From the Great Thar Desert of India, the Merasi ensemble brings an ancient, world-class artistic legacy charged with passion, mastery, and social significance. Infectious rhythms spring from thirty-eight generations of Muslim musicians performing for Rajput maharajas and at temple festivals, where Hindu devotion and rich desert culture blend to create an invigorating celebration of diversity.
Leadership support for music programming in 2016 provided by the Anne and Chris Flowers Foundation and the Thompson Family Foundation.
Merasi
The Merasi hail from Jaisalmer, a small, remote desert city distinguished by its continuously inhabited medieval fort, where they have played their unique blend of sacred and secular music for both Hindu and Muslim patrons for over 800 years. On indigenous instruments such as the nagara, khartals and murli, they play rhythmically complex music, taking turns with instrumental and vocals. They are storyteller-musicians, narrating the Great Thar Desert’s folk past through celebratory songs.