Indian music experience is currently hosting the azadi music festival: Anthem of freedom. The 10-day festival which began from August 29 will continue till 7 September and display a variety of voices and styles including rock and rap, ghazals and folk, tribal and classical music.
Later this week, Arivu, Parose Tribal Song and Dance Group, Divyam Sodhi and Khwab will be seen with others. The festival also includes a one -month showcase of video installation Saavn By London -based composer Talwin Singh and famous contemporary artists Thukral and Tagra.
According to Sumangla Damodaran, who will perform with his band Antara later this week, provides the festival “at a separate take on freedom“The way it is cured.” Many artists who see music seriously are what freedom is and what it means to live in this country is a part of this event. ,
Workers will present That Subah Kabi to Aigi Composed by Sahir Ludhianvi. “The song was written in the 1950s, soon after India’s independence when disappointment prevails on the fact that hunger and unemployment continued. The song focuses on freedom to social change,” she says that she works with the original composition of the song and not with the version painted in the film. Will be Subah again,
“I think the song is powerful and quite relevant for our time, it was written after a long time. Although I have given my segment to Subah Kabi for Aigi on the basis of that song, I will also do songs in four Indian languages which were written on various points in response to social issues.”
With members of Sumangla Damodaran Antara. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Most of Sumangla’s work revolves about his composition and collaborative work with poets and poetry from the Indian People’s Theater Association from the 1940s and 50s that developed as a reaction to challenges in society.
Sumangla will join Antara, Pritam Ghoshal, a sarod player, and two members of Mark Arranha at the end of this week while presenting resistance and Asha songs in Hindi, Malayalam, Bangla, Punjabi and Telugu.
Hills come alive
Nagaland-based Tetaseo sisters are also part of the line-up later this week. Known for her songs in Chokri, the language spoken in her area, brother -in -law – Daya, Azi, Kuku and Lulu, have been performing since 1994, showing folk songs of their hometowns in India and abroad.
“the beauty of TookOur folk songs, this is to create something new to the structure, subject and tune already existing for one. For example, a traditional song about the crop can now include the verses on the personal experience of that season or a love can become Gathagit, ”says Mercy.
“This was the practice of learning folk songs and old melodies, and the freedom to connect them, which made us brave enough to write our songs. It has been a wonderful experience for us and we learned to develop our wings.”
Tetseo sisters | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Troop released its first album in 2011, which regularly brought EPS and singles out, which is coming with the original numbers in addition to heritage work TookEveryone sings brothers and plays many instruments. She says, “We have some original songs and some fusion numbers in English, but we don’t cover.”
In Bengaluru, the Tetaseo sisters will be included by their brother Mhasave. The girls started singing when they were still in school and as they made their way through high school and college, “There were times when we would not be able to perform at the same time due to all four exams or other commitments, but our brothers would come with us – sounding, and filling when needed.”
“Today, he is our music maker, although many times he is required on guitar, collision or keys,” Mercy says, they say they say they use Taati (Equipment with each one), Kharokhro (Shakers made of gourd and beans), and Mirror (Mini shakers), in all their performances.
“We also come to wear our ethnic. We come in the entire dress because we want the audience to experience and imagine the importance of these colors and where they come from.”
Merce says that under the Nagaland government, the task force makes the artist’s convenience and cooperation possible for music and art under the government of Nagaland, and talking about the upcoming show in Bengaluru, she says, “People combine freedom with different reasons, emotions, but for us, as we work in a specific dialect. The feeling of a specific dialect – the feeling of a specific dialect. Who vibes with that spirit.
“In this way you are automatically creating a new relationship and creating a new relationship. Music frees people from prejudices and stereotypes, which is why it is very good to perform at a concert that celebrates freedom.”
Azadi music festival is at the Indian Music Experience Museum. All events are free, but registration is mandatory with seating on first serve basis, first served. Full schedule of events on Indianmusicexperience.org
Published – September 04, 2025 03:23 PM IST