On May 29th Udaipur RTD Chief Sumita Saroch inaugurated the Sayari Roots of Gypsy Sansthan, the city’s first gypsy folk arts school and performance center in the heart of City Palace Bazaar.

Long featured at the Taj Lake Palace, the Udaivilas and other 5-star venues, Sayari Sapera’s Roots of Gypsy troupe members have always wanted a place in the city where ordinary Udaipurites and foreign visitors could enjoy their dazzling work and study gypsy arts and crafts.

According to the troupe’s impresario, musical director and Sayari’s husband Sheru, “This center is a long cherished dream come true. Sayari’s international tours took Kalbelia to the world’s top stages for over 12 years and we’ve performed for countless wealthy tourists here. But finally we have a place and a chance to share these great traditions with Udaipur itself and that is what we hope to do.”

While the dances, costumes and crafts the center presents focus on Rajasthan’s rich Kalbelia culture, the music repertoire is folk eclectic featuring not only gypsy virtuosos, but also local masters from the Sufi and Manganiar communities.

The new center will offer dance and instrumental classes from 10:00 to 11:00 AM and 3:00 to 4:00 PM each day and performances from 6:00 to 7:00 and 7:30 to 8:30 PM each night.

Besides offering the best of local folk culture, the center will also open the area’s first outlet for local organic crops and products. As Sayari says, “We want our sansthan to celebrate the native richness all around us – from our wonderful arts and crafts to our ancient farming practices which saw Nature as our teacher and a god.”

For more information call +91-941-416-5497 or see their forthcoming info page.

Photos Courtesy: Rajinder Kumar