Vocalists Bhuvanesh Komkali and Jayateerth Mevundi explored the two trajectories of bhakti: saguna and nirguna

‘Tuka Mhane, Kahe Kabira’ — a unique musical event organised by Pancham Nishad was recently held at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bengaluru. Vocalists Bhuvanesh Komkali and Jayateerth Mevundi commenced the concert with Sant Jnaneshwar’s abhang ‘Tuj sagun manu ki nirgun re’. The composition alluded to the two trajectories of bhakti — worship of the ‘saguna’ (characterised by a specific form and a set of attributes) versus ‘nirguna’ (formless). These paradoxical dualities were represented by the abhangs of Sant Tukaram and the mystical dohas of Sant Kabir.

The stage setting too was in consonance with the theme, with striking cut-outs of abhangs such as ’Bolava Vittal, pahava Vittal, karava Vittal’, ’Avgha rang ek jhala’ and compositions of Kabir such as ‘Ud jayega hamsa akela’ and ‘Rehena nahi des birana he’ — thus highlighting these contrarieties through renditions of nirguni bhajans and abhangs extolling the enchanting image of Vittala. 

Jayateerth’s lyrical rendition of the ‘saguni’ ‘Rajasa sukumar, madanancha puttala’ depicting the beautiful, regal form of Vittala in raag Shivaranjini had a captivating appeal. This was followed by another abhang of Sant Tukaram bearing affinity to a ‘nirguni’ conception:  ‘Anureniya thokada, tuka akasha evada’ where he describes himself as an insignificant person and at the same time as vast and expansive as the sky, referring to his corporeal self as an illusion. The abhang immortalised by Pt Bhimsen Joshi in raag Malkauns was rendered with fervour by Jayateerth, highlighting both the ‘sagun’ and ‘nirgun’ conceptions. 

Bhuvanesh Komkali embarked on a deeply meditative musical journey with the profound nirguni Kabir bhajan, ‘Niharwa humka na bhave’ — a bride‘s longing for her natal home as the metaphor for the soul’s yearning for the divine in taal Deepchandi, re-articulating the astounding blend of classical and folk elements in his grandfather and maestro Pt. Kumar Gandharva‘s rendition. This was followed by another nirguni Kabir bhajan ‘Sunta hai guru gyani, gagan mein awaz ho rahi jeeni jeeni’, characterised by a unique melodic structure bearing the stamp of Pt. Kumar Gandharva’s inimitable style and reminiscent of folk melodies of Malwa. 

Jayateerth Mevundi ‘s soulful delineation of another nirguni Kabir bhajan ‘Guru bin kaun batave baat’ in raag Madhuvanti was marked by a contemplative solemnity and gravitas that transformed into a sprightly abhang ‘Ma ganadeva’, followed by a sonorous chanting of the ‘gajar’ ‘Jnanoba, Mauli Tukaram’.

Bhuvanesh Komkali presented another riveting Kabir composition: ‘Kaun thugwa nagariya lutal ho’ (which thief has plundered this city?) — a philosophical song about mortality and the inexorability of time rendered in a lilting Manj Khamaj.  Jayateerth’s counterpoint to the nirguni Kabir bhajan was a poignant Kannada bhajan ‘Yake mookanadyo guruve’ by Jagannatha Dasaru of the Madhwa sampradaya in raag Jaunpuri. 

In this spectacular devotional musical odyssey, the two vocalists were accompanied by an adept ensemble of accompanists — Mandar Puranik on the tabla, Dhyaneshwar Sonawane on the samvadini, Sunil Kumar on the bansuri , Varsha (a disciple of Bhuvanesh Komkali on vocal support), Suryakant Surve on the manjira and Sukhad Munde on the pakhawaj). Dhanashree Lele‘s eloquent commentary, in Marathi and Hindi, stood out as a laudatory backdrop for this majestic interweaving of the saguna and nirguna dimensions of bhakti poetry and music.

Bhuvanesh Komkali and Jayateerth Mevundi concluded the evening with a mesmerising joint rendition of the Kabir composition: ‘Avadhoota gagan ghata geherayire’ in raag Bhairavi and Keherwa taal.