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National Award and Padma Shri award-winning vocalist Hariharan is launching Soul India in Pune, a music project which will showcase all kinds of music, particularly by artists from the regions where the show is being held, from February 27 to March 2.
Stating that he had been thinking about this idea and the necessity of having a platform for emerging artists, Hariharan announced about the Soul India at a press conference in Pune on Monday. Hariharan said he had been wondering which city to launch the show and that Kolkata and Delhi had crossed his mind before he chose Pune.
“Why Pune? Because the Pune audience is not only keen on music but are also open-minded. Music lovers here listen to classical, Maharashtrian music, film songs and everything else. I thought Pune was the best centre to begin this show,” says Hariharan. The lineup of musicians for the show includes sitarist Niladri Kumar, vocalist Ghulam Niyaz Khan and Suresh Wadkar.
The highlight is a showcase of the state’s musical tradition in “Sounds of Maharashtra” that has been conceptualized by Rahul Deshpande and will include bhajans, kirtans, natya sangeet, bharud, and lavani, alongside specially produced audiovisuals.
Hariharan and singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan will be the headliners of Day III, which is titled as Kings in Concert and will feature Bollywood film music. Emerging talents will be represented by Samrat Pandit and Madhubanti Bagchi, Prithvi Gandharv and Pratibha Singh Baghel will be presenting thumri and ghazal performers.
Though the first show will be in Pune, the festival will be held across the country over the years. It will be organised by Hariharan’s Native Collective Foundation and its management will be handled by SwarZankar, a city-based music firm.
“Through our trust, we will use our earnings for the benefit of musicians and students,” said Hariharan, who has been invited to perform at the Kumbh Mela. “I am going there with my 90-year-old mother. I am thinking of creating some new compositions for this special event,” he said.
As he sets a new musical initiative into motion, the vocalist said he remembered the late Ustaad Zakir Hussain as a “godly personality who treated everyone with dignity”. “His performances used to be divine and, when we used to see it, we used to feel that reaching this level is just not possible,” said Hariharan.
