True Devotion

Mystic Love, an album produced by Ninaad Music & Marketing — an independent audio label run by the Banyan Tree team — is rather unusual. It contains eight compositions written by Meera and passed on orally through generations. Sung by Padmaram and Mahesram, who have never been out of the Jaisalmer district, it is unadulterated folk. And the music, the instruments, the lyrics, the pain and the yearning are all centuries old.

Padmaram and Mahesram have been singing these bhajans in all-night jagarans for years. What distinguishes them from kirtankaras, who are professional family singers in Rajasthan temples, is that their singing is entirely from the heart, in truebhakti tradition. Cobblers by profession, which makes them the lowest rung on the social ladder, the bhakti in their music transcends worldy cares and concerns. The same traits which made Meera a saint.

The songs in the album have been chosen by Komal Kothari, an expert on Rajasthani folk traditions. And Padmaram,who has rendered all the solo songs, makes it an experience you want to go back to every night. Specially the songs`Chalo Man Ganga Jamuna Re Teer’, `Walo Lage Fakir’, `Manade Ra Mohan’ and`Uda Ja Kaga Ban Re’. The way he drags his voice over the strings of the tundra and the sarangi is simply fascinating. All of Meera’s longing comes through beautifully. On the other hand, some of Mahesram’s song’s have a playful swing to them like `Heli Bansi Ban Ma Samadhi‘ while `Maragiya Buharu’ is a mix of both playfulness and pining. Unlike the popular Rajasthani `folk’ music pedalled by singers like Ila Arun, this is the real stuff. Worth its space on your shelf.