Lakha Khan Mangniyar (born c. 1945) is an Indian folk musician, sarangi player, and vocalist from

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

. 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 The Manganiar are a Muslim community found in the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan, India; mostly in the districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer, and in the districts of Tharparkar and Sanghar in the bordering province of Sindh in Pakistan. They are k ...

community. Khan has played a significant role in preserving and promoting Rajasthani folk and

Sufi music Sufi music refers to the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets like Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusrow, and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. Qawwali is the best-known form of Sufi music and is most commonly found in ...

at both national and international levels.

Early life and training

Lakha Khan was born in the village of Raneri in the

Jodhpur district Jodhpur district () is a district in the State of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Jodhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district. As of the 2011 census, it is the second highest populated district of Rajasthan (out of 33), ...

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.

Career

Khan’s early career was shaped by the influence of ethnomusicologist

Komal Kothari Komal Kothari (1929–2004) was an Indian folklorist and ethnomusicologist. Komal Kothari had devoted his life to investigation and documentation of folk traditions of western Rajasthan. Kothari received the honour of Padma Shri and Padma Bhusha ...

, 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. 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 WOMEX (short for Worldwide Music Expo) is an international world music support and development project based in Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany ...

in Finland and the

Roskilde Festival The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...

in Denmark. Khan’s repertoire spans Rajasthani folk music, devotional

bhajans Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...

, and

, 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.

Awards

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

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

(2021): India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the folk arts. *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...

(2008): Conferred by India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama for his excellence in folk traditions. * Marudhara Foundation Award: Recognized for his work in preserving Rajasthani heritage.

References

External links

Amarrass Records – Lakha Khan profile

Lakha Khan – Live at WOMEX 2019

Aga Khan Museum – Artist Bio

Indian Express – Lakha Khan at Roskilde Festival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Lakha Indian musicians Indian folk musicians Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award People from Jodhpur district Living people 1945 births Singers from Rajasthan