Musical Troupe for Maenzraath

Musical Troupe for Maenzraath prepare for Bach Nagma Jashan

Old instruments mix with new.

From left to right:

• The Man on Bongo – the man also gave shrill high pitched timbre voice typical to the chorus of most fast paced Kashmiri songs.
• The Man with Khanjari –  a flat metal plate with small discs at its rim to produce high-pitched clanging sound when the plate is struck on palm of the hand.
• Bacha – the singer-dancer, the star of the proceedings, putting on gungroos.
• Man with the Nout – Eastman colored pitch to produce the thump.
• The lead singer on harmonium.
• The man and his Rabaab – an ancient stringed instrument from central Asia.
• Switches and Electric plugs and wire and mikes, that seem to make it all happen.
• Man with his Electronic Percussion.

Stage is set.

Just after dinner, around 10 pm., the troupe start the celebration, always with a Kashimiri Bhajan. Those who want to leave start to leave and those who can stay and have to stay, the close relatives – stay. A few more Bhajans, some devotional songs later, the real singing and dancing starts with Bacha taking the lead. Bacha is always a Muslim. The only other Muslim in this musical troupe comprising of Pandits-Hindus, is the Rabaab player.

The dancing and singing goes on till 5 in the moring and always ends with songs for gods.