Singers of Sur Ki Barish | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru-based musician Sunil Koshy, co-founder of the popular amateur singing platform From Mug To Mic, has created a unique song – ‘Sur Ki Barish’ (Rain of Melody) – for World Music Day and World Yoga Day (June 21).
According to Sunil, this innovative song is no ordinary song. Composed in a breakaway style, ‘Sur Ki Barish’ has a seamless blend of seven pentatonic raagas, creating a melody that evolves throughout the song. This is a first for Sunil, he says, “The lyrics and melody are not repeated… this means more preparation for the team and practice for the singers.”
The song is not just about experimenting with ragas; it also has a powerful message. Sunil hopes that listeners will be “inspired to incorporate music and yoga in their lives, live better, healthier lives and be happier.” Music lovers and students are encouraged to “explore further and awaken the curiosity to learn composition and learn about different ragas.”
The accompanying video further reinforces the song’s message. The singers are shown in a serene outdoor setting – a lake and greenery near Jigani in south Bengaluru – which highlights the calming nature of the music. These visuals are interspersed with yoga practitioners, led by instructor Nitesh Batra and his daughter Tryambika, who also lends her voice to the song. The visuals were shot at Batra’s Ashtanga Yoga Sadhana studio in Bengaluru. The choice to showcase both music and yoga was not a coincidence.
“June 21 has been celebrated as World Music Day for many decades. In the last decade, it also became Yoga Day. So, this idea was in our mind since last year,” says Sunil.
Sunil and his team plan to showcase the music video among college students and music and yoga enthusiasts. They will also hold a student show and online talent show to encourage people to follow their passion.
The making of ‘Sur Ki Baarish’ was a collective effort. Sunil is accompanied by his long-time collaborator and lyricist Sahil Sultanpuri, who has written the soulful words that dance to the music. The concept and direction is by Archana Hallikeri, who helped weave the music and yoga themes into a coherent whole. The voices that fill the song are those of a talented group: Nidhi Srivastava, Jayati Roy, Dr. Jai Ganesh, BK Srinivas, Prabhudev Balappa, Metri Nitesh Batra, and a children’s chorus featuring Aditi Ganguly, Tryambika Batra, and Anish Prabhudev Metri.
Sunil also teaches optional subjects called Music and Management at MS Ramaiah Institute of Management.
