कबीरा गाया बाज़ार में

 

कबीरा गाया बाज़ार में

Today, I received a WhatsApp video forwarded by Bhabani Dixit, a friend. He had read my recent blog on Kabir, and thought the video may be of interest to me. I seldom play the many videos I receive but made an exception today. I am glad I did.

An amazing video. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, a famed classical singer of the Jaipur-Atrauli Khayal Gayiki gharana, singing somewhere (possibly on a street near a railway station in Mumbai) a Kabir bhajan impromptu, mesmerised by the tune played on a simple, hand-crafted sarangi by a street-side musician.

The video is shot from a smartphone by a person accompanying the singer, it seems. Lalchand is sitting on the pavement with Kavita, his wife to his left and their little son, Bheem at the back. Lalchand does not know Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. He has never gone to any musical concert. He may be a migrant from the rural hinterland playing his humble instrument to earn a living, hoping that passers-by may drop a note or a coin.

When the singer begins singing in her amazingly rich voice, picking up a Kabir bhajan which fits perfectly to the tune Lalchand is playing, the street-musician is perplexed. Why is a distinguished lady and a gifted singer singing to his modest tune, and why is a video being shot? He is stunned for a moment, but the gentle singer brings out a smile of recognition, a camaraderie between a musician and a singer. She asks, ‘Are you playing jhini jhini?’ and Lalchand nods, and she proceeds to sing further:

चदरिया झीनी रे झीनी,

राम नाम रस भीनी,

चदरिया झीनी रे झीनी ।

He syncs his music to the singer’s voice and rhythm. How would he know that the gifted singer was trained in classical Indian music, had cut many music albums, and had held concerts across the globe? Or, that she has a Doctorate in Microbiology, and quit her job at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to pursue her passion for music.

Lalchand, Kavita, and Bheem

I have not checked the authenticity of the video. In my view, there is no need to. It is not a promo for the singer, for she is not even in the frame. Nor is it for Lalchand for even his location is not mentioned.

But who heard whom in this video?

कबीरा गाया बाज़ार में  ..

The voice of the 15^th century poet transcended the limitations of time and space and reached a new audience through the golden voice of the singer and the wonderful music by the street-side musician.

If that is not divine, what is?

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1. A link to Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande's soulful rendition of 'Ajapa Jaap Japo Bhai Sadho': https://youtu.be/TesKj1FR8kE

2. A friend sent his feedback, 'I believe this is not her. Somebody who knows her well apparently contacted her and she denied it was her. FYI.' My reply to my friend: Thanks, but that doesn't diminish Kabir or the anonymous singer or the humble musician!

3. A few other readers mentioned that the video had been circulated a few years earlier, but some of them enjoyed the video better after reading my blog, and I am thankful to them. One reader mentioned that the video was shot at Jaipur.

4. There are sites and portals which claim to fact-check upon request, and even share their WhatsApp numbers; but I'm not sure if these are Trojan horses to invade my contacts list, so I haven't tried!

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