Tabla and other percussion instruments will unite to narrate stories from Ramayana at this festival in Mumbai

Anuradha Pal performs on two sets of tabla at an earlier event

There is something inherently human about telling a story. In his magnum opus, historian Yuval Noah Harari observed that "Homo Sapiens is a storytelling animal that thinks in stories rather than numbers and graphs…" For tabla maestro Anuradha Pal, there is a need to make the new generation aware of this inherent nature.

"For me, the tabla is a melodic percussive instrument," says the student of the late Ustad Alla Rakha Khan. This melody is a key detail that informs her narrative performance at the 7th edition of the Arpanotsav on Friday. "The festival is a tribute to my guru, Ustad Alla Rakha Khan, my grandfather, MT Vyas and my parents," says Pal. Helmed by the Anuradha Pal Cultural Foundation (APCF), the festival is an extension of the composer's efforts to spread wellness through music. "We first set out on this campaign just after the COVID-19 induced lockdowns were lifted. It was only then I realised how music can not only unite
people but also heal them," she says.

A 17-year-old Anuradha Pal (left) performs with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

The one-day festival will feature 10 folk musicians from Rajasthan, including the Padma Shri Ustad Anwar Khan Manganiyar, bringing elements of Sufi and folk rhythms in a unique jugalbandi. "The love for music and the country originates from my childhood travels. Their music, like mine, stems from a long tradition that goes beyond religion or language," she reveals. The jugalbandi will also witness rare instruments like the pungi and the algoza, a twin-bamboo flute.

At the heart of the festival is a deep-rooted love for storytelling. "The tradition of behrupiyas and kathakars is part of Indian classical music tradition. We need to demystify classical music and make it more accessible to people," she emphasises. The pièce de résistance of the Ramayana on tabla is an effort in this direction.

Calling it an ‘evolving composition,' Pal reveals that she first came upon the idea in the early 2000s. "I had already composed pieces like Shiva Shakti and Krishna Ke Taal that built conversations through the tabla. Someone asked if it was possible to extend it to narratives like the Ramayana, for instance. I found that interesting," she says.

Veteran vocalist Ustad Anwar Khan Manganiyar (extreme right) performs during a concert. Pics Courtesy/Instagram

The result was a challenge unlike any other for the composer. The performance on Friday will also feature Sabir Sultan Khan accompany her on the sarangi, L Nitesh Kumar (vocals) and Tushar Raturi (keyboard and multiple instruments). The key though remains the percussion of the tabla. "The compositions are built around the prasangs [episodes of Ramayan], performed on the tabla and several percussion instruments. Each of the instruments represents a character. It is like musical theatre," Pal points out.

The sounds of the pakhawaj, mridangam and tabla are complemented by the djembe, bongo, uduku, kanjira and handsonic - that contains multiple sounds in itself. If you wonder how percussion can replicate the human voice and emotion, Pal is quick on the draw. She performs an immediate theka - a standard beat of taal - to exemplify a conversation.

"I realised quite early that the tabla's rhythms, timbre and tone can be used to replicate the nature and pace of human conversation. I also use nine raags to personify and capture the idea of the navarasas," the tabla maestro notes. The challenge is to ensure that the shift of emotions happens seamlessly during the storytelling. "It is not just a musical challenge, but also a physical one. But I have always believed in challenging myself. As a musician, I need to keep introspecting and doing things anew to draw the attention of my audience, especially those from the next generation. We need to take this tradition forward," she notes.

On December 6; 6.30 pm
At Nehru Centre, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli.
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com
Cost: Rs 299 onwards