[3][4] The term rasiya is the Hindi word for “epicure”[5] which refers to the male suitors, or the god Krishna himself as depicted in the songs.
[5] This style of music is commonly associated with the popular ancient Hindu festival of Holi and is often performed by villagers, professional entertainers, as well as participants in temple song sessions.
[9] They are most commonly sung in informal song meetings by members of the rural community in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh.
[3] Rasiyas tend to encompass a traditional set of themes, however, the range of topics that the songs can be based on within the genre is limitless.
The first are religious rasiyas, these are commonly played during the festival of Holi portraying the love of the Hindu gods Radha and Krishna.
[3] The lyrics are very much set in tradition and do not contain any references to modern entities (e.g. cars, refrigerators, fans) unlike the other variations of Rasiya.
[3] However, the lānguriya lacks any formal scriptural representation, as such this individual can be represented in any manner “(eg., a boy, a lover, or a junior male divinity to Kaila Devi)” .
As well as being a supernatural being the lānguriya can also be represented as “an annoying suitor, a mischievous child, a lecherous bachelor, a fellow devotee or simply her husband or lover”.
[5] The most important figure is known as the ustad who are performers able to improvise to a high standard, and are well educated in mythology, history and speech rhythm.
[5] Much of the singing takes place in the upper registers so the lead singer must have a powerful voice, this enables him to be heard in different settings and scenarios where amplification is not available.
Others propose that its origin came from four friends, Lallu, Bhajna, Nattha and Chiranji, after visiting the town of Bharatpur near Deeg for a festival.
Local elites or gentry also supported akharas by providing meeting spaces or clubhouses in which rasiya battles (dangals) would take place.
The most successful period for hathrasi rasiya was in the mid-20th century where an estimated 70 akharas were operating in the region, these groups ranged in skill and fame.
The technological advances seen with the advent of Cassettes, VCDs and DVDs allowed the Braj regions internal music market to thrive.
However, in comparison the music scene of the Braj region is not as popular as its Bhojpuri and Punjabi counterparts which have "experienced a cultural renaissance".
[5] The 21st century saw further technological advances for music in the region with the USB and the mobile phone becoming easily accessible and exploding in popularity.
Producers of rasiya have adapted to 21st century technologies and have uploaded their music to online streaming through Indian services such as Gaana, Saavn, Musicindiaonline and YouTube for recognition and self-promotion.