region: Eastern Rajasthan (Bharatpur, Alwar, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur).
• Language: Braj Bhasha.
• Special Features:
  • Based on the classical tradition of singing ragas and raginis.
  • Collective singing of ancient verses (Padavali).
  • Brief Alaapchari (melodic introduction) before singing.
• Main Instruments: Sarangi, Harmonium, Dholak, Tabla, Jhanjh, and Nagada (occasional).
• Popular Taals (Rhythms): Dwi-Taal, Dadra, Dhamar, Ektaal, Jhaptal.

Regional Folk Songs

These songs are primarily associated with different regions and ethnic cultures. Each region’s songs reflect its local traditions, attire, and historical contexts.

Desert Region Songs:

• Region: Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and other desert areas.
• Characteristics:
  • These songs are melodious and echo well due to the vast desert landscape.
  • Songs are in high pitches and long melodies.
• Examples: Kurjan, Pipli, Ratan Rano, Moomal, Ghughari, Kevda.
• Musical Communities: Kamad, Bhopi, Sargade, Mirasi, and other musical communities.

Mountain Region Songs:

• Region: Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Sirohi, and Abu.
• Characteristics:
  • These songs are in initial stage thus they are simple, brief, and have fewer variations in melody and lyrics.
  • They have a repetitive structure, and people dance to the beat of the “Madal”.
• Examples: Patelya, Bichhiyo, Lalar.
• Community: These songs are popular among tribes like Bhil, Meena, and Garasia.
  

Plains Region Songs:

• Region: Jaipur, Kota, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli, and Dholpur.
• Characteristics:
  • These songs are diverse and have a wider range of vocal melodies.
  • Devotional and romantic songs (Bhakti and Sringaar Ras) are prominent.

Folk Musical Instruments of Rajasthan

The vast array of Rajasthani folk instruments are made ingeniously from a variety of materials available in Rajasthan, that give them peculiar sound. Both percussion instruments and stringed instruments have been used in Rajasthani folk songs. Shells of dried gourds of all shapes and sizes are used forgorse stems or bamboo segments for flutes and baked clay pots for drums. The folk music instruments are classified into following major types:

1. String Music Instruments
   • Sarangi, Ravanhatta, Kamaycha, Ektara, Ravaj,  Rabab, Jantar, Bhapang, Gujri. 
2. Wind Instruments
   • Pungi, Satara, Algoza, Murla, Nad and Shehnai
3. Autophonic Instruments
   • Ghanti, Ghungroo, Manjeera, Khartal & Jhalar
4. Percussion Instruments
   • Dhol, Chang, Moisang, Nagara

Tatya Vadya – String Music Instruments

Instruments having strings fall under this category.

• Sound is produced by the vibration of a string or chord.
• Vibrations are caused by plucking or by bowing on the string which has been pulled taut.
• Length of string/wire, degree to which it has been tightened, determines the pitch of the note and also to some extent the duration of the sound.

Sarangi

• Most well-known string instrument of Rajasthan.
• Multi-stringed instrument that is played by using a bow drawn across the strings and running of fingers on the strings.
• It is made from teak, kair and rohida wood, its lower part is covered with goat skin. It has 27 strings.
• Langas of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jogis of Marwar use Sarangi.

Jantar

• Jantar resembles Veena in form and has two tumbas.
• Its Daand is made up of Bamboo with 5-6 wires.
• This instrument is used by Bhopas of Gurjars when singing the story of Bagadawats.

Ravanhatta 

• Ravanhatta is also a kind of sarangi.
• The Instrument is made from a belly of half coconut shell and has a body of bamboo.
• It has two main strings(horse hairs) and a variable number of supporting strings.
• The Rawanhathha of the Thori or Nayak Bhopas is probably the earliest instrument played with a bow, and this humble instrument could well be the precursor of the violin.
• The bow has ghungroos (bells) attached to it.
• Ravanhatta is the main instrument used while reciting Phad of Pabuji.

