From the Land of the Rajas:

Creativity in Rajasthan

In addition to the classical and popular music heard in the rest of India, Rajasthan preserves a thriving tradition of folk music.  Music and dance are present at fairs and festivals, births and weddings, prayers and processions.  Ballads narrate the exploits of heroes; devotional songs praise the gods.  Much of the music is performed by families or castes of professional musicians; many of them Muslim.  With the exception of classical forms such as the sitar, there is little purely instrumental music in Rajasthan—most music accompanies singing.  Instruments include drums (popular in ritual, festival, and drama), stringed instruments (often used to accompany story and song) and winds (especially common among shepherds, snake-charmers, and wedding bands).