Author: Renuka Suryanarayan
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: May 25, 2003
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=24529
The devotional music of Marathi
saints is hitting the high notes in Birmingham, UK, of all places, finds
Renuka Suryanarayan. Next up: Abhang rap (no kidding!)
The sisters readily talk about the
hospital they are building in the memory of their father Dinanath. But
mention the soon-to-be- released devotional music video for which the family
camped at the Alandi Temple of Dyaneshwar, near Pune, and a hush descends
upon the Mangeshkars' Pedder Road residence in plush South Mumbai. Lata
simply gestures that it's too early to talk about it. But sister Usha is
less coy: ''She is starring in it herself.''
The devotional music of Dyaneshwar
is something Lata holds in high esteem. So does Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, the
Kirana gharana vocalist par excellence, and Kishori Amonkar. And now the
Marathi abhang might just be the new devotional sound to cross Narmada
northwards for a change.
In its new-found popular avatar,
this Marathi music form is fast transcending geographical borders. Delhi,
Indore, Kolkata aside, latest destinations even include Birmingham (UK),
New Jersey and California.
Ancient, 5,000-odd devotional compositions
by saint-poets Namdeo, Tukaram and Dyaneshwar, abhangs were made popular
by their devotees who, till date, sing them on their way to Pandharpur
in southern Maharashtra, where Lord Vitthal is revered. Every Ashada Ekadashi
(in July), they converge from Alandi, Sant Dyaneshwar's samadhi, all the
way to Pandharpur, in a ritual march called Dindi.
Now the road from Dindi to Marathi
films looks set to turn into a highway headed straight for the UK. Language
differences notwithstanding, insiders say rapper Bali Brahmbhatt is working
on some abhang rap. For the time being though, the musician prefers to
hang onto his secret: ''I never talk about my albums until they are complete.''
As for Lata's video, the grapevine
has it that she travelled with a camera crew to perform pooja at the Alandi
Temple. Mohan Wagh, politician Raj Thackeray's father- in-law, co-ordinated
the effort. ''Lata has spared no expense to make the video a wonderful
presentation because of her wish to take it to the people,'' says Usha.
The Marathi division of HMV has
been quickest on the draw. ''Devotional racks in music stores are hot,
and this time-tested saint strain somehow fits the bill,'' explains K B
Bhushan, marketing manager for HMV Saregama's western wing. Their list
of favourites hitting a high runs long - Lokpriya Abhang by Jitendra Abhisheki/Pandit
Bhimsen Joshi; Lata Mangeshkar's Tukyache and Dyaneshwar Mauli (its popularity
led to the music video starring Lata), Bhimsen Namacha Gajar, Vitthal Geeti
Gava and Jata Pandharishi, all by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.
''We are getting orders from Delhi,
Lucknow, Kanpur, Kolkata and Tanjore, Bangalore and Mysore in the south.
Overseas markets include Birmingham, New Jersey and California,'' says
a senior HMV spokesperson. From zero sales up north in 2000-01, they escalated
by 20 per cent the next year, and leaped a further 40 per cent last year.
In the south (mostly Chennai and
Bangalore), the growth has been 30 per cent. And internationally, abhang
sales have polevaulted a phenomenal 76 per cent.
Top artistes that music companies
would kill for are Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Usha Mangeshkar,
Ajit Kadakade and Suresh Wadkar. While Pandit Bhimsen, Lata and Hridaynath
paint the canvas with a classical brush, sister Usha sets her abhangs in
the folk mould like mother Sonubai.
''For my forthcoming album with
Music Curry (the music company run by Adinath, Hridaynath's son), I want
to add simple effects like temple sounds,'' says Usha who just cannot imagine
abhang set to rap.
Each to his own. The late Sudhir
Phadke used to give the abhang a filmi touch, Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki
gave it a Natyasangeet (another beautiful Maharashtrian theatre music genre)
twist, with western instruments like the harp, the vibraphone, or an octopad
pounding the chanda effect (temple drums) - it's all a part of the new
sound.
Maheshbabu of Banyan Tree, the music
company into alternative music with its Ninaad label, says the company
is definitely working towards an album: ''Abhangs are beautiful, I don't
understand the exact meaning of the words, but its spiritual element attracts
me.''
Unlike Maheshbabu, Pandit Bhimsen
Joshi and his fans know what the rage is all about. The maestro's Vitthala
Geeti Gava and Teerta Vitthala, Kshetra Vitthala at concerts are instantly
greeted by beaming faces in the dark stillness of the auditorium.
For the Mangeshkar family, their
all-time favourite albums are Goad Goad Tujhe Naam (How like nectar is
your name) and Kanhaai Maaji (Eulogising Krishna as mother). Hridaynath,
the king when it comes to composing music for abhangs, has been so involved
with the devotional genre that he knows the Dyaneshwari (an abhang treatise)
by rote, says his sister Usha.
So can Asha Bhosle, who has struck
almost every winning note possible, be far behind? Having sung some of
the best abhangs in Marathi films, she's now got a new name to set music
and record an album of abhangs for her private collection. It's Sridhar
Phadke, Sudhir Phadke's son. The winner of three major awards for film
music, he's not the only one from the younger generation to jump on this
bandwagon.
The new hit is Kumar Sunil Mungee.
The 30-year-old disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Mungee sings abhangs
at popular live concerts in the US and the UK. Carrying Abhisheki's baton
abroad, he performs at least 150-200 times a year. In fact, HMV released
Omkarache Dhyan by Mungee last year. Another interesting name is Chounak,
Pandit Abhisheki's son, who is also adept at singing abhangs live. Hisalbum
is expected to hit the stores this year too.
There's more. HMV plans to release
a (yet unnamed) album of Tukaram's and Namdeo's selected abhangs to be
sung by the new generation of classical singers.
Abhang's new attraction is gathering
steam.
