Art Matters: Lives Of The Mangniyars - Musicians Of The Thar Desert

The horrific murder of a Mangniyar - a folk singer from the deserts of Rajasthan - made headlines across the nation recently. The musician was killed by a village priest in Jaisalmer for allegedly angering the gods. The incident, which was seen as communal, soon led to threats being made to many other families from the Mangniyar tribe, eventually leading them to leave the village. This week on Art Matters, we look at the lives of the Mangniyars - musicians of the Thar desert, mainly from Jaisalmer and Barmer. They call themselves descendants of the Rajputs and are highly skilled folk musicians. Though Mangniyars are Muslim, their songs are mainly dedicated to Hindu deities. We explore how the murder of Ahmed Khan Mangniyar has triggered a familiar debate within the Mangniyar community, whose lives and music straddles two very different worlds.