4 months ago
3
Banyan Tree’s Ruhaniyat, the yearly festival of saints and mystics acceptable to song, turns 25 this year. To commemorate this milestone, the organisers person curated an absorbing lineup of creation forms from India that includes paakh from Jammu, gaatha from Punjab, ninda stuti and jonana from Odisha, tukkha gaan from West Bengal, mystical ugabhogas from Karnataka and nanthuni pattu from Kerala, too planetary artistes.
Talking astir the upcoming edition, Nandini Mahesh who co-founded the lawsuit with her hubby Mahesh Babu, says the amusement started arsenic an thought to usher successful the millennium. “Back then, determination were fewer takers for a amusement of this kind, particularly arsenic determination were nary large names headlining the event,” says Nandini.
Hemanth Chauhan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
According to Nandini, Ruhaniyat was conceptualised arsenic a two-way process. “First, we wanted to bring live these works that were written centuries ago, initially transmitted orally from 1 procreation to the next. You find them thriving successful the remotest corners and unexpected places of our country.”
“We judge these surviving traditions request to beryllium nurtured and done these performances, they get the designation they deserve. Second, specified programs fetch caller audiences which is an encouragement for the artistes. Many creation forms are astir extinct and immoderate person already been lost.”
Ruhaniyat began successful Mumbai, earlier expanding to see Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune. Every year, impermanent performers from astatine slightest 2 countries are invited and arsenic a result, the festival has seen the information of musicians from 28 countries implicit the years.
This year, performing artistes see Eva Serrano who volition contiguous Spanish mystical compositions, Dawda Jobarteh of Gambia connected African kora strings, and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a collaboration featuring Indian, Spanish and African artistes, among others.
“From India, we person Uttam Das Baul, a travelling instrumentalist talented with an astonishing voice, and Hemant Chauhan from Gujarat. A batch of radical subordinate the State with dandiya and garba, adjacent though it has a beardown contented of mystics, Sufis and sants dating backmost to the 14th century.”
Known arsenic ‘Bhajan Samrat’, Hemant Chauhan besides specialises successful ‘dasi jivan na bhajan’ oregon hymns written successful work to the Divine, portion Mir Mukhtiyar Ali volition beryllium presenting works by Kabir.
Nandini says this enactment up is the effect of a batch of research, “to present creation forms to audiences who whitethorn not beryllium alert of what they are missing. At the aforesaid time, we effort to debar repetitive acts. We are perpetually connected the look retired for endowment — that is however we are capable to pat into them and curate our shows.”
Banyan Tree’s Ruhaniyat volition instrumentality spot astatine Jayamahal Palace Hotel connected January 24, astatine 6.15pm. Tickets starting astatine ₹1180 disposable connected BookMyShow.
