We celebrate India every year with the same familiar sounds, the same big anthems, and the same set of voices that have become ​“national” by repetition. But India has always been larger than what we regularly hear. India also lives in lullabies sung in smaller homes. It lives in songs that return every season like clockwork, carried in harvests, rains, weddings, and long bus journeys. 

It lives in music that travels with people who migrate for work, who leave their homes behind but keep their language alive in the way they sing. And it lives in tongues that may not trend on popular platforms, but have held memory for generations.

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This episode is our attempt to listen to that India. The India that does not need translation to feel familiar. The India that exists in voices passed down casually, not curated for the internet. The India you can recognise instantly, even if you cannot name the language.

In this Republic Day special, we travel through lesser-known Indian languages and regional soundscapes, moving across landscapes and lived realities through music. These songs speak of land and belonging, of longing and pride, of joy that is unpolished and deeply personal, and of survival that is woven quietly into everyday life. This is not a ​“best of India” playlist. It is a reminder that India is not one story, not one rhythm, and not one language. India is many. India is a chorus.

Playlist

Padki | Chota Nagpuri | Francis Xalxo, Nurani Karuna Surin & Gaurav Raj : A powerful migration song that asks people not to leave their land behind.

Parfula | Sambalpuri | Sabyasachi Mohapatra: This song celebrates a simple, dignified life, living in a tiny hut but feeling like the king of one’s own world. It speaks of hard work, hospitality, and caring for family, and jovially asks an upper-class wife to respect the singer’s humble parents and home.

Rinjodi | Koraputia / Desia : A rooted Koraput folk song filled with community rhythm and cultural pride.

Saadharan Insaan | Garhwali | Martand Badoni : A song about being ordinary, humble, and human.

Apatani Folk Song | Apatani (Arunachal Pradesh) | Mudang Pabyang: This Apatani folk song, also known as a bwsi (traditionally sung by women), traces the journey of the Apatani people of the Dwbo belt, from the land of spirits to present-day Dwbo village. 

Dania | Garo |Ahowee: A folk song tied to the land, sung in the spirit of sowing season.

Kutchdo Yaad Kariya | Kutchi | Manasi Parekh Gohil :  A song of longing and memory for Kutchh, soaked in nostalgia.

dZambuling-la | Ladakhi | Dashugs: This song offers a gentle reminder to choose wisely and focus on what truly matters, because not all that glitters is gold.

Kadal Poiye | Tulu | Alva Kuuto: A song titled ocean and the sand talks about the pristine waters of the south-western coast of India. It celebrates Tulu in its unique landscape.

Loktak Song | Manipuri | Nganthoibi Ningthoujam : A gentle song rooted in Loktak’s beauty, water, and memory.

Credits

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Kruthika Rao, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Shilpi, Tanvi Avlur, and Velu Shankar.

Special Thanks to Hitika from Azim Premji University for being part of the episode.