Abhang146;s New Attraction

In its new-found popular avatar, this Marathi music form is fast transcending geographical borders. Delhi, Indore, Kolkata aside, latest destinations even include Birmingham UK, New Jersey and California.

Ancient, 5,000-odd devotional compositions by saint-poets Namdeo, Tukaram and Dyaneshwar, abhangs were made popular by their devotees who, till date, sing them on their way to Pandharpur in southern Maharashtra, where Lord Vitthal is revered. Every Ashada Ekadashi in July, they converge from Alandi, Sant Dyaneshwar8217;s samadhi, all the way to Pandharpur, in a ritual march called Dindi.

Now the road from Dindi to Marathi films looks set to turn into a highway headed straight for the UK. Language differences notwithstanding, insiders say rapper Bali Brahmbhatt is working on some abhang rap. For the time being though, the musician prefers to hang onto his secret: 8216;8216;I never talk about my albums until they are complete.8217;8217;

As for Lata8217;s video, the grapevine has it that she travelled with a camera crew to perform pooja at the Alandi Temple. Mohan Wagh, politician Raj Thackeray8217;s father-in-law, co-ordinated the effort. 8216;8216;Lata has spared no expense to make the video a wonderful presentation because of her wish to take it to the people,8217;8217; says Usha.

The Marathi division of HMV has been quickest on the draw. 8216;8216;Devotional racks in music stores are hot, and this time-tested saint strain somehow fits the bill,8217;8217; explains K B Bhushan, marketing manager for HMV Saregama8217;s western wing. Their list of favourites hitting a high runs long 8212; Lokpriya Abhang by Jitendra Abhisheki/Pandit Bhimsen Joshi; Lata Mangeshkar8217;s Tukyache and Dyaneshwar Mauli its popularity led to the music video starring Lata, Bhimsen Namacha Gajar, Vitthal Geeti Gava and Jata Pandharishi, all by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

8216;8216;We are getting orders from Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Kolkata and Tanjore, Bangalore and Mysore in the south. Overseas markets include Birmingham, New Jersey and California,8217;8217; says a senior HMV spokesperson. From zero sales up north in 2000-01, they escalated by 20 per cent the next year, and leaped a further 40 per cent last year.

In the south mostly Chennai and Bangalore, the growth has been 30 per cent. And internationally, abhang sales have polevaulted a phenomenal 76 per cent.

Top artistes that music companies would kill for are Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Usha Mangeshkar, Ajit Kadakade and Suresh Wadkar. While Pandit Bhimsen, Lata and Hridaynath paint the canvas with a classical brush, sister Usha sets her abhangs in the folk mould like mother Sonubai.

8216;8216;For my forthcoming album with Music Curry the music company run by Adinath, Hridaynath8217;s son, I want to add simple effects like temple sounds,8217;8217; says Usha who just cannot imagine abhang set to rap.

Each to his own. The late Sudhir Phadke used to give the abhang a filmi touch, Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki gave it a Natyasangeet another beautiful Maharashtrian theatre music genre twist, with western instruments like the harp, the vibraphone, or an octopad pounding the chanda effect temple drums 8212; it8217;s all a part of the new sound.

Maheshbabu of Banyan Tree, the music company into alternative music with its Ninaad label, says the company is definitely working towards an album: 8216;8216;Abhangs are beautiful, I don8217;t understand the exact meaning of the words, but its spiritual element attracts me.8217;8217;

Unlike Maheshbabu, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and his fans know what the rage is all about. The maestro8217;s Vitthala Geeti Gava and Teerta Vitthala, Kshetra Vitthala at concerts are instantly greeted by beaming faces in the dark stillness of the auditorium.

For the Mangeshkar family, their all-time favourite albums are Goad Goad Tujhe Naam How like nectar is your name and Kanhaai Maaji Eulogising Krishna as mother. Hridaynath, the king when it comes to composing music for abhangs, has been so involved with the devotional genre that he knows the Dyaneshwari an abhang treatise by rote, says his sister Usha.

So can Asha Bhosle, who has struck almost every winning note possible, be far behind? Having sung some of the best abhangs in Marathi films, she8217;s now got a new name to set music and record an album of abhangs for her private collection. It8217;s Sridhar Phadke, Sudhir Phadke8217;s son. The winner of three major awards for film music, he8217;s not the only one from the younger generation to jump on this bandwagon.

The new hit is Kumar Sunil Mungee. The 30-year-old disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Mungee sings abhangs at popular live concerts in the US and the UK. Carrying Abhisheki8217;s baton abroad, he performs at least 150-200 times a year. In fact, HMV released Omkarache Dhyan by Mungee last year. Another interesting name is Chounak, Pandit Abhisheki8217;s son, who is also adept at singing abhangs live. Hisalbum is expected to hit the stores this year too.

There8217;s more. HMV plans to release a yet unnamed album of Tukaram8217;s and Namdeo8217;s selected abhangs to be sung by the new generation of classical singers.

Abhang8217;s new attraction is gathering steam.