David Dalle
Thursday February 4th, 2021 with David Dalle
Lakha Khan, Rajasthani sindhi-sarangi master live in concert; a conversation with Amarrass Records' Ankur Malhotra.

Lakha Khan is the master of the Rajasthani sindhi sarangi, a bowed instrument which is very difficult to master. Due to this difficulty, like the sarangi in Hindustani music and Qawwali, it has been largely replaced in its traditional role accompanying singers by the harmonium. Now in his 8th decade, Lakha Khan is one of the few remaining virtuosos of this instrument. He was born in Rajasthan into the Manganiyar caste of traditional musicians and is now one of the community's elder stars. Despite persistent caste discrimination, he should be held up as a model of pluralism and tolerance in modern India. Manganiyars are a Muslim community, but Lakha Khan performs secular and sacred songs from both Hindi and Sufi repertoires and sings in six languages. The Indian government seems to agree, as Lakha Khan was just awarded the Padma Shri, one of its highest civilian awards. We will hear Lakha Khan recorded live in concert in Copenhagen, 2016, released on Amarrass Records last year. Lakha Khan sings and plays the sindhi sarangi and is accompanied by his son Dane Khan. https://amarrass.bandcamp.com/