Rajasthani musical trail with Bandish Bandits

Jul 31, 2020 • 2 min read

Bandish Bandits will mount offbeat locations linked to myths, legends, and folklores; shooting included the sand dunes of Tapu, the grand Mehrangarh Fort, and the market bustle around Ghanta Ghar in Jodhpur among other nooks and corners of Rajasth...

The lead pair of Bandish Bandits, the new musical series by Amazon Prime Video set in Rajasthan, lists the cultural highlights of the state.

Rajasthan, the north-western state of India is a colourful ride on the sands of time. Here is India’s quintessential land of maharajas and medieval forts, palaces and tigers, and kaleidoscopic festivals. Rajasthan is the jewel in India’s crown.

Rajasthan has musical traditions encompassing different genres of music. These include raga-based Hindustani classical music, mystical Sufi songs, vibrant folk music, and ballads. The famous gharanas or schools of Hindustani or north Indian classical music are associated with cities like Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Udaipur. The 19th-century Jaipuri-Atrauli gharana or musical fraternity is very famous.

Bandish Bandits will mount offbeat locations linked to myths, legends, and folklores; shooting included the sand dunes of Tapu, the grand Mehrangarh Fort, and the market bustle around Ghanta Ghar in Jodhpur among other nooks and corners of Rajasth...

Rajasthani music employs a wide variety of percussion and stringed musical instruments. Bowed and stringed instruments like the sarangi, Ravanhatha, kamaycha, winged instruments like the pungi and percussions like dhol and damru are all popular among street musicians and folk singers of Rajasthan.

Dress codes are associated with some of the styles of music played in Rajasthan. The Manganiyars and Langas are folk musicians distinguished by their gaily coloured oversized turbans and white dhotis. Banjaras, tamasha, nautanki, and rasleela are themes of street musical performances combining theatre, puppetry, and dervish like whirls to the company of music.

In recent times Rajasthan has showcased vibrant international musical festivals held in the surrounds of the grand fort of Mehrangarh in Jodhpur. Rajasthan’s traditional music lends itself seamlessly to modern fusion music with vibrant jam sessions.

Bandish Bandits is the first Indian series on the OTT platform that takes audiences through a musical trail across Rajasthan. Bandish is a lyrical and melodic composition in Hindustani music that is soulful to listen to.