A classical arts collective brings to stage the music and research of Shubha Mudgal as she hosts a rare concert on mystic poetry that coloured the rich traditions of Hindustani classical music
Aneesh Pradhan (left) and Shubha Mudgal perform on stage at an earlier event. Pics Courtesy/Nirguna Arts, Shubha Mudgal, Instagram
For the MTV generation, like yours truly, the first glimpse of Shubha Mudgal was with that wonderful pop composition ‘Ab ke sawan’. Dressed in her colourful sarees, she brought verve and energy to a composition that walked a thin line between contemporary rock and classical. This Saturday, the Padma Shri awardee’s performance titled The Magic of the Mystics will offer an insight into her long study and research of the latter tradition.
The performance is part of the first anniversary celebration of The Nirguna Arts collective. The collective was founded by composer Alpesh Moharir with Mona Doctor’s The Integral Space. “We wanted to connect art and artistes with the audience. Hindustani classical music’s living tradition finds new interpretation with every artiste and through an evolving audience.
Phil Scarff (centre) performs during his Mumbai stopover
Without bridging these layers, a complete experience is not possible,” shares Moharir, a renowned tabla player himself. Thus far, the collective has hosted monthly sessions that delve into subjects as diverse as khayal gayaki, bhakti poetry and even a session by Phil Scarff, a Boston-based jazz saxophonist well
versed in Indian musical tradition.
Mudgal’s interest in the mystics dates back to her early years. “I grew up in a family where literature was studied and revered, and my gurus too were vaggeyakars, i.e. composers who also wrote the lyrics for their compositions. Therefore, an interest in literature, particularly literature that is lyrical and was meant to be sung, is something I inherited from my parents and family, as well as from my gurus,” the 66-year-old doyenne shares, adding, “Over the years, I have been working on both sagun and nirgun poetry, as well as the works of Sufi poets, and I will be presenting a selection from this repertoire that I have collected and composed over
the years.”
Sudhir Nayak
These compositions also offer an insight into the journeys of the literature and its composers through the Indian heartland. “From the sadhukkadi bhasha often used by the great saint poets, which was a mixture of several dialects, to Hindwi and Awadhi, these verses have much to offer every seeker in terms of the universal truths,” Mudgal points out.
But this is not a purely literary exercise. She adds, “I feel there has been a generous give-and-take between the poetry of the mystics, and composers of classical music. The mystics have written kalaams and padas meant to be sung in raags. But composers for khayal and dhrupad have also written lyrics that focus on themes such as the importance of the guru.” A prominent example, the singer notes, is the dadra ‘Tadpe bin balam mora jiya’ by Siddheshwari Devi. “These were extracted from a verse written by Kabir Das ji,” Mudgal reveals.
Alpesh Moharir
Mudgal will be joined on stage by tabla maestro Aneesh Pradhan, and composer/vocalist Sudhir Nayak — the strong bridges to Mudgal’s abstract explorations, Moharir suggests. But it is the conversation with enthusiasts and students after the concert that the vocalist looks forward to. “I learn to articulate and explain ideas and thoughts that perhaps I would not have spoken about otherwise,” she admits. Perhaps it is this grey area that keeps the tradition alive for exploration.
ON May 24; 6 pm
AT The Integral Space, 14, Janata Estate, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
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ENTRY Rs 1,500
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