Music of the Mirs (Phase II)
2009-2011

In continuation with our work with the Mir musicians of the Pugal region, Manana has started a support programme for two outstanding youngsters from the Mir community, Farooq from Balochia and Vasu Khan from 1PB village.

Farooq is an immensely talented 20 year-old boy from Balochia with a great passion for music. Owing to his family’s strained financial situation, he had been working at construction sites as a daily wage labourer. He was really interested in gaining knowledge of and getting formal training in classical music. We are grateful to Shri. Neel Bahadur Singh Karki for having accepted young Farooq into the Darshak Sanstha Music and Dance Training Institute, Jaipur where he is now staying and fulfilling his dream.

Vasu Khan is a young Mir singer from the village of 1 PB who is deeply committed to preserving the centuries old musical heritage of his community. He had participated in a music camp organized in March 2006 in which he got a chance to learn from his seniors. Using the stipend money he received, he has built a small room in his village where he is teaching 3-4 children from his family. He is now interested in continuing to learn from the Mir ustads in nearby villages. We have started a 3-month support programme with him in which he and his group will live with and train under three ustads, namely Mir Mohammaden Khan from Ranewala, Mir Piran Khan from Khajuala and Mir Talib Khan from Chhatragarh. Through this effort, we seek to:

• Create a space where three generations of Mir singers can spend time together following the traditional guru-shishya parampara
• Support young Mir singers to train themselves in their community’s music
• Provide financial support to the Mir ustads

Paper presentation at Workshop “Exploring Cultural Perspectives on Sustainable Rural Livelihoods- Situating Cultural Practices of Marginal communities”

Organized by Deshkal Society in collaboration with UNESCO and Friedrich Ebert Foundation (30 November and 1 December, 2008) at the India International Centre, New Delhi

Manana presented a paper titled The Mir Musicians of Pugal: Thoughts and Questions on Interventions and Sustainable Livelihoods based on our work with the Mir community