The Manganiyars from Rajasthan, India's most famous folk music export, are all-male groups that perform songs that are traditionally sung by women
The Manganiyars from Rajasthan, India's most famous folk music export, are all-male groups that perform songs that are traditionally sung by women
The credit for the track Nimbooda sung by Kavita Krishnamurty, from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, goes to the Manganiyars. It was originally sung by Ghazni Khan Manganiyar and composed with female vocal parts in it.
Few know that most songs sung by the Manganiyars are songs that have been traditionally written for and sung by women.
"In the folk tradition, women in groups sing songs of the entire cycle of life. From the birth of a child, the head-shaving or mundan ceremony, all the different marriage rituals including mehendi, haldi-tel, pheras, bidaai, goad bharai and others. 
In some regions or classes, the women of the house don't sing, but invite women singers to sing these, such as ganvharins in Uttar Pradesh," explains Shefali Bhushan, founder, BeatofIndia.com, a site that documents and promotes folk music from different parts of the country.
The Manganiyar lineage can be traced back to the Rajputs, and most of them have been patronized by royalty. Like most folk musicians, the Manganiyars have a song for every occasion. For child-birth, they have a set of songs called badavna, for weddings it's banda, and when a girl is given away in marriage, they sing a set of songs called arni.
It's never mattered to the Manganiyars that they sing compositions that are sung by groups of women in other regions.
"Our women sing too but not so much out of the country. They sing in the villages around," says Dipu Khan Manganiyar, son of the Sindhi sarangi maestro Lakha Khan Manganiyar. "We sing a lot more alaaps than the women."
Even as the younger generations take to the visceral vocal and instrumentation styles practised by the Manganiyars, none of them has ever questioned the tradition of singing parts and lyrics that have been written for women.
And while an audience member might find it amusing that these vibrant turbaned men with fierce mustaches sing lines like "Meri suni saheliyon jaake zara layido/Chhota Nimbooda/Layido", the artistes think nothing of it.
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"Kala nahin badal sakte (We can't change tradition)," says Pappa Khan Manganiyar, who plays the dholak, of one of the songs that they've learnt by rote. Like all folk music, there are no music sheets when the Manganiyars take to stage.
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"Earlier, we used to take requests in the courts of Rajputs. Now, we just go up on stage. The songs are outpourings from our hearts, really," says Dipu.
What is the biggest difference then when a man sings a woman's song? "Unki awaaz aur bhi surili hai bas yeh hi antar hai (A woman's voice is far more melodious. That's the only difference)."
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Rukma Devi Manganiyar is the only female Manganiyar vocalist from Barmer in Rajasthan. The Khamaycha, a string instrument made from mango wood with 17 strings is played using a bow during performances.
Your intro to Manganiyar Music
If you haven't had a chance to catch the Manganiyars live, start with the Discover India series that includes songs of both the Manganiyars and Langas, also a famous folk music community from Rajasthan. The album includes tracks such as Kesariya banna and Nimbooda.
There's also Rajasthan folk volume series. It's not uncommon to see the Manganiyars and Langas clubbed together often since they are the most famous folk music communities from the State.
At Available at all leading music stores.
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