India is often described as being more like a continent than a country. The culture can change every 100 kilometres (62 miles). The nation is home to 22 official languages and more than a thousand dialects. While the majority of Sofar Sounds shows in Indian cities are performed in English or Hindi, the most widely spoken tongue, here are five videos that showcase India’s incredible linguistic diversity.
Achint & The Khan Brothers – Manihara | Sofar Bombay (Mumbai)
Mumbai-based composer, producer and guitarist Achint Thakkar found the perfect collaborators in folk singers Bhutta Khan and Multan Khan whose earthy vocals, in Rajasthani, he took as building blocks to create sublime fusion rock of the kind heard on the jazzy ballad “Manihara”.
Alluri – Endukala | Sofar Milan
Hyderabad-born singer-songwriter Shriram Alluri started out singing in English but he came into his own when he switched to his mother tongue Telugu. He hasn’t looked back since, and with good reason. Tracks like the groovy “Endukala” have won over audiences both back home and across the world.
Oorka – Peraasai | Sofar Chennai
Tamil rock band Oorka gained a following by hitting the road and staging impromptu performances in and around their home city of Chennai, making them ideal candidates to perform stripped-down versions of their tunes. Songs such as funk-tinged ear worm “Peraasai” are why their fame has grown beyond speakers of their native language.
Parvaaz – Gul Gulshan | Sofar Bangalore (Bengaluru)
Bengaluru rockers Parvaaz’s interpretation of poet Ghulam ‘Mahjoor’ Ahamed’s verse Walo Ha Baagwano is not only one of their signature songs in Kashmiri, it’s the tune with which they open their gigs. The impassioned rendition is like an incantation that readies audiences for the mesmerizing experience that follows.
Swarathma -Jangama | Sofar Bangalore
Folk-fusion rock group Swarathma have built a formidable fan base with their trademark blend of jaunty instrumentation and topical lyrics. This pensive ballad is among the handful of Kannada tunes in the Bengaluru (Bangalore) band’s repertoire, the subject of which is timelessly relevant. The song is about traversing through life at your own pace.
Words by Amit Gurbaxani
Photo credit: Oorka performing Sofar Chennai, image via YouTube
