Music and Arts
Rajasthan music school trains ustads of tomorrow
Gunsar Folk Music Institute of Jaisalmer is wowing audiences across the world with soulful songs by its students from the poor Manganiyar community.
Mandala art and Kashmir’s shikara sorceress
Mahira Shah, a 21-year-old artist from Kashmir, has overcome several challenges to pursue her passion, finally winning laurels for creating ‘world's smallest mandala shikara’.
The ‘art houses’ of Odisha’s Santal tribe
The colourful murals painted by Santal women are a centre of attraction in Mayurbhanj district. The community believes that the artworks adorning the mud walls of homes appease their god and ancestors, ensuring their health and prosperity.
Young musicians revive Sufi music in Kashmir
On this World Music Day on June 21, we feature two young musicians from Jammu and Kashmir who are working to revive the traditional Sufi music in the region by playing and promoting traditional instruments like the rabab and sarangi.
Teachers provide skill training to Udaipur jail prisoners
Inmates are being taught several things – from music and dance to yoga and food processing – so that they heal their scars and rediscover self-esteem.
Madhya Pradesh rural women’s band sings bhajans with a cause
The Saraswati Mahila Bhajan Mandal, a group of women from Dhamanya village in southern Madhya Pradesh, spreads a powerful message through their soulful songs inspired by Sant Singaji Maharaj and Kabir.
First musical band of high-altitude Ladakh riding high
Blending traditional folk music with rock, Dashug is extremely popular since it also focuses on critical social issues.
Alive with the sound of music
Dashug, a music band from Ladakh that was formed in 2020, is riding a wave of popularity in the region because its music remains rooted in local folk songs.
All that glitters in Antia village is indeed gold
The centuries-old use of golden grass in making crafts is financially empowering the women of Jajpur in Odisha. A GI tag and aggressive marketing can improve things further.
Dying Siali craft keeps Mankidia tribe on the edge
The tribe was displaced from the Similipal forest when it became a national park, which reduced access to the Siali creeper they weave into ropes and baskets.
‘Folk dance is being appreciated more now’
Traditional art forms are slowly gaining wider recognition in the country but we need more support for the youngsters who want to pursue it as a career, say Kerala-based renowned dancer Daksha Sheth and her musician husband Devissaro.
Have you seen these traditional Indian dances yet?
Dialects, dresses, cuisines, rituals… There is always something new to learn about India. This World Dance Day, here are some traditional dance forms from across the country that’ll make you want to shake a leg.
Music band rings in new dawn for ex-prisoners
Naya Savera is a unique band comprising former inmates of Udaipur Central Jail out to shrug off their past for redeeming themselves.
Mizo singer’s journey from local church to Padma Shri
Singing her way through her childhood, KC Runremsangi of Mizoram cut her first music album when she was 23. At 60 now, she has been conferred with the Padma Shri award for popularising Mizo folk songs through her albums and teaching youth.
Kerala’s Kannadippaya bamboo mat and the quest for identity
Weaving a Kannadippaya is an exquisite, age-old skill possessed by elderly women in remote tribal settlements spread over the southern Western Ghats range in Kerala.
Die cast for vanishing cowbells of Jharkhand
Blacksmiths practising the ancient art form of making cowbells are struggling to make ends meet as sales have dipped, with rural folks keeping fewer cattle now.
FTLO art, visit this West Bengal village
Country folks from a rugged, tree-lined rural corner of West Bengal that only a handful had ever heard of have transformed their village into one giant art project.
Theyyam – Narrating stories of gods
Theyyam, also known as kaliyattam, derives its origin from the Malayalam word "daivam", which means god. The performance, held mostly in the rural districts of Kannur and Kasargod of Kerala between December and April, is often confused with the more popular Kathakali, thanks to its elaborate costume, headgear and makeup. However, there are more than 450 forms of theyyam, each with a distinct costume, makeup and ritual. Like many other traditional performing art forms of the country, theyyam too uses the elements of dance, music and theatre to narrate the stories of deities or legendary heroes.
‘We brought Shakespeare to Punjab stage’
As a class X student in Amritsar, Rajinder Singh started Dastak, a theatre group, in 1996 because he could not access theatre training due to lack of resources. We speak to him about his fascinating storytelling journey.
Tribal artist creates coat of many colours for PM
Sakshi Bhyadiya from Jhobat in Madhya Pradesh found fame when PM Modi wore a jacket with Pithora artwork painted by her.