Ruhaniyat 2014

Src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/music/Enjoy-baul-music-at-Jayamahal/articleshow/45503204.cms

A pale blue light casts shadow of the big Banyan tree on the giant placard standing at the back of a make-shift stage. This open air stage next to the Banyan tree is adorned only with lights which also serves the purpose of illuminating the stage, under this star-less darkish night. Bangalore weather is lovely, it had rained yesterday but today, the evening chill is just right to cozy up. The stage is simple but what emanates from it touches the core of us. The big blue placard says Ruhaniyat 2014, there could not have been a better word to describe this event.

Staged at the beautiful Jayamahal palace in Bangalore, Ruhaniyat is an annual event organized by Big Banyan Tree. About 5-6 artists from different parts visit and sing songs, 30-45 minutes each giving us different flavors. There is one god (soul) and there are different ways to reach to him. Each artist shows us a glimpse of their approach and in such short duration, they immerse us into their world. Language does not matter. Some artists try to explain lyrics but even without it, the soul understands.

This year, our evening started with Avadhoot Gandhi and group from Maharashtra. Their energy is insanely infectious and just with their body movements, the stage is set for a great evening. Their performance is followed Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa's beautiful Shabad (hymns). His voice calms us, and just slows the pace of time. We are also in trance now. Speechless. I catch a glimpse of this stranger sitting next to me  and he is smiling. We look at each other and realize that we are connected by this music.

Next, we have a Jugalbandi with Senegal's Solo Cissokho and Gullu Khan sahab and his group. Before Jugalbandi, Solo performs a solo rendition on his instrument Kora. This is the first time, like most of the audience,  i was listening to Kora, and i could not fathom the range of notes coming out of this stringed instrument. It is a lovely instrument and something that you have to listen to believe that it is only one instrument, not a collection. The Jugalbandi mixes Tabla, Kamaycha (an instrument similar to Sarangi) and Kora instrumentally, Rajasthani and Senegali vocally. The collaborative energy is electrifying, not as in a rock concert, but as something which in the end leaves us wanting for more.

Paravati Baul comes next and if you have not seen her perform, you have truly missed something. She is a one-woman army. She plays Ektara with her left hand, her right one plays a small tabla which she wears on her waist as a belt. She wears large Ghungroo on her ankles which adds to the musical ensemble when she dances. And she sings Baul songs, all at the same time. Her devotion to the mystic is contagious. At the end of her performance, in a way to give words to her performance, she advises us to just go with the evening and it is ok to drown yourself in this ambience.

Src: http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/breaking-free-from-boundaries/article6704273.ece

After a small break, Ghulam Waris and his group performs Qawalli. Qawalli as a medium of music is unique as it is devotional and immensely tangible at the same time. Singing in Hindustani, Waris sahab also breaks down the meaning of verses so that we can journey the rendition together. As if he is the priest and he is holding our hands in our journey to see the God. As he sings Amir Khusro, he also teases us with this question - Are you able to see him or not?  

It is difficult to look at the life the same way as it was before the show. Some events has this way of changing us. Somehow during the daily grind of this life, we tend to forget what is real joy and happiness. Ruhaniyat helps us in reminding us this feeling and then leaves it up to us.