Mumbai-based cultural events organization Banyan Tree launched the 24th edition of its spiritual music concert series in Bengaluru this week. Titled Ruhaniyat – Seeking the Divine, the four-hour festival showcased the musical works of great saints and mystics from across India and overseas. Ruhaniyat means ‘spirituality’ in the Arabic language.
In addition to performances by six groups, there were live collaborations between different musicians across groups, adding new creative dimensions to the festival. The organizers and curators also highlighted some tradition musical forms and instruments that are declining in popularity in India and may even fade away.
The eight-city festival travels to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Pune, from November to February each year. Over the years, international performers have also joined from Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Mongolia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Taiwan.
“Artists are chosen on the basis of what the city has already seen and what they are yet to see. And of course, the content, which is the main thing that the artiste has to offer,” Nandini Mahesh, Co-Founder and Director, Banyan Tree Events, tells World Music Central.
“For Ruhaniyat, the artist or the group has to be the best in their chosen art form. So, the research work of selecting the artistes goes on throughout the year. We keep meeting and shortlisting the artists,” she adds.
Sometimes, the curatorial team meet artistes in their villages. “Some of them are not so sure whether they want to perform in a city. So we have to make them comfortable, or we invite them to the nearest city to perform,” Nandini explains.
“In different ways, we have to make them realize that their works will be very well appreciated,” she affirms.
The outdoor Bengaluru festival on the Jaymahal Palace lawns began at sunset with singer and lyricist Rashida Akhtar from Kashmir. The backdrop visuals also showcased the spectacular scenic beauty of the Kashmir valley and mountainous regions.
Egyptian singer Aly El Helbawy showcased religious chanting along with Emirati oud maestro Saif Al Ali. They were accompanied by Indian tabla player Pandurang Pawar, showing how spiritual music can truly cross boundaries and languages.
Taiwan’s Chia-Ning Liang played a superb solo set on pipa, the Chinese lute. She has played extensively around the world, and charmed the audience with her elegant plucking techniques and haunting vocals.
Punjabi singer, composer and film-maker Madan Gopal Singh shared scholarly and spiritual insights from Persian and Indian mystics – and even sang some lines from John Lennon’s Imagine. True spirituality in arts transcends ethnicity, religion, language, gender, and nationality, he emphasized, to rousing applause from the audience.
Alandi-based Avadhoot Gandhi and his group played inspirational folk music forms and devotional songs like bhajans and abhangs. He actively promotes the folk music culture of India’s western state, Maharashtra.
The aptly titled performance When Hearts Connect featured musicians from all the above bands in a collaborative showcase. They drew a standing ovation from the audience for their message of unity, trust, and respect.
The final act after a short break was a vibrant Qawwali presentation by Akbar Nizami and Group. Their performance of Sufi devotional music also drew the audience in for vocal accompaniment.
“In every aspect of life, we can look at the teachings of mystics and saints from all traditions and take them forward from there. We really need to absorb these messages and put them into practice,” Nandini Mahesh signs off.
Author: Madanmohan Rao
Madanmohan Rao is an author and media consultant from Bangalore, and global correspondent for world music and jazz for World Music Central and Jazzuality. He has written over 15 books on media, management and culture, and is research director for YourStory Media. Madan was formerly World Music Editor at Rave magazine and RJ at WorldSpace, and can be followed on Twitter at @MadanRao.