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Outlook: Balochistan’s mystery benjo man, part 1

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Ustad Noor Baksh with his benjo

06/03/2024 GMT

Balochistan’s mystery benjo man, part 1

BBC World Service - Outlook, Balochistan’s mystery benjo man, part 1

The epic quest to find an elderly Pakistani musician and his unusual stringed instrument

Daniyal Ahmed was mesmerised by a clip of an elderly musician playing the benjo – an obscure stringed instrument with typewriter keys. So began his epic search across Pakistan.

Daniyal Ahmed is a flute player and anthropologist who spends his time searching out and documenting folk music across Pakistan. In 2018, he was mesmerised by a video clip of an elderly man – described as a “poor fisherman” – expertly playing a benjo, an obscure stringed instrument that looks like a cross between a guitar and a typewriter. So began Daniyal’s hunt for this mystery master musician.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Maryam Maruf

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Ustad Noor Bakhsh, the so-called “poor fisherman,” with his benjo. Credit: Khaula Jamil)

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