Rustic charisma

Badhu’s balladry never gets past the uninhabited hills of Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh. In obscurity the visually challenged Bhilala tribal has been singing and playing each day for the last 50 years. His songs,accompanied by a stringed instrument made of bamboo,coconut shell,lizard skin and horse’s hair. However today he will open the concert in the city with the best from his repertoire and will be followed by Chamber Singers,Musa Gulam Jath and Randhir Khare. The Living Heritage Movement spearheaded by the poet-author Khare and photographer Susan Bullough Khare will host,honour and support Badhu and Jath as a step towards creating awareness on the geniuses in remote parts of the country.

Working on communities and tribes for decades while documenting and propagating their traditions,Khare decided to bring it to light through the movement recently for larger attention. “I met hundreds of wonderful people all through my journey who are celebrating life in the purest manner and amidst environment. I have known Badhu for around eight years now. Musa too,is a brilliant Jodiya Pawa player of Kutch,and lives a hand-to-mouth existence on the edge of the Great Rann of Kutch. There I met him around 10 years back and he will be performing with us. I will be chanting my translations of tribal poetry from various communities across the country along with the choir and both the performers,” adds Khare.

Converging folk music the group will have city-based choir,The Chamber Singers,conducted by Veronica Krishnayya who along with 24 members will present The Singing Heart with choral works in the spirit of folk music from countries like Argentine,England,France and so on. The performance that will be followed in Mumbai also aims at raising funds to support the duo in their effort to keep alive their music. “More than bringing them here it is we who are exposing ourselves to their culture which is so flawless. We will also learn from each other and this occasion will merge our experiences and music,” adds Krishnayya.

(The concert will be held at Chandrashekhar Auditorium,IUCAA,Pune University Campus,7 pm onwards today)