'Kehat Kabir...'in Mumbai

Koi sunta hai... sang Kabir 600 years ago, and even today people flock to hear his soul stirring words. For the third year, the Kabir Festival is back to allow audiences to reflect and enjoy as they
explore the world of this fakir poet.

Priti Turakhia of the organising committee talks of why they are bringing Kabir to Mumbai audiences. "Kabir’s poetry is relevant even today, and the music just carries it straight to the heart." The festival will host more than 20 events at 15 venues across the city, from Colaba to Borivili and from Fort to Vashi, which are free and open to the public.

Eight groups from the length and breadth of India will present Kabir and other Bhakti and Sufi poets in folk, classical and blues-inspired formats alongside dastangoi and storytelling sessions and film screenings.
The community has put together this event as a way of introducing the legend to rest of the city. "We want to introduce to audiences, especially the youth, the message of Kabir, other Bhakti/Sufi poets and folk music of our country. The festival is also a platform for folk musicians to sustain their fast-dwindling community," Priti explains.
"We are introducing Baul singers and also dastangoi or story-telling based on Kabir. We are associating with cultural organisation, Mumbai Saptaring, to bring Kabir Vani to Mumbai, on January 12 at 6.30 in the morning at the Gateway of India, with performances by Prahlad Tipanya and Rahul Deshpande from Malwa."
For those who are new to Kabir, Priti recommends the events at Gateway of India, Veer Savarkar Auditorium, Yeshwantrao Chavan Auditorium, Carter Road Amphitheatre and Gyan Sagar Amphitheatre. These will give insights to the weaver-poet who spoke against social injustices, divisions of caste, organised religion and hypocritical mindsets.

The dastangoi performances by Delhi-based theatre personalities Ankit Chadha and Ashish Paliwal are an addition to the festival. Crowd-favourite Mooralala Marwada, folk singer from Kutch, will return to the festival and so will Shabnam Virmani, director of the Kabir Project in Bengaluru.

When & Where
January 9-13 multiple venues