Search - Musafir :: Gypsies of Rajasthan

At first sight it's only desert and plains, but the north­west Indian state of Rajasthan bares artists, that are the holy carriers of the spirituall traditions. The respect and high regard to art, philosophy and spirituality of its history is reflected in the every day life of the people. In the centers of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer there are many temples, monuments and the very special atmosphere, in which art is expressed in every form. Muslimes and Hindus live peacefully side by side and often honour the same sacred objects ­ as for instant ­ the temple Baba Ramdev in Runeja. Both have the same entrance to the sanctuary, but interpret them differently. These interpretations are reflected in the music. While the moslem artists hold strongly to the classic model, the hindu gypsies have a playful way of expressing the mythological themes. Choreography, dance, puppetry, snake charming and fakir shows, make the musical presentation to a show of illusion and magic. Hameed Khan, professional musician from Jaipur, initiated the band project MUSAFIR to present the music of Rajasthan to the rest of the world. After an experimental phase with multi cultural formations in Europe, the famous Tabla musician turned back to his original roots. The general freedom of the Rajasthani music and Hameed Khans knowledge, diktate the open performance and fusion of the Rajasthani folklore. Hammed Khan, who is constantly looking for new talents in Rajasthan, is named to be the great musicians of the "Gypsies of Rajasthan". The presentation of the songs on this CD, take you on a musical journey through Rajasthan. The song "Baba Ramdev", for example, is dedicated to the holy Ramdev, who is worshipped by both Muslims and Hindus. The song "Musafir ­ The Trip" shows the difficulty of the nomad life as a gypsy trying to meet fellow countrymen. As a live act ­ the music from MUSAFIR turns into a show of magic and illusions.