Mahesh Kale on the Mumbai version of Abhangwari held on July 13
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
The environment was electrical, because the incessant rain didn’t deter followers from packing Mumbai’s huge Shanmukhananda Corridor on the night of July 13. The Abhangwari live performance, conceptualised and introduced by singer Mahesh Kale, had all the crowd in a daze, basking within the melody of Marathi abhangs like ‘Kaanada Raja Pandharicha’, ‘Avghe Garje Pandharpur’ and ‘Sakha Panduranga’. In the direction of the tip, everybody chanted ‘Vitthal Vitthal’ together with the singer, who walked down the aisles.
Now settled within the San Francisco Bay space, Pune-bred Mahesh began the Abhangwari sequence eight years in the past. The thought was to current the abhang style, devoted to Lord Vitthal, and musically depict the annual go to of hundreds of pilgrims to Pandharpur in Maharashtra, on Ashadhi Ekadashi day. He says, “Moreover the songs, I wished to create an expertise for the viewers. Thus, teeka is utilized on the foreheads of these coming into the corridor, and topis given to them. We additionally present visuals of scenes that happen on the best way to Pandharpur.”
Mahesh factors out that although the fundamental theme stays the identical, he has a brand new script written yearly. This 12 months, Prajakt Deshmukh labored on the script and Subodh Bhave was the narrator on the Mumbai present. Mahesh’s effort is to popularise abhangs outdoors Maharashtra, and this 12 months’s schedule thus consists of Hyderabad on July 19, Chennai on July 20 and Bengaluru on July 21. For this tour, he has written a particular tune referred to as ‘Abhangwari’, which shall be used as a title observe.
Mahesh Kale’s ‘Abhangwari’ is devoted to songs on Vitthal.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
Now 48, Mahesh began studying music from his mom Meenal Kale, and gave his first efficiency of a devotional tune at age three. He later learnt from Purshottam Gangurde, earlier than being chosen as a disciple by the famend Pt Jitendra Abhisheki.
His focus now could be on abhangs, and spreading the attain of classical music within the Bay space, the place he and his spouse Purva Gujar-Kale run the non-profit organisation Indian Classical Music & Arts Basis. “That is my method of making an attempt to protect custom,” says Mahesh, who gained a Nationwide Award for his tune ‘Aruni kirani’ within the 2015 Marathi movie Katiyar Kaljat Ghusli.
Earlier than this tour, Mahesh had carried out on the Stanford Jazz Pageant together with saxophonist George Brooks, kanjira exponent V. Selvaganesh, bassist Kai Eckhardt, pianist Frank Martin and drummer Scott Amendola. He additionally had a devotional music recital on the Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal at San Jose.
“The jazz present was referred to as Indian Jazz Journey, and George and I current it yearly with a special line-up. He’s acquainted with Indian music. He has some jazz items and I’ve some Indian classical items. We attempt to have a musical dialog.”
Mahesh Kale runs the Indian Classical Music & Arts Basis in San Francisco Bay space
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
The vocalist says that today, issues have modified with social media and limitless tv programming. “Throughout my rising up years, I used to listen to the musical greats on radio. Once I first met Pt Jitendra Abhisheki, I used to be completely in awe. I remained like that even whereas I used to be coaching underneath him. Once I entered his gurukul, music grew to become a lifestyle for me.”
After Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki handed away in 1998, his son Shounak grew to become Mahesh’s mentor. “I travelled extensively with him, and within the course of honed my efficiency expertise.”
Speaking about getting the Nationwide Award, Mahesh says that it was not solely the primary time he sang in a movie however it additionally marked the revival of Natya Sangeet. “It was an incredible expertise as a result of many of the songs within the movie had been my guru’s (Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki) compositions. There have been some originals additionally, together with the one for which I obtained the award.”
The singer additionally spends a great period of time composing new tunes, particularly sant sahitya. On the Mumbai live performance, Mahesh sang an Urdu verse on Vitthal. “The viewers response exhibits how they take pleasure in whenever you push the boundaries and provide you with novel methods to interact with the artwork,” says Mahesh.
