India's brass bands are disappearing as musical tastes change

The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead the raucous processions announcing the bridegroom's arrival to the neighbourhood.

But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence.

Poor wages, irregular work hours and endless travel eventually take their toll, said Shanawaz Ali, a bandmaster who plays several instruments.

"At the end of more than 35 years of playing in different bands, I have no savings. Nothing," said Ali, who has urged his children to take up other trades. "There is no future in the band musician's profession," he said.

Away from the bright lights of the wedding procession, it's a tough life for the musicians, with lots of travel, long hours and inconsistent pay.

Most members of the nearly 100 wedding bands that operate in and around Delhi come from villages in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state. Hindu weddings in India generally take place on about 90 days throughout the year - mostly during the winter months - that are deemed auspicious by astrologers.