Flutes of Rajasthan - Music of the Surnaiya Langa
Karim Khan Langa and Mala Khan Langa







Karim Khan, perhaps the most emminent musician of the surnaiya langa community, playing the double flute - dedhi jodi pawa.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
Mala Khan, playing the narh.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
Alauddin Khan with the sarinda. This is the only string instrument that is used to accompany the wind instruments of the surnaiya langas.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
Dedhi jodi meaning a pair that is one and a half. These are double flutes, the longer one serving as a drone. These flutes are called pawa, satara or algoza. Rajasthani musicians, and the surnaiya langas in particular have decorative bead work as embellishments.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
The jodi pawa or double flute. It is also referred to as algoza or satara. This pair has bandings of silver, a gift from the patron of the musician.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
The murli is a commonly played instrument among the surnaiya langa. It has a gourd body and twin flutes in one piece, one of which serves as a drone.
Photo by Sravan Kumar. Courtesy of ARCE.
This album showcases a range of wind instruments played by Karim Khan Langa and Mala Khan Langa of the Surnaiya Langa, one of the hereditary castes of musicians of Western Rajasthan. They are part of the Jajmani patronage system, and are musicians of the Sindhi Sipahi, a herding community. Surnaiya Langa play only wind instruments, though they play the sarinda, a stringed instrument, as an accompaniment to wind instruments. Karim Khan is one of the foremost musicians of this community. Mala Khan, his brother is one of the few Surnaiya Langas who play the narh.
Track Listing
101
|
Sindhi Rag Rano | Karim Khan Langa | 7:50 | |
102
|
Sindhi Rag Jog | Karim Khan Langa | 10:46 | |
103
|
Rajasthani Rag Khamaichi | Karim Khan Langa | 10:28 | |
104
|
Rajasthani Rag Soob | Karim Khan Langa and Mala Khan Langa | 10:52 | |
105
|
Barag | Karim Khan Langa | 8:36 | |
201
|
Rajasthani Rag Asa | Karim Khan Langa | 11:32 | |
202
|
Rajasthani Rag Bhairvi | Karim Khan Langa and Ajim Khan Langa | 9:43 | |
203
|
Rajasthani Rag Sorath | Karim Khan and Ajim Khan Langa | 8:49 | |
204
|
Barsalo | Karim Khan Langa | 12:22 | |
301
|
Rajasthani Rag Bilawal | Karim Khan Langa | 12:49 | |
302
|
Lodau dhun | Mala Khan Langa | 9:26 | |
303
|
Banna Makhna | Mala Khan Langa | 14:44 | |
304
|
Lali | Mala Khan Langa | 3:42 |