Live Concert Swarutsav 2000

Madhup Mudgal

About this album

The ringing of the temple bell, the blowing of the conch shell, and the tuneful recitation of mantras, the singing of prayers: Devotion or Bhakti has been a powerful motivation for making music down the centuries. Faith has inspired countless musical compositions in Indai. Wahtever be the formal structure of the music offered, the textual and emotional content invariably has spiritual motivations. In the Indian traditional, the Nada Brahman or the Universal Soul as manifest in primordial sound, has been venerated by both musicians and lay people. Right from the simple blowing of the conch shell to the complex musical styles and forms that constitute our musical panorama, Bhakti or devotion to a God or deity has been the focus of virtually most musical practices.

Bhakti or devotion to a God or deity has been the focus of virtually most musical practices. Bhakti humanizes the man-God relationship through love and surrender to the deity and can be of two types. One, called Sagun (with attributes) Bhakti, where the object of adoration is a particular God or deity. The other, Nirgun Bhakti (without attributes), when it addresses itself to more abstract, universal, non-personal truths. The India Today Swarutsav had both these streams presented by Madhup Mudgal, Veena Sahasrabuddhe and Rajan and Sajan Mishra.

Madhup Mudgal brings to his singing an approach that is introspective yet lyrical. In the singing Bhakti Sangeet or devotional music, he follows in the wake of his legendary mentor, Kumar Gnadharva. With his austere contemplative treatment of the nirguni side of Bhakti poetry the late master had carved a unique haunting niche.

Madhup's father, Vinaychandra Maudgalya, founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Delhi and Madhup grew up imbibing the Vishnu Digambar Paluskar tradition of Sagun Bhakti songs as well. He thus brings to Indian devotional music a deep sensibility of both the sagun and nirgun traditions.

If he moves his listeners through his nirguni songs by the likes of Kabir, Gorakhnath and Mchhindranath, he can also render with equal impact songs by the sagun saints like Tulsidas and Meera Bai. His deep resonant voice can be uplifting, carrying lightly an understated mastery of both melody and rhythm.

Madhup Mudgal's deep resonant voice carries lightly a mastery of both melody and rhythm. He brings to his singing an introspective lyrical approach. His singing of nirguni devotional music follows in the wake of the legendary Kumar Gandharva: austere and contemplative. Through his father, Vinaychandra Maudgalya Madhup has inherited the Paluskar tradition of sagun Bhakti as well. He thus brings to devotional music a deep sensibility of both the streams.

Tracks

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