Holi in Rajaldesar rang once again with the steady beat of the traditional chang. The chang is considered the central folk instrument of Holi in Rajasthan.
Dancing with abandon
The whole community was seen dancing enthusiastically to the beat of the chang, and it was this rhythm that set the tone of the festival.
A tradition kept every year
The tradition stays at the heart of Holi in Rajaldesar every year.
What is a chang
The chang is a large circular skin instrument, close to the daf. It is held in one hand and played with the fingers and palm of the other. As soon as the month of Phagun arrives, changs come out across the villages and towns of Rajasthan and their beat is heard every evening until Holi.
An instrument for everyone
What sets the chang apart is that playing it needs no formal training. That is why people of every age join in easily, and the instrument has become a symbol of collective celebration.
Phagun gatherings
In Rajasthan’s villages, chang gatherings begin every evening once Phagun sets in and continue until Holi. New fag songs are composed at these sittings, and folk songs pass from the older generation to the younger.
