On the 15th of February, IHS students were privileged to have the Rajasthan Roots, a collective fusion band, come and perform in the morning assembly. The artists – Aditya Bhasin, Kutle Khan, Bismillah Khan, Iqbal Gaurav, Priyank Krishna – were from different parts of Rajasthan and combined their diverse folk music styles to create something traditional yet contemporary.
The assembly began with a rendition of a verse from the 16th century poet-saint Kabir ‘Vari Jaun Re’. This was followed by a piece penned by the Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet Bulleh Shah ‘Chal Bulleya’. The artists then presented a composition that they had penned at 3am that morning, a tribute to Adiyogi. The vocalists sang their heart out.
The students were exposed to new musical instruments such as the ‘dotara’, an instrument which is commonly used in various folk tradition in Bengal, including the ascetic Baul tradition, which resembles a mandolin. They were also introduced to the ‘khurtal’ which essentially are two pieces of strong wood held in each hand that, when hit together, create a captivating beat. The artists treated the audience to a jugalbandi between the khurtal and the dholak.
Rajasthan Roots is an amazing band full of diverse people and spectacular sounds. We look forward to hearing them again on Mahashivaratri.
– Vidhata & Heeya