Singer Mahesh Kale on celebrating Ashadi Ekadashi: Singing abhangs is my way of walking to Pandharpur, in spirit

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

This Sunday (July 6) marks Ashadi Ekadashi, a major festival in Maharashtra and a significant day for the Warkari sect that culminates in a pilgrimage to the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur. To mark the festival, Indian classical singer Mahesh Kale will take the stage in Mumbai and Pune as part of his concert series, titled Abhangwari. Sharing how the shows will be a homage to the spirit of Ashadi Ekadashi, Mahesh says, 'My concerts are woven around the idea of the pilgrimage that happens during Ashadi Ekadashi. So, being able to do the concert, to me, is like walking towards God, but in music. It will also mark a celebration of the spirit of the warkaris.' Mahesh Kale
The singer participated in the walk to Pandharpur last year for the pilgrimage. Speaking about it, he says, 'Walking in the wari was surreal, especially because I had travelled 30-odd hours right before I started to walk. You usually feel fatigued after a long international travel, but I was super energised. That environment and energy is hard to explain. I also got to sing with the warkaris in the pilgrimage. That experience will stay with me forever. I wish I could do wari every single year. Abhangwari is my way of going to Pandharpur in spirit.
Mahesh performs concerts that are high on devotional music from Maharashtra across the world. Sharing what drew him to abhangs and why he felt the need to take it beyond the realm of his home state, the vocalist, who would be rendering abhangs like Abir Gulal, Kanada Raja Pandharicha, Sukhache Je Sukh and the Abhangwari title track at the shows, shares: 'I grew up in an atmosphere where abhangs were a part of our life. Every Thursday and Sunday, my father would take the family to a congregation of bhajan in a mandal. Hence, just like Indian classical music, abhang is my happy place. So if I feel a bigger diaspora can find solace and happiness in it, then why restrict it to borders and language? That's why I'm not just performing in Maharashtra, but also in Delhi, Kolkata, Indore, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
While he is looking forward to seeing the seasoned classical music aficionados in the audience, he's also sure that young listeners would drop by too: 'I see a lot of youth representation in my concerts, and I'm grateful for that. Of course, I get a lot of aashirvaad from the older generation, but I'm also very excited that the youth is coming to these concerts, because the more number of young people attending such shows, the longer the tradition will be upheld.'
Mahesh will perform in Mumbai on July 5 at Shanmukhananda Hall, Sion, 6.30pm onwards and in Pune on July 6 at Mahalaxmi Lawns, Karve Nagar, 6.30pm onwards.