Lata ji wanted me to do an album in our national language, Hindi, and of our revered poets or poet-saints. When I began composing and recording this album, I kept this a secret, since I wanted to surprise her with the final product. Alas! That was not meant to be,” laments Baiju Mangeshkar of his admired aunt, the late Lata Mangeshkar. Honouring her desire, he presents Man Mast Kabira, a collection of 10 songs that revisit the works of Kabir.
In this interview, he highlights why the poet’s simplicity resonated with him.
Why did you decide to revive the works of Kabir, and how will this serve as a tribute to the legacy of the Mangeshkars?
Lata ji was keen that I work on an album devoted to a poet-saint like Kabir. She was fond of the works of a lot of poets, and all the wonderful people that she had the great opportunity of working with, including Sahir sahab [Ludhianvi], and Majrooh [Sultanpuri]. Kabir chose me, I didn’t choose Kabir. It was destiny. I have worked on spiritual music in the past; primarily in Punjabi and Urdu. I have composed and sung the works of Punjabi and Sufi saints. Kabir’s [work is] similar, and is called Nirguni bhajans and philosophical songs. Kabir’s thoughts resonated with me. Lata ji, and my father Hridaynath Mangeshkar, have [released] some amazing spiritual compositions too. Also, I love Kabir’s simplicity. His Hindi is easy to understand, and his thoughts are clear. Hence, it is [convenient] for a layperson to comprehend it. Also, his work is timeless. The things he wrote in the 15th century are relevant even today. Humankind hasn’t changed that much. Their complexities, egos, and [feelings of] discrimination are still prevalent. Kabir addresses all of that. This album honours the Mangeshkar family because I am a third-generation artiste. Also, this album has been made in collaboration with Saregama; our relationship goes back 80 glorious years.
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How do you plan to integrate the kind of music that the Mangeshkars have been known for, with his poems?
The crux of the songs is Hindustani ragas and folk. So, the essence of the album is Hindustani. The members of the Mangeshkar family have been torch-bearers of Hindustani music. So, it was a natural process to make something with a touch of classical music.
How did you arrive at the selection of songs, and your approach to reviving them.
I have tried to capture the myriad moods of Kabir, and have used various ragas, something that Lata di had said leads to the making of an interesting album. The songs encapsulate various thoughts — They are philosophical, spiritual, devotional, and also geets with dohas. It is a fragrant bouquet. If one song required an uptempo rhythm, another needed a folk tune. Some are sad songs, some are melancholic. I have enjoyed the various shades in this album. I haven’t chosen any song that [isn’t popular]. The poetry used in this album has been sung and interpreted by different artistes, across different times.
