History was made in Highland Perthshire with the first performance by the Malaysian Sikh Band at Blair Castle.
Also known as the Sri Dasmesh Band, the group is marking its Scottish connections with a visit to the area, where they will meet members of a clan who are descendants of Captain Thomas Rattray, founder of one of the first Sikh pipe bands in India in 1856.
Picture gallery: Sikh pipe band celebrates Scots ties at Blair CastleDuring their whistle-stop tour, the band, led by Pipe Major Harvinder Singh, visited Castle Menzies where Maharaja Duleep Singh the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire once lived.
Then, they stopped off at Kenmore where the maharaja’s son is buried in the local church and performed in the village before they travelled to Blair Castle yesterday, where they performed in the grand castle forecourt.
This is the first visit to Scotland by the Malaysian Sikh Band and comes ahead of its participation in the World Pipe Band Championships, which are held in Glasgow.
Andrew Bruce Wootton, general manager at Blair Castle, said: “It is a great privilege to welcome the Malaysian Sikh Band to Blair Castle and hear our native bagpipes being celebrated by musicians from other parts of the world.
“We are also delighted to mark the 150-year connection between the Sikhs, Scotland and, in particular, Highland Perthshire. We wish them lots of Highland luck for the upcoming World Pipe Band Championships.”
The Malaysian Sikh Band has been performing for more than 25 years. Founded in 1986, the group is thought to be the single largest Sikh pipe band in the world.
Its members range from students to accomplished professionals. All members of the pipe band are volunteers. The band’s uniform is made up of a blend of the Sikh Bana and Scottish tartan.
The band has been very successful at the Jakarta Highland Gathering Pipe Band competition, held in Lippo Karawaci, Jakarta, Indonesia. It has travelled extensively, including visits to America, Australia, Berlin and London, where band members have performed their repertoire of Scottish and Asian tunes.