Street Synergy

Arya, a self-taught musician working with National Streets for Performing Arts (NSPA), loves to perform at railway stations. “I keep performing at clubs and such but the satisfaction is greater at a public place like this; if you manage to grab the attention of a weary traveller, you know you’ve done a good job,” beams Arya. When asked about his fixation for Kabir, he answers, “Kabir’s poetry carries great depth and meaning.

I want to spread his message among the masses; I’m confident that out of every 10 people that stop by to listen, at least one will go back and reflect on what Kabir has said.”

Arya is so passionate about his cause that he explains the underlying meaning of each song to his uninitiated audience. His explanation puts them at ease and brings forth a smile on their faces.
 

After a song or two, the initial audience of 10 burgeons into a crowd of thirty—a mix of college students, corporate employees, housewives and even daily wage labourers. When quizzed about what makes a railway station so appealing, Arvind Ekrupe, event head, NSPA, explains, “There are three basic reasons why we’ve chosen railway stations for our performances — one, our motto is to bring music to the ordinary people who cannot afford to go to the auditoriums; two, people at stations are often stressed because of the crowded trains, rowdy co-passengers, so we attempt to reduce their stress a little; and finally, we provide our artists a platform to showcase their talent.”
 

In the background, Arya and Bakshi increase the tempo of their song ‘hoshiyaar rehna re, nagar mein chor avega’. The audience catches on and you can sense their spirits soaring—Kabir has yet again found a place in the heart of the common man.