Bolava Vitthal concert in Vadodara
‘Classical music is the base of singing and to create the environment the artists should take the initiative to spread it. A lecture demonstration to interact with people to teach them Ragas and the meaning is a good option to popularize the classical music in India or else it will also go the Yoga way,” said Sawani Shende well known classical singer. She along with Rahul Deshpande and Jayateerth Mevundi is in Vadodara for ‘Bolava Vitthal’ a one of its kind devotional musical concert of Abhang dedicated to Lord Pandurams.
Sawani who learns music from a very young age and starts performing since she was 12 years old. She learns classical from her grandmother and father and feels lucky that she has the gurus inside her house who always correct her in her mistakes. Her sister Bela Shende is into playback singing.
“I learn classical from childhood and continue with it and my sister is into playback singing but none of us clashed for our different ways of singing. I feel the styles suits the persons and they continue it. For me classical music gives me peace and happiness,” said Sawani.
Speaking on the present scenario of classical music she said that the artists should take the initiative to make understand the people about the classical music. “The people are unaware of the music and the artists should interact with the people and make them understand the ragas and their meaning and create the environment. First of all the myth of classical music in people’s mind be removed so that they can understand the music. The initiative should be regular and make people know that the classical music gives peace of mind and foot tapping numbers are also there in it. The strange part is that foreign countries understand our classical music and we are still not able to accept it fully. I afraid the classical music might go on the yoga way if we not take the initiative,” said Sawani.
Rahul Deshpande the other vocalist in the group said that there is something devotional in the Marathi Abhangs and people now listens to it just like the Sufi music. “I am associated with the group for the last eight years and I am surprised that today’s youth is taking the interest in such classical music. He said that his priority is classical singing and wish that there will be films based on Marathi classical music to popularize it. He also ready to sing in bollywood but that too in classical style.
Another singer Jayateerth Mevundi who is basically from Karnataka attracts towards Marathi classical Abhangs when he was working in Akashwani Goa where he used to listen Abhangs. He is associated with the group from 2006 and said that Bolava Vitthal is something special for the people.
“The Ashadhi Ekadashi is considered to be very important and the people who is unable to visit Pandharpur listens to their Abhangs and said that they done the darshan of the lord. Classical is the base of everything and slowly people understands it and even in reality shows the classical base of the singers are visible,” said Mevundi.
The artists will perform in ‘Bolava Vitthal’ organsied by Pancham Nishad in Vadodara.
