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Rhythms of India

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

India's rich and diverse culture and history revealed by its music.

Composer Soumik Datta travels around India exploring the country's rich and diverse culture and history through its music.

Rhythms of India: Music of the People

BBC Four

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Soumik Datta

Richard Bright

Ben Harding

Rhythms of India: Series 1: Music of the People

Music of the People

Series 1

BBC Four - Rhythms of India, Series 1, Music of the People

Musician Soumik Datta explores India’s rich and diverse musical culture.

Soumik Datta continues his journey around India by exploring traditional music. From folk singers to brass bands, how are musicians responding to a rapidly modernising India?

In the second episode of Soumik Datta’s musical travels around India, he goes in search of the country’s folk and religious music - the traditional music of ordinary people. In the southern Indian state of Kerala, home to some of the oldest religious music in India, he visits the Panchari Melam, a spectacular Hindu festival with extraordinary displays of massed drumming.  And in Maharashtra, he discovers how the brass band tradition, with its origins in the military bands of the British Raj, is falling out of favour as the staple of Indian wedding processions. In Bengal he encounters Baul singers, part of a tradition  of  wandering musicians, mystic minstrels whose music is intended to to spread a message of spiritual enlightenment. And in the deserts of Rajasthan he discovers how the rich folk heritage of the region is drawing tourists from around the world and helping sustain communities. Throughout his journey, he marvels at how the music of ordinary people continues to play an important role in their lives and reflects the challenges facing communities across India as they adapt to a fast changing world.

Rhythms of India: Series 1

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From folk singers in Rajasthan to hip-hop artists in Delhi, Soumik Datta explores how India’s musical diversity helps us understand the nation’s past and its fast changing present.

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