A slew of musical events including Nada Sambhrama, Offbeat 2024 and Beat Route are happening this weekend.
Beat Route is led by two extraordinary visionaries in their fields:
• Ranjit Barot, renowned as one of India’s best drummers and rhythm composers, has created a unique score that elevates traditional percussion to new heights. His ability to merge folk drumming with modern electronic rhythms has crafted an unprecedented sound. Ranjit Barot is also the lead drummer of Beat Route.
• Roysten Abel, a master storyteller and acclaimed director, brings his unparalleled ability to integrate powerful narratives and visual design into the performance. His works like The Manganiyar Seduction have already proven his skill in showcasing traditional art forms in contemporary settings. With Beat Route, he takes that fusion even further.
Immersive Live Experience
The live performance aspect of Beat Route is designed to be fully immersive:
• The sound design ensures that every drumbeat is experienced to its finest nuance.
• The lighting and visual effects work in harmony with the music, amplifying the emotional power of the performance.
• The narrative-driven storytelling allows the audience to connect with the personal stories of the folk percussionists, making it more than just a musical show—it’s a cultural journey.
A Celebration of Tradition in a Contemporary World
Beat Route is a celebration of Indian folk traditions in a contemporary global context. By bringing together traditional instruments from Rajasthan and Kerala with modern sounds, the show highlights how age-old practices remain relevant and powerful, even as they evolve. It emphasizes the fact that tradition and modernity can coexist, and that innovation doesn’t have to come at the cost of heritage.
Global Appeal
While rooted in Indian tradition, the sound and spectacle of Beat Route have universal appeal. The show’s blend of percussive energy and electronic beats creates a genre that speaks to a wide range of audiences, from lovers of folk music to enthusiasts of contemporary electronic soundscapes. It’s an art form that transcends cultural boundaries, making it accessible and exciting for global audiences.
The show is also a product of deep collaboration:
• Kabir Singh Chowdhry, an innovative filmmaker, has contributed visually stunning projections and cinematic elements that enhance the storytelling of the drummers’ lives and traditions.
• The folk percussionists themselves are key collaborators in shaping the show, bringing their authentic voices, rhythms, and cultural contexts to life, adding authenticity to the performance.
• MT Aditya Srinivasan, a young yet immensely experienced Sound Designer.
The production is made possible by Bhoomija Trust, a key player in creating innovative artistic collaborations in India. Bhoomija’s commitment to bringing diverse, high-quality performances to audiences aligns perfectly with Beat Route’s vision of blending tradition and innovation. Through this show, Bhoomija continues its mission to support artists and enrich the cultural landscape.
By uniting these traditions—Rajasthan’s intense, earthy rhythms from instruments like the Dhol, Kartaal, Morchung, and Nagada, alongside Kerala’s intricate, resonant percussion from the Mizhavu, Chanda, and Elathaalam—the goal was to celebrate the diversity of India’s folk music while highlighting the unique strengths of both traditions. Rajasthan’s percussion is dynamic and robust, reflecting the spirit of its vast desert landscapes, while Kerala’s percussion is more structured and rhythmic, echoing the rituals and traditions of temple culture. The thought was to explore the contrasts in these forms and then find the harmony in their collaboration. By doing so, Beat Route offers a dialogue between two distinct musical worlds, emphasizing how diverse forms of expression can coexist and complement each other beautifully.
The collaboration aimed to push the boundaries of traditional music by fusing these folk forms with contemporary electronic elements under the musical direction of Ranjit Barot. This combination of regional styles forms the foundation of a new musical language—one that speaks to both tradition and innovation, offering audiences something fresh and powerful. Another core idea was to bring together two regions with vastly different cultural influences and unite them through a shared love for percussion. Ultimately, the collaboration between Rajasthan and Kerala’s percussionists is about crafting a unique sound experience that transcends geographical boundaries while honoring the roots of traditional folk music.
Read the full story that first appeared in Our Bangalore dated Oct 5 – Oct 11 here:
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