8th edition of Mahindra Kabira Festival to host Advaita, Thaikkudam Bridge

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) The eighth edition of Mahindra Kabira festival will begin in the holy city of Varanasi from December 13 with the participation of an eclectic mix of artistes, storytellers and scholars, including sitarist Deobrat Mishra, writer Purushottam Agrawal and music bands Advaita and Thaikkudam Bridge.

Organised by Mahindra Group and Teamwork Arts at the historic ghats of Varanasi, Kabira Festival will celebrate music and heritage with the wisdom of the 15th-century mystic poet at the centre of it.

The event will kick off with a soul-stirring Carnatic Quartet, conceptualised and curated by Shreya Devnath and featuring four artistes who will perform a range of compositions from the carnatic to the semi-classical repertoire, interpreted through their instruments, exploring themes of divinity, nature, and their interconnectedness.

‘Mehfil’ by singer-composer Anadi Nagar will perform a selection of folk and theatre songs by fusing modern and traditional Indian music. A dominant element in Mehfil’s performances is their resonance with Kabir’s Nirgundhara – an ode to the formless, unorthodox, and the uncustomary.

“The growing appeal of this celebration in Varanasi is truly heartening to witness. To revisit Sant Kabir’s ideas in a variety of ways: through different genres of music, literature sessions and heritage walks and to live and breathe in an ancient city where he himself lived is truly an experience of a lifetime,” Jay Shah, head, cultural outreach, Mahindra Group, said in a statement.

The mornings at the festival will feature ‘Man Lago Re’ by instrumentalist Yusra Naqvi; ‘Sarvatara’, a gifted ensemble of musicians led by Himanshu Mishra and mentored by Mithilesh Kumar Jha, will perform across various genres, including semi-classical fusion, Sufi, indie folk fusion, classical, and folk instrumental.

Deobrat Mishra, a sitarist, surbahar player, and music composer will combine Banarasi thumri on sitar with Dhrupad and Khayal singing.

Mumbai-based fusion band ‘Mithaavin’ will offer a synthesis of Indian classical music and jazz, interwoven with unique rhythmic grooves. It will bring to life the mystical poetry of Kabir through a blend of immersive compositions and an eclectic mix of instruments.

Afternoon sessions will host Archana Sharma, a scientist at CERN and author of “Varanasi: Portrait of a Timeless City”; Purushottam Agrawal, writer of “Akath Kahani Prem Ki: Kabir ki Kavita aur Un ka Samay”; and dastangoi session “Dastaan-e-Kabir” by Himanshu Bajpai and Pragya Sharma.

Aravani Art Project, an Indian public art collective run by trans and cis women, will bring together people from the transgender community who paint murals, inspired by their lives and experiences, in and around public spaces in the city.

The evening music programme will have varied voices from Kerala to Bengal.

Delhi-based fusion band Advaita will enthral audience with contemporary Indian sounds, while ‘Kabir Baani’ by Madhup Mudgal and Sawani Mudgal will be a treat for Kabir enthusiasts who appreciate Hindustani classical.

Music band Fakira will merge the rustic, soul-searching essence of Bengali folk music with Kabir’s transcendent poetry to offer a culturally rich and spiritually resonant experience.

Thaikkudam Bridge, an alternative rock band from Kerala that is known for blending folk and classical Indian sounds with progressive, pop, ambient, and electronic textures, will bring their repertoire to the ghats of Varanasi.

Apart from classical and folk music performances, the festival will also feature guided heritage walks through the city’s culturally rich and vibrant alleys, conversations on Kabir’s verse and way of life, boat rides on the Ganga, watching the incomparable Ganga Arati, local cuisine and craft showcase.

The festival will come to an end on December 15. MAH MG