‘It’s a good time for traditional musicians’

Bundu Khan hails from the Langa community of Rajasthan, and has been singing for the group since he was 11 years old. He comes from a family of musicians and received his early training in Sindhi sarangi from his father Ali Jan Khan and inherited his musical talent from his maternal grand-father Ustad Alauddin Khan Langa. He claims to have performed in 117 countries.

The music comprises traditional Rajasthan folk music and the genre is known as ‘Manda Gayaki’. The numbers are inspired by the deserts of Rajasthan and ‘Gorband’-the decorative cloth used for camels. Other than Sindhi Sarangi, dholak, harmonium and khartal, the group uses instruments such as ‘alghoza’ (a pair of wooden flutes) and ‘morchang’ (a wind percussion instrument consisting of a metal ring in the shape of a horseshoe with two parallel forks which form the frame).

With numerous music festivals being organised across the country that celebrate traditional music, the Kahlbeliyas feel that it is a good time for folk musicians. “Yes, it definitely is a good time for traditional musicians. That is how Indian traditional music is being recognised and appreciated across the world. People from various countries love to listen. They might not understand the language, but they understand the feelings behind the songs,” Bundu Khan said, adding that the group has never collaborated with any other band or musician and do not even intend to do so in future.

The group’s schedule is extremely busy for eight months of the year when they perform in wedding ceremonies in various parts of the country. “The four months of the year when there aren’t any weddings are the toughest to survive financially,” Bundu Khan said.