Kamaycha

• Kamachya has three main strings of gut, besides nine supplementary and four sympathetic steel strings all passing through a broad bridge.
• The long wooden curved bow of horse-tail hair moving on all the strings is characteristic of this instrument.
• It is used exclusively by the Manganiyars in the Jaisalmer-Barmer region.
• Sakar Khan and Dapu Khan are some of the most well-known players of the Kamaicha

Iktara

• Iktara is generally played by Nath, Kalbelia,  saints. Meera Bai used to play this instrument.
• It is a single string instrument, mounted on the belly of a gourd attached to a body made of bamboo.
• Versions: The Galaleng Jogis of Dungarpur and Banswara have twin gourded Kendru appears akin to the ancient Kinnari Veena, and it has often been called the Keengri in Rajasthan literature. The Chautara, also called the Tandoora or Nissan , is also a popular five stringed drone and beat instrument used as an accompaniment to devotional music and for the Terahtali dance.

Rawaj

• This instrument is similar to Sarangi.
• It is played by using nails and had 12 strings.
• It is usually played by Raos and Bhats of Mewar.

Bhapang 

• Bhapang is a single stringed instrument & is also known as ‘talking drum’.
• Bhapang is mainly played by jogi’s of Alwar region.
• The instrument is made up of tumba made out of long gourd. The lower part of the tumba is covered by animal skin while the upper part is empty.

SUSHIRA VADYA – Wind Music Instruments

• Instruments, where air is blown by mouth for music. Sound is produced by blowing air into a hollow column.
• Pitch of the note is determined by controlling the air passage and the melody is played by using the fingers to open and close the instrument.
• The simplest of these instruments is the flute. Generally flutes are made of bamboo or wood and the Indian musician prefers these due to the tonal and musical attributes of these materials.

Pungi

• Pungi or Poongi is made of gourd or tumbi.
• Pungi is generally played by Snake charmers (Kalbelias & Jogis.)

Algoza

• Algoza is a flute made of Bamboo tube. It has two flutes with four holes each.
• Two algojas are played together by keeping them in the mouth. One produces ‘sa’ and the other produces a different note. 
• Ramnath choudhary plays Algoza with the Nose.
• Algoza are the favourite instrument of Bheels & Kalbelias.

Moorchang

• It is also called Jew’s Harp of Rajasthan. 
• It is a small instrument made of iron. It is played by keeping it between the lips. 
• It is used to give rhythm to songs.

Satara

• Satara is an integrated form of Algoza, Flute and Shehnai.
• It has two long tubes and has six holes like shehnai.

Shehnai

• Shehnai is made out of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end.
•  It usually has between six and nine holes.
• By controlling the breath, various tunes can be played on it.

GHANA VADYA – Autophonic Music Instruments

• Earliest instruments invented by man are said to be the Ghana Vadya. Once constructed, this variety of instrument does not need special tuning prior to playing.

Manjeera

• It is round in shape and made of brass & bronze mixed together.
• The shape of hemispherical metal cups struck against each other. They have different kinds like jhanit and tala.
• Manjeera is the main instrument in Terah Talli dance.

Khadtal

• Khadtal is made of small cymbals incrustated into wood blocks.
• It is played with both hands.

Jhalar

• Jhalar is another variety of musical instrument, which is formed by a single metal plate, the thali.
• This is struck in various ways producing different kinds of tones and rhythms.

Ghungroo

• Ghungroo is one of many small metallic bells strung together to form ghungroos.

AVANADDHA VADYA – Percussion Music Instruments

• A percussion instrument produces a sound by being hit with an object. 
• Sound is produced by striking the animal skin which has been stretched across an earthen or metal pot or a wooden barrel or frame.

Nagara

• The Nagara is a folk drum played with the Surnai and Nafeeri (the two sticks).
• During ancient times, they were usually played during important ceremonies.
• The Tasha and Shehnai usually accompany this instrument.

Matkas

• The Matkas of Pabuji and the Ghada are a pair of huge earthenware pots, their mouths covered with membrane.
• One player plays each Matka, and the Bhopas use it to accompany their singing. The whole effect is heightened by the graceful dance of the player.

Madal

• This is an ancient folk instrument in the shape of a Mridang which is made of clay. 
• It has one small mouth and one large mouth which are called Nari and Nar respectively. 
• Bhils use it during Gavari dance and Garasia and Dangi dances. Bhils plays it in Gavari drama. It is considered to be the instrument of Shiva-Parvati.

Taasha 

• Taasha is a flat and thin drum-shaped instrument made of copper. 
• It is like a flat plate and a thin goat leather is covered on it. This instrument is played with two thin bamboo strips. It produces a tadbad-tadbad sound.

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