Mahindra Kabira Festival's 8th Edition Begins With An Opening Reception At Guleria Kothi In Varanasi
The event was held on 13 December.
By: Blair Ingenthron Dec. 14, 2024
The Mahindra Kabira Festival has returned to the historic ghats of Varanasi to celebrate its 8th edition! The festival, which is Kabir in Every Sense, has grown to become a unique confluence of music, conversations, heritage, food, and more. It commenced its 2024 edition on the evening of 13th December with an incredible Opening Reception at Guleria Kothi.
The evening began with the Ganga Aarati, an ode to the sacred Ganges. The Reception started with an evocative musical performance by A Carnatic Quartet—a collaboration of four artistes: Shreya Devnath, Mylai M Karthikeyan, Thirunageswaram TRS Manikandan, and Adyar G Silambarasan. They celebrated Kabir by blending two distinct Carnatic instrumental traditions: the violin and nagaswaram for melody, and the mridangam and thavil for rhythm.
The evening also featured Mehfil – An Anadi Nagar Collective, whose performance blended modern and traditional Indian music inspired by Kabir's philosophy. The collective consists of Anadi Nagar, a composer and singer; Ruturaj Bhaktraj Bhosle, a pakhawaj player and Bal Shri Awardee; Punarvasu, a screenwriter and playwright active in theatre and film; Tamal Pandey, a singer and guitarist; and Mukut Raj Kashyap, a multi-instrumentalist and producer fusing Indian and Western musical traditions.
Educator and spiritual mentor Umesh Kabir, who has lived at Kabirchauramath in Varanasi for 20 years, also graced the occasion. He shared insights into Kabir's timeless philosophy, its enduring resonance with the world, and the significance of the Mahindra Kabira Festival in keeping this legacy alive.
Speaking about the festival, Jay Shah, Vice President, Mahindra Group, shared, “At the Mahindra Group, we cherish the timeless writings of poets and philosophers like Kabir, whose ideas remain profoundly relevant. Each year, we bring this Festival to Varanasi, Kabir's birthplace, celebrating his legacy through music, poetry, literature, heritage walks, and food trails. Curated with care, the Festival offers a range of diverse artistes and musical forms, resonating with all—young and old, novice and academic alike—while embodying our commitment to a more equal world. It's been 8 years of celebrating Kabir and there are many more years to come!”
During his opening speech, Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, said, “We return to the historic ghats of Varanasi to remember Kabir through soulful music, thoughtful discourse, art, heritage walks, and more. For 8 years, we have celebrated the mystic-poet in his city, where his timeless teachings remind us of the power of empathy, resilience, and compassion. Along the sacred banks of the Ganga, in the eternal city of Varanasi—witness to varied histories and a beacon of spirituality—we continue to celebrate the wisdom of Kabir. Like each year, we are proudly committed to sustainability and the festival stands as one of India's leading green events, upholding a zero-waste ethos.”
The evening was a vibrant celebration, perfectly reflecting its theme of bringing a medley of colours to the Mehfil. The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO of the Mahindra Group; Asha Kharga, Chief Customer and Branding Officer at Mahindra Group; and Mallikarjuna, Chief Technology and Enterprise Business Officer at Telefónica Germany. Other notable attendees included Avinash Sharan from AU Bank; Vinay Prakash Verma, Senior Vice President and Global Business Head at Telefónica; Alok Kshirsagar, Senior Partner at McKinsey; as well as Gayatri and Praketa Luthra, co-founders of Moglys Foundation and Moglys Gurukul. Also present were Darshan Mehta from Reliance Brands, S.K. Jindal from the Jindal Group, and Praveer Sinha, CEO, Director, and MD of Tata Power Co.
Over the course of the next two days, the Mahindra Kabira Festival has an exciting programme, with morning music at Guleria Kothi and evening performances at Shivala Ghat. The artistes for this year include acclaimed names such as classical vocalists Madhup Mudgal and Sawani Mudgal, as well as bands and musical teams such as Sarvatara, Advaita, Thaikkudam Bridge, and more. The afternoon conversations too feature acclaimed names, including writer and literary critic Purushottam Agrawal and CERN scientist Dr. Archana Sharma. This year's live artwork is being created by The Aravani Art Project.
About Mahindra:
Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 2, 60,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world's largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate.
The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.
About Teamwork Arts:
Teamwork Arts is a highly versatile production company with roots in the performing arts, social action and the corporate world. For over 30 years, Teamwork Arts has taken India to the world and brought the world to India, presenting the finest of Indian performers, writers , change makers and visual artistes in the knowledge and arts space in India and abroad. Every year, they produce over 33 festivals in 72 cities and 26 countries in the fields of performing & visual arts and literature. Teamwork Arts produces the world's largest literary gathering: the annual Jaipur Literature Festival; JLF international now travels to the US, UK, and Europe.
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