Roysten's 'The Manganiyar Seduction' enthrals audience

As 40 Manganiyar folk artists from Rajasthan played their traditional music, the audience at the Phoenix Market City, Kurla, were enthralled.

The Manganiyar Seduction directed by Roysten Abel was performed at Phoenix Marketcity's Dublin Square on Saturday evening.

The artists playing folk Sufi music were positioned in red window-like cubicles which were placed one above the other like a honeycomb with no interaction among themselves.

The group started their traditional music act along with the director Roysten in a theatre set-up 10 years ago.

"Earlier we used to perform in rural villages, and not many people were aware of our music. We have been receiving a good response since we started performing in The Manganiyar Seduction. Audiences in the foreign countries have also gave us positive response. We are now staying in a digital world where everything can be watched online, but it feels good to see that many people still come to see us perform live. Folk music, like ours, is now getting popular," said lead singer Mame Khan.

Speaking about the response from the younger generation, Dewoo Khan, the conductor, said, "The young generation is more enthusiastic. They show interest in the folk and Sufi music we play. This show is for people from all age groups. There has been a lot of changes since we started the show in 2007. We have been getting support from the audiences. This music is in our blood since generations. In fact, we don't need to be taught in classes about this music."

According to this group of musicians, every music has its own target audience, and their aim is to seduce all age groups through their music.

"Even if the audience does not know our language, they enjoy it because music does not have any language," added 34-year-old Mame.

Twenty-eight-year-old Roje Khan, who joined The Manganiyar Seduction group six years ago, said, "The highlight of our show is that we don't have any interaction while playing. It is through the music that we connect with each other."

The artists performing in the group are aged 18 to 70 years.

"I have never seen them performing earlier. I wanted to watch their performance because I liked the concept and the way the musicians create an ambience while performing in the cubicles," said Rajni Pillai, 31.

Rajasthan's Manganiyar music has been passed from generation to generations. The Manganiyar children are also learning their traditional music from their earlier generations.