Mysuru: Putta Malle Gowda was the special attraction at the Nirantara Ranga Utasava – Day 3 as he led a troupe of folk artistes in performing the Gorawara Kunitha.
Dressed in a red overcoat and wearing a traditional headgear made of bear’s hair, the 95-year-old Gowda danced along with the troupe like a young lad. Putta Malle Gowda was awarded the “Rajyotsava” award, “JanapadaShri” and Janapada Academy award for dedicating his life to preserve the ancient Kuruba tradition. A huge crowd witnessed and applauded his achievements and felicitation.
Devaraju and troupe performed the Puja Kunita on Day 3 of the Utsava. It showcased the essence of the unique culture of the Mysuru and its rich cultural heritage.
Sufi Music
Later accompanied by a sarangi, and a percussionist, Mukthiyar Ali had the entire audience tapping their feet because of the infectious energy he brought to his performance of sufi music. Every soul in the hall was dancing in step to the soulful tunes created by the combination of the sarangi and Ali’s powerful voice. Taking care to explain each verse of Kabir and Bulleh Shah that he sang, he made the performance meaningful and memorable.
Ali stressed that. Kabir, born around the 15th century near Varanasi and Bulleh Shah, a Punjabi sufi poet from the 17th century both carry the message of love and peace that we need in our world today.
Alternating between Kabir and Bulleh Shah, Ali transcended the boundaries of language and culture, bringing the heart and colour of the Rajasthani desert to the Kalamandira stage. Certain parts of the performance were greeted with silence while others had an unending applause.
Kabir’s nuances about being coloured in the colour of god and how our ‘atma’ (soul) has taken his form to experience the world, Bulleh Shah’s poems questioning his purpose of life were a few of the themes the singer explored.
Mukhtiar Ali who is the 26th generation of Sufi singers from Rajasthan belonging to the Mirasi community insists that sufi kalam is about looking for Him, evoking Him, who is present within us.
Mukhtiar feels he sings the best when he is with people. “I love open air theatres or informal gatherings. I surrender totally when I sing for people like a woman who sings for her lover.”
He says “Bollywood has used Sufi to cater to the taste of its audience. Everything is diluted and coloured suitably to be served to them. At the same time we cannot refute the fact that Bollywood has been the best vehicle Sufi music has found to reach the masses, Dam Dam Mast Kalandar” is as necessary today in concerts as is Kabir Khada Bazaar Mein Maange sabki Khair; we cannot deny this”, he concluded.
Sufi enthusiasts from across the city were present at the performance, Pandit Rajeev Taranath, Sarvamangala Shankar, KB Ganapathy, Chidambara Rao Jambe were all present to felicitate the artist before the performance. They also felicitated Poornachandra Tejaswi, of Nirantara Foundation and music director of Lucia on his win at the film fare awards.
Pandit Taranath speaking at the felicitation said, “Our souls are dusty and his performance of Mukthiyar Ali is going to be like a cleanser. Bulleh Shah and Kabir had found a sort of purity in their lives which is the ‘swacch’ we strive for in the country, today.” He spoke about the conversion drama in present day politics and how we’re a country that is united and this country needs music like Muktiyar Ali’s to remind us of this.”
Later speaking to media Sarvamangala Shankar Vice-Chancellor of the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University said that Mysuru people are lucky to have programs like these and feel pleasure to be a part it. Niranthara Foundation is doing great job by conducting programs like this and serving quality entertainment like Sufi to the people”.
“Mysuru has always been a special city, the people especially young audience response to my music is tremendous and I am tempted to come again and again”, added Mukhtiyar Ali.
