Poetic rendezvous

The festival will see the screening of films based on his life and a music concert wherein Kabir’s verses will be presented. Shabnam Virmani,who took five years to complete them,has directed the films. Talking about her inspirations to make these films she says,“The immediate trigger was being a mute witness to the Godhra riots in 2002,and the religious violence that followed. I think,however,the search was also deeply personal. Kabir shows us a way to understand why there is so much divisiveness and fragmentation around us,as well as within us,and how the two are connected.”

Virmani doubts if the society was ever in deep touch with figures like Kabir. According to her history seems to be a pretty uneven record of human folly,divisiveness and violence,so Kabir is as much a voice of dissent,clarity and sanity today as he perhaps was in the 15th century. “Somehow,our society and culture doesn’t offer us those spaces,contexts and rituals to connect with this kind of spiritual understanding. Where we do find a kernel of this spiritual understanding when it’s so heavily overlaid with religious orthodoxy and some kind of sectarian,divisive impulse,” she adds.

Though all four documentary films have a common subject – Kabir – each one deals with different aspect of his life. For instance,Chalo Hamara Des: Journeys with Kabir and Friends explores the search for Kabir’s country through the narratives of two people from two countries,Had-Anhad: Journeys with Ram and Kabir looks into the heart of divisive Hindu-Muslim politics of religion and nationalism. Koi Sunta Hai: Journeys with Kumar and Kabir on the other hand speaks about the relation between folk and classical music,and the film Kabira Khada Bazar Mein Journeys with Sacred and Secular Kabir delves into the ironies and tensions between the secular and sacred side of Kabir.

Virmani states that the research for these films though started with books and the internet,but quickly grew into journeys into villages and across cities,and direct meetings with singers,lay persons,scholars,folklorists and activists inspired by ideas of Kabir.

The films screening will culminate in a unique musical concert that will feature the likes of Mukhtiar Ali,Mahesha Ram and Pt Vijay Sardeshmukh. The three-day begins on November 14 and will end on November 16. Besides the films,the festival will also showcase audio music CD’s and poetry on the life and works of Kabir.

Programme Schedule
Day 1: Saturday – November 14
Chalo Hamara Des;Journeys with Kabir and Friends ,Time:5.20pm to 7.00pm
Koi Sunta Hai:Journeys with Kumar and Kabir
Time:7.10pm to 8.45pm
Venue:Film and Television Institute of India
Day 2 Sunday – November 15
Kabira Khada Bazar Mein: Journeys with Sacred and Secular Kabir ,Time: 10.15am to 11.50am
Had Anhad:Journeys with Ram and Kabir,
Time:12.00pm to 1.45pm.
Venue:National Film Archives of India (NFAI)
Day 3 Monday – 16th November 2009
Music concert presenting Kabir’s verses in diverse styles by Mahesha Ramji,Pt.Vijay Sardeshmukh and Mukhtiar Ali
Time:5 pm to 9 pm
Venue:Symbiosis Vishwa Bhawan

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