The Story
There is music in the dunes.
Pugal is a village 80 kilometres from Bikaner, deep in the Thar. Poets, mystics, saints and Sufis once moved through these dunes — translating their reflections into poetry, songs, notes and rhythms that found their home in the throats of hereditary musician communities.
Among them: the Mir community — hereditary custodians of Sufi kalam, Saraiki poetry, and the santwani of Kabir and Meera, spanning Western Rajasthan, North India, and Pakistan.
Today, very few remain as communities move to alternate livelihoods. Fewer young people are learning what older generations inherited. The Guru-Shishya parampara — the living chain of knowledge from master to student — has weakened and become rare. This is where Project Lokdhun begins.
"Ram Raag ka roop hai — Melody is the form of the divine. Listen with deep attention. It does not appear to the eye; it unfolds in careful attention."
— Mir Razzak Ali, Ustaad & Lead Artist, Lokdhun Shaala
A creative ecosystem & fellowship.
Project Lokdhun is a long-term initiative by Malang Folk Foundation to build a creative training ecosystem for the healthy survival of folk music communities in Rajasthan — beginning with the Mir community of Pugal.
Fellowships
Re-imagining the Guru-Shishya parampara into fellowship-based models. Master musicians are onboarded as Ustaads, receive monthly remuneration, and lead structured music training — one community at a time.
Creative Ecosystem
An integrated framework — festivals, archives, documentation, livelihood pathways, and institutional partnerships — designed so artforms, artists, and communities can thrive together.
9
children learning at Lokdhun Shaala
2
master artists as Ustaads
250+
songs in living repertoire
96
teaching days targeted in year one
Oct '25
Field study.
Week-long visit to Pugal — artists interviewed, traditions documented, community needs mapped.
Dec '25
Shaala begins.
Learning centre established. 250+ songs collected. Community screenings and student identification initiated.
Jan '26
Classes start.
Instruments acquired. Team moves to Pugal full-time. Children attend Ajoo Gooja Children's Festival in Bikaner.
Feb '26
Classes start.
14 structured sessions. Tabla training begins. Mir Abdul Jabbar onboarded as second Ustaad.
Loss of awareness
Younger generations are often unaware of the architectural significance of structures they live beside.
Master plan erasure
Heritage concerns are absent from Bikaner's city master plan, leaving structures unprotected.
Inappropriate renovation
Cheap plastering and concrete cover-ups destroy the original sandstone craftsmanship.
Absent policy protection
No effective Heritage Properties Act exists — demolition of significant buildings continues.
Land speculation
Property interests actively encourage owners to sell historic buildings, accelerating demolition.
No economic incentive
Owners cannot generate income from heritage properties, treating conservation as a financial burden.
Community Welfare
Government scheme enrollment life insurance health insurance pensions.
Legal Knowledge
Protecting original work copyright law rights in collaborative projects.
Social Media Marketing
Facebook Instagram YouTube account setup algorithms reels hashtags scheduling.
Heritage Mapping
Research-based documentation of Bikaner's cultural and architectural heritage.
Vocal Health
Maintaining vocal health teaching music homestay tourism guest lecturing.
Artist Management
Portfolio building event communication tech riders professional conduct.
Intangible Heritage
Preserving the musical heritage of Bikaner's Mir community through fellowships.
Heritage Walks
Guided walks through the old city connecting people with living architectural heritage.
Hiring & Consulting
Artist managers legal consultants festival identification.
Content Creation
Smartphone videography audio recording mobile editing apps showreel creation.
Advocacy & Policy
Engaging government bodies to integrate heritage into city master plans.
Mir Razzak Ali
Vocals & Harmonium · Lead Ustaad
Trained by his grandfather Ustad Subhan Khan, a legendary artist of the Pugal region. Has performed across India and internationally. His personal collection of 250+ songs is the living curriculum of Lokdhun Shaala.
Sufi kalam, Harmonium, Qawwali
Mir Abdul Jabbar
Tabla, Dholak & Algoza · Ustaad
Trained by Ustad Faiz Mohammed. Accompanied Mir Mukhtiyar Ali for 15+ years. One of Pugal's most respected tabla masters, onboarded in February 2026 to lead rhythm and percussion training.
Tabla, Dholak, Algoza
Partners
Choose how you would like to be part of this journey.
Your support enables both those who carry the knowledge and those who are ready to receive it.
♥
Adopt an artist
Cover the honorarium and teaching support for a folk artist. Your contribution ensures a master musician can teach — and be sustained doing so.
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Adopt a child
Support the complete training journey of a child at Lokdhun Shaala. Nurture the next generation of community musicians.
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CSR & institutional partnership
Align your organisation with a field-tested, community-led cultural initiative. We offer field immersion, fellowships, documentation, and co-branded impact reporting.
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Volunteer or intern
Bring skills in documentation, design, education, or research. Walk with the community on the ground.
Pothi padh padh jag mua, pandit bhaya na koi, Dhai akhar prem ka, padhe so pandit hoi.
Kabir · Wisdom lies not in words, but in love.
