One would imagine that after all the censure artists like John Lennon and Bono have faced for pushing peace, others would have wise up. But Sarkash Taraney, Shubha Mudgal's melodic plea for communal harmony clearly proves, there's no stopping the music
One would imagine that after all the censure artists like John Lennon and Bono have faced for pushing peace, others would have wise up. But Sarkash Taraney, Shubha Mudgal's melodic plea for communal harmony clearly proves, there's no stopping the music
Exactly 30 years ago, in December, John Lennon was assassinated, in an episode of what the New York police dubbed "random violence" by a man they called, "an attention-seeking wacko." The fact that the peace-pushing Beatle's political activism had made him popular with the government suddenly wasn't relevant. Neither did it seem to matter that members of the Nixon administration had passed around memos discussing the menacingly subversive song-writer. Lennon, after all, was frightening what with all that crooning about brotherhood and a united world.
Closer home, January will mark the 22nd anniversary of the violent demise of Safdar Hashmi, playwright, teacher and activist who, among other things, had rallied for communal harmony during the anti-Sikh riots in 1984. When he portrayed the real-life circumstances of factory workers in Sahibabad, UP in Halla Bol, enraged supporters of groups he criticised pulled him off stage and silenced the 34-year-old. A day after his funeral, his wife went back and completed the performance he had been pulled out of.
Classical singer, Shubha Mudgal, who has been associated with The Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) for two decades now, tells us, Sarkash Taraaney is my small contribution towards the cause of Janam (Jana Natya Manch), the theatre group Hashmi had been part of. Communal harmony, our freedom of expression and the need to deride violence in society ufffd these issues are very close to my heart." The singer will beu00a0 in which she will be accompanied by table-player, Aneesh Pradhan and Sudhir Nayak on the harmonium.
Consequently, Mudgal's presentation, whose title, roughly translates as recusant melodies, is a compilation of the writings of eminent poets Kabir, Sahir Ludhianvi and Majrooh Sultanpuri among others. "All the pieces have a sense of protest," says Mudgal.
Sharing some favourite verses from her repertoire, Mudgal cites Ibn e Insha's Khamosh Raho, and a verse penned by Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, "Bol ke lab aazaad hain tere, Bol zabaan ab tak teri hai, Teraa sutvaan jism hai tera, Bol ke jaan ab tak teri hai."
Shubha Mudgal will present Sarkash Taraane at Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Vile Parle (W). on Tomorrow, 8 pm
Tickets Rs 500 call 26149546
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