Mai Dhai is a traditional Manganiyar singer and dhol (Punjabi drum) player from the Thar Desert region. The Manganiyars are a caste of Muslim musicians who traditionally performed for the kings of Rajasthan in the Subcontinent. Over the years, their patrons have shifted from Kings to anyone who can offer them a meal. Their repertoire ranges from ballads about the kings to Sufi songs written by various mystics. They also sing songs for various occasions like birth, marriage, rains, feasts, etc. Even though they are classified as folk musicians, their traditional music is classical and it clearly indicates the roots of classical music in the Indian Subcontinent. The rawness of the folk and the complexity of classical music is what make their music so special. Today they live in the deserts of Thar and Cholistan in Pakistan and Rajasthan in India. Hailing from Tharparkar, in the interior region of Sindh province, Mai Dhai’s driving percussion and other-worldly voice evoke the ancient rhythms of times long past.