The Padma Shri is a civilian award given by the government of India to individuals who make distinguished contributions in their field. Padma Shri Lakha Khan was awarded in 2021 for his music, for being the greatest living exponent of the Sindhi Sarangi and for being the keeper of the ancient tradition of the Manganiyars.

The centrepiece of this tour is a visit to Lakhaji’s home in the village of Raneri in the Rajasthan desert. A private concert in the room where he regularly practices is followed by lunch, cooked by his family. To listen to his music in the setting where it originated is to encounter true artistic greatness in as close a proximity as can ever be possible.

Our tour begins in Jodhpur where we stay at the Pal Haveli, by the Clock Tower. Next to the hotel is what is the most beautiful fort in Rajasthan, Mehrangarh. The following day, we drive to Raneri to experience Lakhaji’s hospitality and his magic. In the evening, the tour moves with a short drive to Jaisalmer, the site of another fabulous fort. Here the next day we have several other unique experiences. The first is at the home of Mohan Lal Lohar, who produces the Morchang, the Rajasthani form of the Jew’s Harp. Mohanji shows us how he melts metal down to produce and hone the instruments, which are among the finest in the world. The second treat is to listen, again in a private and intimate concert, to the Barmer Boys, a trio that was put together by Amarrass and which has performed around the world, in a special setting.

In the village of Hamira, a half hour from Jaisalmer, we go to the house of yet another of the greats: Ustad Ghewar Khan, who plays the Kamaicha, another stringed instrument played with a horsehair bow. In a room where Manganiyar children training on every sort of traditional instrument spend their days with masters, Ghewar Khan plays for us and tells us the stories of his music.
The tour is packed with experiences of the highest order, but also relaxed and unhurried, taking in the spectacular Rajasthan desert with its distinct cuisine, which is our wider stage.