In Indo-Pakistani music, singing represents the broadest spectrum of expression—from folk tunes and spiritual ritual chants to the most demanding forms of classical music. Shaggan comes from a long lineage of musicians dating back to the 15th century. Trained in classical singing, he moves within a South Asian parallel to what might be called “noble pop”—a category absent from the Czech musical landscape, but in Europe represented, for example, by Portuguese fado.

Shaggan’s repertoire is diverse and meticulously crafted, encompassing a wide range of subtle distinctions for which the Indian subcontinent is renowned, including hits from classic Bollywood films. He performs accompanied by tabla drums, flute, and Indian harmonium—a portable instrument originally imported to Asia from Britain. Today, the harmonium is most commonly used in Pakistan and India as a vocal accompaniment, and over the past half-century it has also captivated a number of cult rock icons, including the singer Nico.

While Western audiences have at least a general awareness of Indian and Pakistani classical music thanks to Ravi Shankar, vocal genres largely remain beyond European comprehension. How did this diversity—so complex from our perspective—come into being?

The oldest form is dhrupad, a highly codified style whose rules have endured for centuries. However, because the aristocracy that financed musicians in India, much like in Europe, demanded greater spontaneity, the form of khayal emerged to satisfy this desire—the word itself meaning whim or fancy. Although khayal is grounded in the system of ragas, it is more open and colorful in expression. Moving further down the vertical scale from classical to popular music, the next form is the semi-classical thumri. It allows for virtuosity and permits departures from the strict rules of the raga, differing from classical styles in its emphasis on text. One step lower are the somewhat simpler love songs known as ghazal, followed by bhajan, which combines simple melodies with spiritual lyrics.