The sacred ghats of Varanasi recently resonated with the timeless strains of Hindustani classical music as San Francisco-based, National Awa...
The sacred ghats of Varanasi recently resonated
with the timeless strains of Hindustani classical music as San Francisco-based,
National Award-winning vocalist Mahesh Kale took the stage at the revered
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir.
Varanasi-Kashi, the eternal city, has, for
millennia, stood as a luminous confluence of devotion, art, and philosophy.
Believed to be one of the oldest living cities in the world, its very air seems
to hum with chants, temple bells, and the quiet murmur of seekers. Here, music
has never been mere performance; it has always been an offering. Within this
sacred geography, the Sankat Mochan Temple holds a special place. Dedicated to
Lord Hanuman, the temple is not only a powerful spiritual centre but also a custodian
of an extraordinary musical legacy. For decades, it has welcomed some of
India’s greatest musicians, who have come not to perform, but to surrender, to
offer their art as seva.
Legends echo through its courtyards: the shehnai of
Bismillah Khan rising like a prayer, the voices of maestros dissolving into the
night air as devotees listened in rapture. To be invited into this lineage is
an honour few receive, and one that carries with it a profound sense of
humility. For Mahesh Kale, this moment is one that he will always keep close to
his heart. He shared, “The Sankat Mochan Temple in Kashi holds immense
significance… not just as a spiritual power centre, but also culturally, as it has
witnessed generations of musicians offering their art as seva. I’ve heard
stories of Bismillah Khan Sahab performing there as a musical offering, among
many other stalwarts. This year, I felt truly fortunate that I was able to
offer my music as a seva to Bajrangbali.”
The journey to this moment, he revealed, felt
almost serendipitous. “In the past, whenever they reached out, April would
usually be a month of international travel for me. This year, when I realised I
would be in India, I asked my office to connect with them, but before we could,
they reached out again, asking if I would be able to offer my seva. It felt
meant to be… such a serendipitous moment, and one that deeply touched me.”
As the night deepened over Kashi and the temple
lamps glowed softly against the stillness, Mahesh Kale took to the stage at
11:45 pm, joining an unbroken tradition where music transcended stage and
audience, becoming prayer itself. In that sacred hour, every note was not just
heard but felt, as an offering, a surrender, and a celebration of the divine…
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