'Kumar Creates His Kabir' - Episode 02 from the film Koi Sunta Hai

After being silenced by a life-threatening illness at the peak of a promising career in classical music, Pt. Kumar Gandharva retreats to the quiet environs of the sleepy town of Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. Much later when he storms the classical stage in the early 1970s with a powerful and unique expression of Kabir, we know that the seeds of this were sowed in his consciousness in his years in Dewas. This fiercely nirgun Kabir that speaks through Kumarji’s voice is initially met with suspicion and scorn by many, as it challenges fundamental assumptions of the category of ‘classical’ and indeed of the ‘spiritual’ itself.
In this episode from the film Koi Sunta Hai, we travel to Dewas to find the kind of folk voices that Kumar Gandharva may have heard during his illness in Dewas. We meet Kashi Ba, a fruit seller who embodies the wisdom and songs of the nirgun tradition with great panache. A pattern starts to emerge, between Kabir, Kumar Gandharva, and singers like Kashi Ba - a fiercely independent nature, an urge to question convention from within the tradition, and the eternal quest to forge a personal bond with the universal.
Interweaving the folk music traditions of Kabir with the life and music of the late classical singer Kumar Gandharva, the film Koi Sunta Hai searches for that elusive sound, that ‘jhini si awaaz’, Kabir urges us to hear. Where does it resonate, that subtle sound? Journeying between folk and classical, oral and written, rural and urban expressions of Kabir, the film finds moments of both continuity and rupture between these disparate worlds.
Koi Sunta Hai is one of 4 films on Kabir made by Shabnam Virmani, filmmaker, singer and part of the Kabir Project, located at the Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology in Bangalore, India. Write to her at [e-mail]. View the film at www.cultureunpl..., and get DVDs of the film at www.amazon.in/d....
Film Credits -
Camera & Direction: Shabnam Virmani
Script & Editing: Shabnam Virmani & Rikhav Desai
Editing Support: Aarthi Parthasarathy, Parmesh K
Direction & Production Support: Smriti Chanchani & Rumah Rasaque
Songs by Pt. Kumar Gandharva, Vishnu Khuprao Deshmukh “Kabir Baba”, Babulal Ranaji, Vidya Rao, Shubha Mudgal, Prahlad Tipanya, Dhulichand
Music of Kumar Gandharva licensed by HMV & Inreco
Sound Mixing: Fireflys Post Sound, Mumbai
Research & Concept: Shabnam Virmani & Tara Kini
Still Pictures of Kumar Gandharva: Avinash Pasricha
Motion Graphics: M M Pradeep
Poetry Translations: Linda Hess, Shabnam Virmani
Advisors: Linda Hess, Ashok Vajpeyi, Vidya Rao, Purushottam Aggrawal, Tara Kini
Financial Support: Ford Foundation, New Delhi
Produced by: Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore
Collection: Kabir Project
Year of Production: 2009
This is one of a series of uploads for Ajab Shahar, an upcoming webspace featuring songs, images and conversations around Bhakti, Sufi and Baul poetry from India and thereabouts, currently under construction by the Kabir Project team. www.ajabshahar.org, www.kabirproject.org

[@yogeshvaidhya83]

I feel proud to see this that I live in Dewas "Gandharv ki nagari " and met the legend of classical music shri kumar gandharv ji many time

[@mikejan2323]

This old lady God bless her . She is intellectually morally much more superior in her understanding of truth , pure absolute ethos and ethics for human kind. Much better than most religious leaders in current day world.

[@arifkhan100]

The lady fruit vendor is both super cute and also wise

[@adityarao8483]

Arif ji I am waiting for more of fareed ayaz and Abu Muhammad qawwalis , as you use to upload previously

[@Lokghera]

Very soothing and enlightening. The fruit seller is marvellous in her art of singing and explaining Kabir.

[@guruprasadkapadi7226]

Very well explanation great kabir and great kumarji we are all blessed

[@nikunjgarg2752]

fruit seller wow,what a song and voice

[@kishorekunal7194]

This my favorite episode of Koi Sunta Hai, love the dadi selling mango's

[@palanetrabanavara9759]

There nothing like Kumar Ji in respect of Spiritual.

[@firoozarazvi2164]

Thank you for this upload. It is a wonderful experience to hear the singers, to know about the life of Pandit Kumar Gandharv and also to listen to the comments and explanations of the experts

[@ninadrules]

Thanks for uploading this. This is a pure gem.

[@rishiranjan2243]

बहुत खूबसूरत वर्णन किया है कुमार साहब के बारे में, natmastak हूँ

[@granaff]

This documentary series is a hidden gem

[@EduardoRiter]

So beautiful!!! This swan has flown. What a great fortune for this world to have had the privilege of his voice walking around. Such an enlightening experience to listen to him. Thanks for this amazing series!Love from Brazil! 💜🎶🕉️

[@manisharma5082]

My heart felt naman to kumar gandharv ji

[@bhurelalsuryawanshi7927]

🙏👍

[@93papai]

Watched the full documentary (link in description)...it's a slendid work!!

