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MUSIC FROM 21ST CENTURY INDIA. In the last few years India has seen a huge rise in the number of independent record labels – musicians or music managers who publish, distribute and represent their work, independently.

One such indie label Underscore Records Pvt. Ltd., established by Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, celebrated its five years of inception with a tribute to all indie record labels that constitute the parallel, classical and diverse Indian music industry.

Underscore Records had recognized the need to consolidate and network with many indie labels and artistes in the country and came up with Baajaa Gaajaa–a musical expo event that will be held annually to showcase the strength and range of Indian indie record labels and artistes, whatever the genre may be. It will be an occasion in a nominated space which aims to be an annual hub for musical activity in India.

Upon invitation for a trip to Pune to document the Baaja Gaaja festival, I had accompanied Radhika Bordia, a senior journalist with NDTV, to photograph the event.

The event’s highlight on the first evening was a recreation of a musical concert, which took place 138 years ago.
In an 1871 music catalogue, the founders of the festival, founds lyrics and music notations to a concert organised by a Bombay based Music club, known as the Parsi Gayan Uttejak Mandali.

On February 6, 2009 contemporary classical musicians rendered it in their own voices and style. A traditional classical Indian concert would never mix classical music with ghazals (an Arabic/Persian poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain) . However, the 1871 concert took the liberty of doing just that, including english songs in praise of the British Empire. A surprise, also in the wings was a  1870 ‘Wax Cylinder’ recording of three parsee gentleman singing the “Joy of Our Mother”.

For more information on Baajaa Gaajaa –

Please visit-  http://www.baajaagaajaa.com

Limited Edition Prints Available.

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