"Bards, Ballads and Boundaries" presents an atlas of one of the worlds richest
historical musical traditions. The Atlas is a cartography and catalogue of
musicians and music-making in the Western districts of Rajasthan State in
contemporary India. Based on extensive statistical and cultural data, it
provides an ethnographic survey of musical traditions organized on the basis of
specific communities of music specialists, their patrons, and the music they
produce. Much of the cultural context of Rajasthans musical history is based on
the epic songs of its bardic traditions. These traditions are very much alive
today and now enjoy a new global audience extending far beyond Rajasthans
borders.