We were introduced to a fascinating group of Bengali Musicians who came to play for us with a number of instruments I had never seen before.There were tablas and flutes and a type of harpsichord but also two others instruments which were strummed. The single string one is the ektara and the other is a double string one called the Khamak.

These minstrels from Bengal, blend elements of Sufism, Vaishnava, Hunduism and Buddhism. They wear patchwork clothing, beads and ankle bells.

What is interesting about them is that they reject rigid religious rituals, idol worship, temples, and the caste system, believing that the true divine resides inside every human body. They sang a song about a house in which God resides which is their body and being freed from its confines.

So they are not always welcome or supported by other communities and religions but they are now recognised as an intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Their philosophy and melodies heavily influenced Bengali literature and the works of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

A beautiful insight into a particularly Bengali musical tradition.