New Delhi, Jan 18: “Kachaudi Gali”, the Bhojpuri folk hit from Coke Studio Bharat, has connected people to their roots and childhood, says singer Rekha Bhardwaj, who is happy that the song is becoming popular among all age groups.
Composed by Khwaab, “Kachaudi Gali” explores themes of “longing, love, and separation” through the story of a woman whose husband has been drafted by the Britishers to fight in the Anglo-Burmese war.
Bhardwaj has sung the song with Utpal Udit. Many from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were recruited in the British army to fight in the Anglo-Burmese wars and also in the second World War. It is also about the many labourers who were transported from UP and Bihar to work in British colonies around the globe.
Bhardwaj, who earlier lent her voice to chartbusters such as “Namak Ishq Ka”, “Mileya Mileya”, “Phir Le Aaya Ishq”, “Kabira” and “Judaai”, said the beauty of folk music is that it preserves history.
“It’s so wonderful to know all those stories behind the song, and this helps you connect with your roots through folk music. Folk music has a natural oral tradition of preserving history. Now, because of this song, everyone’s talking about the Anglo-Burmese War, how the Britishers took these husbands away from their women. This is one such story,” Bhardwaj told PTI in a virtual interview.
“The beauty of folk music is that people had such a simple life that they would celebrate and talk about it through songs while doing their daily chores. I think that’s why it’s resonating with youth. They’re talking about how, as children, they used to listen to this song from their ‘dadi’ or ‘nani’ (grandmothers), or somebody would be singing it in the house,” she added.
Praising Coke Studio Bharat for keeping the spirit of the song alive by not fusing it with modern dance, Bhardwaj said the Kachaudi Gali, a popular street in Varanasi, comes alive through this song while highlighting a forgotten chapter in the history of the region.
“…We came across another story about Gauhar Jaan (a courtesan in Varanasi). (It is said) that this is her song because she had a lover who went to war. He didn’t come back, and he was kind of hanged to death by the Britishers, and that’s how this song came about,” the singer said.
Bhardwaj praised Udit for choosing to highlight the music of his region.
“Utpal Udit, being Gen Z, decided to go with the kind of music that he’s grown up listening to… His determination to do Bhojpuri folk music and folk music in general is remarkable. He also talks about some poets from Bihar whose songs he wants to bring out, songs that are classical folk compositions. So it’s wonderful to have that dignity in the music…
“And the reaction is just extraordinarily heartwarming. That’s the thing — when you’re working on it, you never think that it would become so trendy or go viral… It’s just that everyone followed their heart, and that’s what happened with me.”
Bhardwaj said songs like “Kachaudi Gali” will help change the perception of Bhojpuri songs, many of which attract criticism for their lyrics.
“Khwaab has followed the soul of the song, and whatever interaction I’ve had with him, I know he’s very well-rooted and grounded. He is not somebody who would do something to shock or create something titillating just to get attention, which happens not only with folk music but even in film music so many times,” Bhardwaj said.
According to the singer, there is a way to portray mischievous songs without being vulgar.
She gave the example of “Namak Ishq Ka” and “Beedi Jalaile” from her husband, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj’s 2006 hit “Omkara”. The songs were composed by Vishal Bhardwaj and penned by Gulzar.
“Fine arts are all about aesthetics. The moment aesthetics are there, you will not be able to do anything vulgar. There are people who also write vulgar poetry, and those songs do very well too. But it’s about what you want to present from within. And when you do the right thing, it is bound to reach more and more people… And this perception will change,” Bhardwaj said.
Referring to “Sasural Genda Phool”, the popular “delhi 6” folk track that she voiced, Bhardwaj said she had previously sung the song in Bundelkhandi and people would often come to her to know the meaning behind “Karar Genda Phool”.
“But when we explained it in Hindi, people started asking me why ‘Sasural Genda Phool’. So we had to come up with all sorts of explanations. People started going back to memories of their marriages and family weddings, and they started using genda phool (marigold) again. Like how we celebrate with genda phool, and even when there’s a death, the ‘genda phool mala’ is there,” she said.
Bhardwaj is happy to see different creative iterations that people have come up with in reels for “Kachaudi Gali”.
“So many reels are now coming up where women are singing in the gali, sitting on a porch or veranda. So many youngsters are playing guitar and singing on the ghats of Banaras. And I’m sure so much is happening in Bihar as well because Bhojpuri is a very widely spoken language.
“We have such great cultural heritage, only if we start bringing it out.. There are these songs that everyone can relate to… It’s not just Bihar. You have Varanasi, you have UP, so we’ve covered, I think, at least 60 percent of India through this song.” (PTI)
