In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, the founder of an Indo-western folk fusion band named Swaraag, which specialises in Sufi-fusion, Indo-western, Bollywood mashups, instrumental fusion, and folk songs, speaks of their new Telugu-dubbed single of Ghani Ghani, the Indian folk music scene, and more.
Tejal Sinha
Gone are the days when we only got to hear one genre of music. Lately, fusion music has taken over the charts, bringing up so many new, unique, and fresh sounds. Today, we have with us one such band that’s making waves with its Indo-Western fusion.
Born in the majestic lands of Rajasthan, Swaraag is a folk-fusion band hailing from Jaipur. The band brings forth the best of traditional Rajasthani music amalgamated with modern instruments to create a mellifluous experience for the audience. The talented band members have spread the magic of traditional Rajasthani music in many cities and shows (private and government) with equal success and are quickly becoming a household name and first choice for show performances.
Today, most bands are swayed by the popularity of rock and electronic music. Swaraag gives a unique touch to the music with its traditional instruments, which send the Padharo Mare Desh’message and remind all the listeners about the warm and welcoming culture of Rajasthan.
The band, founded by Pratap Singh Nirwan, comprises Saif Ali Khan (tabla), Arif Khan Rodu (khartal), Rey Rozar (guitar), Asif Urra (lead singer), Arif Khan (zitar), Sajid Khan (drums), Tasruf Ali (saxophone), and Sahil Khan (bass).
After the thundering success of both their indie songs Yun Sawarna and Yaara Ve, Swaraag is all set to release their third Indie song, which will be dubbed in the Telugu language as well. Ghani Ghani, originally composed in Hindi, has been beautifully translated into four other Indian languages: Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu, to take listeners on a mesmerising journey through the diverse tapestry of India’s linguistic and emotional landscape. The Telugu version was released on Monday, and so we quickly interacted with the founder of the band, who shared about the preparations for the song, the South Indian folk scene, and more.
The journey of Ghani Ghani began with the lyrical powers of Olvin David, who drew inspiration from his own life experiences. Swaraag, known for their unique fusion style, decided to take on this musical challenge and give it a distinctive Rajasthani touch. The song’s lyrics, initially written in a blend of Hindi and Rajasthani, were then translated into the aforementioned Indian languages, making it a truly pan-Indian experience.
Talking of the Telugu version of the song, he says, “Whenever we used to come to Hyderabad, we used to get to hear all the South Indian songs in the airport. Every industry, be it Bollywood or Tollywood, has its own touch-up, and as soon as you see or hear it, you’ll understand. The way the maestros of the South have used Indian classical music, no one would have imagined that the sitar could also be used in such a way. Since we come from the North, we were really inspired by it, and that’s why we aggressively got motivated in the Tamil and Telugu industries by the way it was making Indian music, and we came up with its dubbed version. We had contacted Prasad ji (V. Vijayendra Prasad). But he was not sure how we would be able to work in it because of the accent of Telugu, which could be slightly difficult. We made him listen to Sri Sriram Ji’s song that we had worked on and follow his accent. He felt that we were able to cover like 70 to 75 percent of it, but we needed more practice on it. He did support us a lot, and then we recorded it, and for us, it’s a huge thing that as an Indie band, we are able to work on a pan-Indian level and bring our originals.”
He further goes on to appreciate how the South has always had that classical tradition. So how has the fusion folk culture been in the North and South? He gushes, “North ka bahut zyada modify hua hai time to time, and even if you see Punjabi folk bahut hi alag chala gaya hai bahut hi hit bhi. But Rajasthani folk is very divided, and Gujarati folk has its own taste. Even in UP, you somewhat have the Awadhi style, the Kabir ke dohe, and now we are looking to work with the regional artists down south and want to see how well it goes in the South. In the north, people had quickly upgraded the folk music, and a fusion style had begun. South has given Indian classical music a different style.”
Ever since the beginning, India’s music culture has been very versatile. The regional touches that are there in its music bring a different flavour to itself. And Pratap couldn’t agree more, as he says, “South Indian music works with a very regional Indian classic touchup. So when we look at the pan-Indian level, it’s a very huge segment to work on. AR Rahman has been one of those who has worked so well, with the way he has brought out the instruments and the change that he has brought to the music society. The changes that he had brought to the regional South had inspired so many people, and today, in the same way, there’s a lot of music production happening now. At present, we are also working to bring the Rajasthani folk music to the Indian chart, and meanwhile, we are trying to include the whole Indian music that’s been currently happening in our music.”
When we say music is equivalent to sukoon, many of you would agree with us, and no doubt, music brings peace in different ways. Today, he feels the young audience has been very confused, not being able to understand if they’d adopt the western culture or the Indian culture. “This is where we are trying to shift from the rock and pop culture side to the Indian music side. Even in the web series, you get to see traditional Indian music being played like ghazals, and all of a sudden Indian music has topped the chart. People do want that sukoon with Indian music, but here there were not many who could give it. So this is how the Indian music culture has come back, and people are enjoying listening to it. The youth who understand it are working on it, and this is where fusion is working. Fusion is actually woh joh ek dum teenage group hai, and the little elder ones bring music for both of them. Music always brings happiness.”
In the coming days, the band is looking forward to working on more of the regional language projects and trying to cover as many languages as possible.
