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Hari Babu Kaushik and Group

By May 27, 2021February 26th, 2023Uttar Pradesh

“In sync with spirituality and devotion.”

After spending some heart-wrenching time in Braj, trying to understand its folk music and to capture the pulse of this land, Hari Babu Kaushik was a divine treat with his Haveli Sangeet. Haveli sangeet is a form of music that traces its origin to the historical traditions of temple-based music. One of the most essential components of this music is Dhrupad. Haveli sangeet is more sophisticated in comparison to the bhajans we listen to. Haveli sangeet is a beautiful fusion of classical music and folk.

To meet Haribabu and his group, the team reached Vrindaban, a very sacred place for the Hindus. According to Indian mythology, Lord Krishna spent most of his childhood days in Vrindavan. To receive us, Mayur Kaushik, Haribabu’s son, was waiting at the Akshaya Patra temple. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a committed non-profit organization responsible for feeding millions of underprivileged children in India. Their motto is to eradicate hunger and malnutrition from India. 

From there, Mayur Ji took us inside the temple for the flower arti(Phool-arti), a ritual in which people offer flowers to the deity. The entire documentation team was in a state of awe after watching the beauty of Radha-Krishna deities carved from white marbles. Along with Haribabu Kaushik Ji, the team joined the Satsang and sang the melodies of Krishna Bhajan with all the emphatic devotees over there. With a sense of contentment, we went to the spot where we planned to document Haribabu’s performance. Unfortunately, we couldn’t, because of the ongoing construction work, and it lead to some improvisation on our end. A special crowd-controlling team, was hence formed, to manage the flow of vehicles passing by. But eventually, the entire documentation came out very well.

 

Haveli sangeet primarily is a form of worship in which the offerings are presented to the divine.  Haribabu started with a solo sarangi performance as an offering to awake Lord Krishna from his sleep, followed by a song on Krishna’s Srinagar. All the songs that they performed depicted the very essence of Lord Krishna and his daily activities.  Haveli sangeet emphasizes more on the spiritual aspect rather than entertainment. Haveli sangeet is meant more for the seekers of the divine. During the research trip, we crossed paths with one such seeker, who is a follower of Lord Krishna’s consciousness. He was currently trying to find the path of his spiritual quest to the Lord through Haveli sangeet under the close guidance of Haribabu Kaushik. He was also present for the documentation, with a simple wish of getting a chance to listen to his Guru, singing the verses of Krishna.

Hari Babu Kaushik comes from Mushti Margiya Samprada, established by Prabhu Vallabh Acharya. It takes the form of devotional songs sung daily to Krishna by the Pushtimarg sect. Apart from being a majestic vocalist with a divine voice to support even at the age of 78, he is also a renowned and respected Sarangi player. He belongs to a musical family from generations they are into Haveli sangeet. The generation next is also taking up their traditional music with utmost care and empathy. 

Kriti Kaushik, 20, Haribabu’s granddaughter, is also a member of his group. She expresses her concern over the lack of popularity of the haveli sangeet and aspires to take the art form ahead with more dedication. According to her, more people can experience this divine musical tradition if they knew about it. It was very heartwarming to see such young minds being so committed to this dying art form.  On asking why Haveli Sangeet is on the verge of extinction, Hari Babu firmly pointed out a lack of understanding of the form among the general audience. Moreover, the decline of the Haveli Sangeet, in recent times, is due to the lack of trained mentors and schools that can pass on the Heritage of Haveli sangeet to the next generation.

The group has a beautiful blend of young and experienced musicians with highly experienced artists. To name, these are Manmohan Kaushik, the lead vocalist; Mayur Kaushik, a Harmonium Player, and singer; and Mukesh Kaushik, a benevolent Sarangi Player; Pt. Mohan Shyam Sharma, who accompanies tabla and Pakhawaj(a double-headed drum); and Kriti and Sourav. Sarangi and Pakhawaj are two very crucial instruments used in Haveli Sangeet. The intricate patterns and improvisations woven by Mohan Shyam Ji and Hari Babu created a dialogue that we were spellbound seeing and listening to such artistry..

To get the depth of Hari Babu’s voice, a very unique, micing pattern, was designed and the result that came out of it was simply amazing. It was one of the best documentation of the entire Braj journey, and the experience of recording and shooting such elegant artists was gratifying.

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