*Ashish Shelar Unveils Mahesh Kale’s Song Abhangwari at his Concert on Ashadi Ekadashi*
_Smita Thackeray, Kavita Seth, Roopkumar Rathod, Sunali Rathod & others in attendance_
National Award-winning Hindustani classical vocalist Mahesh Kale unveiled his song titled ‘Abhangwari’ at his concert held at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai, on the auspicious occasion of Ashadi Ekadashi. The song was unveiled by Ashish Shelar, Hon’ble Minister of Culture and IT, in the presence of eminent personalities including Smita Thackeray, Kavita Seth, Roopkumar Rathod, Sunali Rathod, Mahesh Limaye and Prasad Oak, among others.
Ashish Shelar, who came to the concert straight from Pandharpur, remarked that he had journeyed “from the Pandharpur Wari to Mahesh Kale’s ‘Abhangwari’.” He shared that the concert was steeped in deep devotion to Lord Vitthal and added, “this programme has left a lasting and uplifting impression on me and everyone in the audience.”
Written, composed and sung by Kale himself, the song ‘Abhangwari’ marks a milestone in his illustrious journey - it is the first of the many Abhangs that he has composed and performed. Rooted in the centuries-old tradition of Abhangs (devotional poetry dedicated to Lord Vitthal), the song carries a personal and spiritual resonance for the artiste.
“While researching the term ‘Abhangwari’, I was not able to find evidence of the term being used by any of the revered saints in classical saint literature. That subconscious realisation led me to write one,” shares Kale. Eventually becoming the centrepiece of his musical journey, “one early morning in San Francisco, the song began to flow, and it has stayed with me ever since.” he adds.
The essence of the song lies in its spiritual message. Traditionally, thousands of devotees embark on the wari pilgrimage to seek the blessings of Lord Panduranga during Ashadi Ekadashi. Kale believes that music has the power to transcend physical limitations. “Not everyone can undertake the pilgrimage,” he reflects. “But music has wings. It allows people to embark on a spiritual journey from wherever they are. To me, ‘Abhangwari’ represents a musical pilgrimage… a journey of the soul.”
The music of the song is a powerful fusion of soulful Indian ragas and modern electronic textures, arranged by talented music producer-arranger Sameer Mhatre and mixed and mastered by award-winning sound engineer Vijay Dayal of Yash Raj Studios. This is the first marathi abhang to be mixed in immersive Dolby Atmos, offering a rich, multidimensional listening experience that brings its devotional energy to life.
The music video of the song has been shot in Bhor near Pune, directed by acclaimed cinematographer and filmmaker Mahesh Limaye. Shot at a location called One Tree Hill, where the lone Audumbar tree, considered sacred in the Tatva Sampradaya, stands tall, the visuals mirror the serenity and depth of the composition. True to the song’s sense of awakening and celebration, the team began filming at sunrise. “We reached the location by sunrise, and there was a special energy in the air,” Kale recalls. One particularly memorable moment came when the ace vocalist found himself singing the song to an unexpected audience… a golden retriever named Simba! “I love animals, and Simba was the first listener of the song that day. There was a beautiful synchronicity in that moment.”
Mahesh Kale performed to a packed house, leaving the audience wanting more, with a soulful lineup of Abhangs and devotional pieces including Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari, Bolava Vitthal, Lahanpan Dega Deva, Atami Ananya Yethe Adhikari, Abir Gulal, Sukhachi Sukha Chandrabhane, Sakha Panduranga, among many others.
After having received a thunderous response across Europe, the US, and Canada, where Mahesh Kale recently completed touring with his concert series, also titled ‘Abhangwari’, in over 30 cities across 7 countries, he is now bringing the concert series to audiences across India. The India leg of the tour is set to continue the momentum with performances lined up in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Delhi, Kolkata, Indore, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
