IFA@Kochi | Songs of the Women Warikari Poets by Shruthi Vishwanath | January 05, 2019, Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018

India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)
in collaboration with
Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018
is delighted to invite you to

A Performance of Vithu Mazha—Songs of the Women Warikari Poets
composed and sung by Shruthi Vishwanath
with Shruteendra Katagade on the tabla and Yuji Nakagawa on the sarangi

Saturday, January 05, 2019 | 06:00 PM | Biennale Pavilion
Cabral Yard, opposite Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi - 682 001

As part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018, IFA is delighted to present a performance of Vithu Mazha—Songs of the Women Warikari Poets, composed and sung by Shruthi Vishwanath, with Shruteendra Katagade on the tabla and Yuji Nakagawa on the sarangi at 06:00 PM on Saturday, January 05, 2019 at the Biennale Pavilion, Cabral Yard, Fort Kochi (opposite Aspinwall House).

Shruthi musically interprets and brings into performance the abhangs of women warikari saints. Abhangs are spiritual poems usually dedicated to the deity Vithoba or Vittala of Pandharpur and sung in the regions of Maharashtra and north Karnataka. They are integral to the warikari pilgrimage and the warikari movement, which began in the late 13th century with the poet and saint Gnyaneshwar, and, continues to the present day. For this project, Shruthi studied and composed the works of women warikari poets, setting music to over 20 abhangs which have over time been lost from the aural traditions of the practice. The poems range in tone from absolute devotion to rebellion, and have been musically interpreted keeping in mind their meaning.

Shruthi Vishwanath is a musician, educator, and composer based in Pune. With a background in Carnatic and Hindustani music, she has also trained in abhangs and works on individual and collaborative music projects.

Shruthi Vishwanath received a grant from India Foundation for the Arts, under the Arts Practice programme.