A humbling experience of living music and Kabir with various musicians, singers and Kabir lovers in Malwa Kabir Yatra.
We traveled to various places – village or city it was no different as it was Kabir and music. We heard music in various places – open grounds, fields or auditorium, it was no different as it was Kabir and music. We were taken care no matter who we were – fakir or celebrity all were invited and welcomed as it was Kabir and music. We lived together, traveled together and submerged in Kabir and music.
This mystical journey was different than just listening to Kabir or any music concert. A group of us – various Kabir singers (some internationally acclaimed and some have just begun their journey), various accompanying artist, and a bunch of music lovers traveling together for a journey of inside with Kabir.
We stayed awake several nights with thousands of other music lovers to just listen to the dedicated Kabir singers. When they were singing they were singers ( national, international level) but when they were with us they were just one of us.
The most humbling part was to be hosted by Prahalad ji and his family. He carries the weight of being “Padma Shree” in our eyes and minds but in reality, he is a simple and caring human being. We carried this image of celebrity for him but with us, in Yatra, he was just a Yatri, a co-traveler.
We sang together in the bus while traveling, by the roadside when our bus had a punctured tyre, after meals, and just like that.
Traveling together created an opportunity to listen to them closely and listening to their stories. Prahalad ji, the Padma Shree awardee is not so important but his efforts of last 40 yrs are most mesmerizing for us. Dev kaka who accompanied with his violin in each concert effortlessly was not so important but his humbleness was mesmerizing. Young Pavan who accompanied almost every artist on Dholak was just another youngster with us and his humbleness was mesmerizing. Ajay, Dharmender and all others from Tippania family were no different. Dipesh did not fail even a single time to take care of our individual traveling needs.
Radhika ji, Shruthi ji, Hemant ji and many other artists whom we heard for the first time left us submerged in Kabir. Stories and dedication of Neeraj and Kabir cafe were more important than their rock music. Mooralalji another internationally acclaimed artist left us experiencing Kabir so closely with his humor and simplicity. Tejal, Archana, and many other youngsters added energy and humbleness to this whole experience with their devotion and simplicity.
The performances were not to impress the audience with their music but to just play and sing Kabir. When they were singing they were just singing. We were just listening not admiring their celebrity or status or awards. Few singers had bad throat but they sang, they sang for thousands of audiences, they sang for hours. It was just pure Kabir for all of us!
The journey of Kabir – None taught us anything about Kabir but we learned so much about him just by being part of this Yatra. Kabir talked about caste, ego, status. .and we know we are above all that. Then what Kabir can teach us? We take home that Kabir was just Kabir, being himself. He didn’t define himself in any boundaries, yet he did what he connected with. Prahalad ji another Fakir in his own way, singing and spreading the voice of Kabir in his own way. We could not have experienced this devotion just by talking about it, this Yatra took us to the inner journey of experiencing Kabir through Prahalad ji. Thank you all who were part of this Yatra, each one of you added to our journey.
We loved this mystical journey, traveling in interior parts of Malwa. Thank you all for having us as part of you and Kabir.
This journey was possible only because of trust of parents, support of Leela, Asawari and all the kids at the campus. Thank you all for letting us experience this journey with Kabir.