Lakha Khan

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Lakha Khan Mangniyar
Padma Shri Lakha Khan Manganiar (cropped).jpg
Lakha Khan receiving Padma Shri
Background information
Birth nameLakha Khan
Born1945 (age 79–80)
Raneri, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India
GenresRajasthani folk music, Sufi music
Occupation(s)Musician, vocalist
Instrument(s)Sindhi sarangi, vocals

Lakha Khan Mangniyar (born c. 1945) is an Indian folk musician, sarangi player, and vocalist from Rajasthan. He is widely regarded as one of the last remaining masters of the Sindhi sarangi, an instrument intrinsic to the musical traditions of the Manganiyar community. Khan has played a significant role in preserving and promoting Rajasthani folk and Sufi music at both national and international levels. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Early life and training

Lakha Khan was born in the village of Raneri in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, into a family of traditional Manganiyar musicians. He began learning music at a young age, initially studying vocal traditions before training in the Sindhi sarangi. By the age of 12, he had started performing publicly. [5]

Career

Khan’s early career was shaped by the influence of ethnomusicologist Komal Kothari, under whose mentorship he gained opportunities to perform across India. He later toured internationally, introducing the Sindhi sarangi and Rajasthani folk repertoire to audiences in over 40 countries, including the United States, Japan, Russia, and various parts of Europe. [6]

After a brief hiatus from international touring, Khan resumed global performances in the 2010s with Amarrass Records. He played at prestigious platforms such as WOMEX in Finland and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. [7]

Khan’s repertoire spans Rajasthani folk music, devotional bhajans, and Sufi music, often performed in multiple languages such as Marwari, Sindhi, Hindi, and Punjabi. His music is noted for its intricate melodies and deeply spiritual undertones. He frequently collaborates with his son, Dane Khan, who accompanies him on the dholak. [8]

Awards

Lakha Khan has been honored with several national and state-level awards for his contributions to traditional music.

References

  1. ↑ Rahman, Azera Parveen (9 December 2021). "Lakha Khan: 'Music is the reason I am here today'". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  2. ↑ "राजस्थानी लोक संगीत को पूरी दुनिया में पहचान दिलाने वाले लाखा खान को पदमश्री सम्मान". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  3. ↑ archive, From our online (15 May 2012). "Rajasthan's dying folk music finds a voice". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  4. ↑ "In pursuit of the link between blues and Indian folk". The Indian Express. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "सारंगी वादक लखां खान, जोधपूर के राणेरी के निवासी, पद्म श्री से अलंकृत". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Lakha Khan: India's traditional folk historian who sings of Muslims and Hindus". The Independent. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Sarangi maestro Lakha Khan to perform at Denmark's Roskilde Festival". The Indian Express. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Rajasthani folk music: Praising Krishna to the tune of Sindhi Sarangi". Hindustan Times. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  9. ↑ "सारंगी वादक लखा खान को पद्मश्री पुरस्कार के लिए नामित किया गया". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "लोक संगीत को दुनिया में पहुंचाने वाले लखां खान अब कहलाएंगे पद्म श्री". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "पद्मश्री पुरस्कार से सम्मानित सारंगी वादक लखां खान की कहानी". ETV Bharat (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Padma Awards 2021: राजस्थान के तीन सपूतों को मिला सम्मान". Patrika (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
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