Much of India has known him as the spearhead of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio. However, Shankar Mahadevan is also a man with a cause – to preserve and spread the rich heritage of Indian folk music. Now into its second year, his folk outfit My Country My Music seeks to bring to the forefront obscure folk artistes irrespective of language and cultural backdrops. Having already collaborated with artistes from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra among others, the artiste speaks to this writer about the current state of folk music in India, his own venture and his upcoming performance at NH7 Weekender 2018.

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What was the impetus behind starting a concert series with folk artistes?

The show is an extention of what I do in the broader spectrum, since I am always performing different genres – from Bollywood to Tamil to fusion. I wanted to create a show, which is an amalgamation of the music of my country. Every state is known for its own music, just as it is known for its food, culture and dressing habits. 

While folk music has trickled into the mainstream, it is still somewhat limited to Rajasthani, Sufi and Punjabi music. What can be done to promote the rest of the music in the country?

As responsible musicians, this is something we have to do. I have recently composed a song called Tutari, which uses a traditional Maharashtrian instrument, and it’s become a major hit. In Rock On 2, we collaborated with local bands in Assam and Meghalaya to promote the local flavour from there. It takes a while and it requires the collective thinking of the entire industry.

(Flautist Rasika Shekar from Kashmir; (left) folk singer Ganesh Chandashive)

How did you curate the musicians for your My Country My Music concerts? Are you planning to collaborate with new musicians?

I brought together masters of folk from different regions. For instance, down south, I connected with Rajappa Iyer, from Rajasthan, we got Mame Khan – people who are very authentic.I am always on the lookout for new musicians and new genres of music. We recently discovered that our bass player’s wife is an excellent folk singer from Assam, so she will be coming on board to sing Assamese and some Bangla. Last time, I collaborated with Mame Khan for Rajasthani music, this time it’s Moti Khan.

How do you find the perfect balance between western and folk instruments for your sets?

We take authentic music from each region and link it to contemporary and popular music. Take UP music for instance – we do a qawwali, a thumri dadra, and then we go into a Chalata Musafir, which is a polular song. In Rajastan, we could do a Kesariya Balam only with the acoustic guitar and saxophone as accompanyment and then move on to a popular song like Bavare. People are able to connect to popular as well as authentic parts.

Who are some of the musicians you have collaborated with who have wowed you with their artistry?

Dr Chandanshive, who also teaches in a university in Maharashtra, is a singer who continues to amaze me. He just gets you the whole essence of Maharashtra. He sings a bhajan when he comes to my house during Ganpati... He comes and he’s the rockstar of the evening – everyone is on the floor dancing.

How has collaborating with folk artistes enriched you as a musician?

I believe that folk music is above even classical music. Classical music is something you develop over the years. Folk music is in your DNA. When people sing, they may not understand D-major or C-minor or what song is in Raag Bageshree. It’s part of their soil, part of their breath. It gives you the smell of the region like nothing else and it is amazing to be in touch with that.

What’s on the agenda till NH7 and afterwards?

On the run-up, there are so many concerts I’m doing – I think there’s a My Country My Music in Delhi before we go to Weekender. And then I have my own semi-classical and classical shows. I’m doing a jugalbandi with Rashid Khan sometime in December...In the long run, I want to bring out an album with My Country My Music.