RANA

The tragic and entirely avoidable loss of life in Jodhpur due to the panic situation outside the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur is a matter of great grief to the entire Rajasthani and Indian community in the San Francisco Bay area. A number of Jodhpur natives live in the Bay area and are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. In this moment of untellable loss and profound personal sorrow, the Rajasthani community under the leadership of RANA (Rajasthan Association of North America) expresses solidarity with the families of those who suddenly lost their loved ones. The affected families are in the thoughts of all RANA families at this time. RANA will raise funds for the affected families and provide material support for relief operations. Let us all take strength in this difficult moment and resolve to never let any such situation occur again.

SATURDAY, OCT. 11, 6:30 p.m.
Campbell Recital Hall, Braun Music Center, Stanford

RUPAYAN:

RSVP required

SPECTACULAR FOLK MUSIC ENSEMBLE FROM RAJASTHAN

The Thar Desert region of Rajasthan has nurtured one of the most vibrant and evocative music cultures of the world. “Rupayan,” on tour with eight performers from the Langa andManganiar communities of hereditary professional musicians, were initially organized by the late ethnomusicologist and folklorist Komal Kothari of Jodhpur. They have performed in more than 200 venues in thirty countries.

The Langas and Manganiars are Muslim musicians who have traditionally performed for both Hindu and Muslim patrons. Many of their songs are in praise of Hindu deities and celebrate Hindu festivals such as Diwali and Holi. They also sing the the poetry of South Asia’s great Sufi poets. At one time, the Managaniars were musicians of the Rajput courts. The Langas (literally ’song givers’) are poets, singers, and instrumentalists from the Barmer district of Rajasthan who seem to have converted from Hinduism to Islam in the seventeenth century. They are versatile players of the Sindhi Sarangi and the Algoza (double flute), which accompany and echo their formidable voices. The Sindhi Sarangi is made up of four main wires, with more than twenty vibrating sympathetic strings which help to create its distinctive haunting tones. Another remarkable bowed instrument is the kamayacha of the Manganiars with its big, circular resonator, giving out a deep, booming sound. The music of Rajasthan is driven by pulsating rhythms created by an array of percussion instruments, the most popular being the dholak, a double headed barrel drum, whose repertoire has influenced other Indian drums including the tabla. Other instruments include the double flute, satara, and the hypnotic Jew’s harp or morchang.

The concert will include translation of selected song texts and Q & A with the musicians.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-sacred15-2008sep15,0,6552588.story

PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH

ABBASI PROGRAM IN ISLAMIC STUDIES
SACHI: Society for Art and Cultural Heritage of India
KALAPRIYA: Center for Indian Performing Arts, Chicago (www.kalapriya.org)
RANA: Rajasthan Association of North America