[@purnimashrivastava2942]

As the dries. Leaves fallen from tree blown with air without the adress of its destination a same thing happens to everyone in the world.because we have calculated period of time to Live in the world.thanks.

[@hansrajraj]

Very nice video

[@tattwamasi8613]

🙏🙏🙏 Pranaam Guruji 🙏🙏🙏

[@jayshreechudgar5068]

explained spirituality with such a simplicity..

[@bjana1950]

💕💕💕💕💕

[@saiarulkumar]

Love all your episodes. Great work.

[@vasoolee]

Spiritual voice

[@vanelluspierrot]

This is so beautiful! Thanks for uploading it

[@peaceoneness9399]

Beautiful

[@rmhosamani]

Amazing spellbinding voice. Incomparable. Has he sung in kannada? Has he sung any vachanas?. Curious about this although he has spent his most of the time in Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh. He is kannadiga and lingayat by birth ie Karnataka state. ಕುಮಾರಗಂಧರ್ವರ ಕಂಟದ ರೋಮಾಂಚನ ಅನುಭವಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ವಿಕ್ಷೀಸಿ ಆಲಿಸಿ ಆನಂದಿಸಿ. ಅವರು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ ಆದರೆ ಮರಾಠಿ ಹಿಂದಿ ಹಾಡುಗಳನಷ್ಠೆ ಕೇಳುವ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಇಲ್ಲಿಯವರೆಗೆ ನನ್ನದಾಗಿದೆ. ಕನ್ನಡ ಹಾಡು ಕೋಡುವ ಅನುಭಾವದ ಆನಂದ ಬೇರೆಯ ಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಭವಿಸಲು ನನಗೆ ಆಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವರ ಬೆಳೆದ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶ ಪರಿಣಾಮ ಇರಬಹುದು. ಅವರು ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ್ದು ಮತ್ತು ಹಾಡಿದ್ದು ಕೇಳುವ ಉತ್ಸುಕತೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಕಬೀರರ ಹಾಡು, ಸಂತರ ಅಭಂಗ, ಇತರೆ ಭಾಷೆಯ ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಅಮೋಘವಾಗಿ ಹಾಡಿದ್ದು ಸಂತೋಷ. ಅವರು ಲಿಂಗಾಯತರಾಗಿ ಇದ್ದು ಬಸವಾದಿಶರಣರ ವಚನಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಪರಿಚಯವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಇರಲು ಅಸಾಧ್ಯ. ಅದರ ಮಹತ್ವ ಮೌಲ್ಯ ಗೊತ್ತಿರುವಂತಾದ್ದು ಮತ್ತು ಅದನ್ನು ಹಾಡದೆ ಇರದು ನಂಬಲು ಕಷ್ಟ. ಕುಮಾರಗಂಧರ್ವರ ಕಂಟ ಸಿರಿ ಮೋಡಿ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಇವರಿಗೆ ಹಲವು ಪುರಸ್ಕಾರ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಬಿರುದು ಸಮ್ಮಾನಗಳು ಗೌರವಾನ್ಮಿಸಿವೆಯಾದರೂ ಭಾರತರತ್ನ ಹೇಗೆ ದೂರ ಉಳಿಯಿತೆಂಬ ಚಿಂತೆ ಕಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಗೊತ್ತಿದ್ದವರು ಬೆಳಕು ಚೆಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತು ಅವರು ವಚನ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಡಿದ್ದರೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿ. 💐🙏 ಡಾ ರಾ ಮ ಹೊಸಮನಿ

[@vivekanandverma6034]

Lovely 🙏

[@ritvikmaurya2986]

Powerful

[@Deepa16]

wow.

[@vinaychittora]

HELP! Can't find the episode 01 and 06 of the film "Koi Sunta Hai". Please share soon.

[@vinaychittora]

Found it here: Episode 01 - vimeo.com/250409107 Episode 06 - vimeo.com/251271009

[@akakirde9452]

www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833: The full documentary (and other documentaries the series, can be foudn here)

[@vinaychittora]

@@akakirde9452 I actually bought all DVDs. But thanks. Sharing it with all Kabir fans.

[@rahulpurswani]

Hello, Thank you for the upload. Can you please share the link of episode 1, I can't find it.

[@vasoolee]

Very soulful..

[@amitbrahme3635]

Voice of God means Kumar Gandharwa

[@dhanpaulramkissoon9342]

I am god?wha!

[@maheshbhaikapdi703]

Ma muje apse milna hai

[@sarak220]

Don't use the word servant. It is 'Das' 'Sevak'

[@chetangondhali2836]

न