Songs Of Nature

Through centuries, seasonal and nocturnal-diurnal cycles and individual elements from nature have inspired repertoire in diverse musical traditions in India. Song-texts celebrating seasons like Vasant or spring and Varsha or monsoon, or those that describe flora and fauna, address nature in all its splendour.  They also use this imagery as metaphor and simile to introspect about human existence, the philosophy of life, spiritual pursuit and more.  Practitioners of folk and religious music and art or classical music from different regions have recorded their poetic and musical responses to these stimuli. This performance will explore the manner in which Qawwals, Bauls of Bengal, and the Langa and Manganiar musician communities of Rajasthan have responded to motifs from nature.  The similarities and dissimilarities in their responses to the same stimuli from nature will be showcased during the concert.  Ensembles led by vocalists will also highlight the individual peculiarities of each of the three musical traditions.