Auroville-based folk rock band, Gowwli, arrive in the city with their tales of folk myths and blues rock music on their Mumbai debut
The band performs at a festival in Puducherry. Pic Courtesy/Rohin Roy
For any South Indian growing up in a city, the lizard is the simplest way to understand how folk myths can find their way into the urban space. This writer has often been reminded that the lizard watches over us, and its call is a sign that someone around is lying. “My brother, Bovas, was fascinated by the lizard when he was a boy,” laughs Jaijea John Kuruvilla, bass guitarist and storyteller of the band, Gowwli. Named after the lizard [in Malayalam], the folk-rock band will make their debut in the city with a performance as part of fellow folk-rock band Daira’s 10 year anniversary tour.
“The lizard is a survivor; a useful attribute for an indie band today,” Kuruvilla elaborates. Though they made their debut single, Lizard Tales, in 2023, it was Thee chirakukal and Vidamuyarchi (2024) that brought this experimental folk band to the notice of enthusiasts. Alongside the brothers, Bovas (rhythm guitars and lead vocals) and Jaijea (bass guitar and vocals), Akshai Ashokan (guitarist and vocals) and Swaroop Thottankara (drummer) complete the Malayalam folk-rock quartet. “The band started about four years ago, but we have known each other for a decade,” shares the former tourism professional.
A moment from a jam session at Otherside, the band’s venue in Auroville. Pic Courtesy/Instagram
The Mumbai leg comes as part of their upcoming production process for their debut album. “It is a collection of seven songs that is woven together by common stories and themes. The genre will be bluesy rock,” Kuruvilla reveals. Yet, influences of this band with its origins in Auroville, are far more rooted. While their rhythm, pace and dynamic sound stands out, it is the lyrical storytelling that sets them apart. Thee chirakukal, for instance, speaks with an urgency on the connection to nature. “It goes back to the lizard,” laughs Kuruvilla, adding, “It lives in villages, forests and the cities. Like the animal, we see everything and sing of the stories that we experience.” The familiarity of this folk connection, and their own approach to music — Thottankara is a trained chenda player — is a very Indian experience.
At Auroville, the band has also set out to establish their own utopian space, The Otherside. “It started out as a small room where we lived, and played music. Slowly, we added facilities. Now, it is a space for any musician looking for a place to stay on their travels and, if they want, to jam together,” the bassist reveals. The band hosts regular events and jam sessions with travelling artistes and visitors to manage the costs. The space also has another purpose — finding new and expressive voices.
Jaijea Kuruvilla
“The idea is to stay together as a collective for over decades. I understand that it is impractical, but we hope to do it. It would be like the Tuareg [a Berben ethnic group] band, Tinariwen. They are a true tribe where they train members in their own form and style of music, and the new ones replace the older members. But the music and storytelling never change. It only improves. That is what we are looking at,” shares Kuruvilla.
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