This Man in Rajasthan is Keeping the Sound of Morchang ALIVE! | People of RT

The morchang is a traditional Rajasthani jaw harp heard in Manganiyar folk music across the Thar desert in Rajasthan, India. This video documents Mohan Lal Lohar, one of the few artisans who still hand-crafts and tunes the morchang using traditional methods — a fading craft rarely seen by travellers or even folk music audiences. Shot in Rajasthan (Jaisalmer), this story connects instrument-making, folk culture and local history. The morchang appears in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur desert performances and is part of India’s wider family of folk instruments — often compared to the global jaw harp / Jew’s harp. Outlook Responsible Tourism recently met Mohan Lal ji and learned how the morchang is made, in a tour curated by Amarrass Records. During a visit to Mugs 4 Buds Café by the scenic Gadisagar Lake, we spent time with Mohan Lal ji, his wife Girija Devi and his son to understand how this instrument is shaped from raw metal into sound. This visit was part of a thoughtfully curated tour by Amarrass Records, whose work focuses on documenting and sustaining India’s living musical traditions. The journey was curated by Amarrass Records, led by Ashutosh Sharma, who has spent years travelling across India to record, archive, and support folk musicians and artisans. His work began long before conversations around sustainability entered the mainstream, with a clear focus on dignity, continuity, and community-led preservation. This experience is part of the Thar Blues initiative, a collaboration between Amarrass Music Tours and Sadhana Travels, which brings travellers closer to India’s cultural landscapes through slow, responsible travel. Equally important, audiences can support artisans like Mohan Lal ji by engaging directly with organisations such as Amarrass Records. Their work includes archiving folk song books and oral histories, reviving traditional instrument making, and making these practices sustainable for future generations. Viewers can also learn how to play the Morchang or purchase hand made instruments through their platform. Explore more at musictours.co.in Report and Production Nishtha Pandey Camera Soni Prasad Edit Amit Das Location Mugs 4 Buds Café, Gadisagar Lake, Jaisalmer If you’re interested in Rajasthan culture, folk music, traditional instruments, or planning travel to Jaisalmer, this is a rare inside look at the people who keep these traditions alive. #morchang #jawharp #folkmusic #rajasthan #incredibleindia #indiancultureart #documentaryvlog #mouthharp #jewharp