Maa Saraswati has blessed him; May He Live a Thousand Years: Nirmala Sitharaman

Mumbai witnessed an evening steeped in devotion, music and emotion as National Award-winning Hindustani classical vocalist Mahesh Kale presented his much-loved concert series ‘Abhangwari’, just a day after the auspicious occasion of Ashadi Ekadashi. Gracing the evening as the Chief Guest was the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also unveiled the song ‘Lahanpan Dega Deva’ - a soulful new composition by Mahesh Kale inspired by the timeless abhang (poem) of 17th-century saint Sant Tukaram. The event was also graced by the presence of the Hon'ble Maharashtra Minister for Cultural Affairs and Information Technology, Ashish Shelar.

Currently on an extensive India tour, Mahesh Kale’s ‘Abhangwari’ arrives after a successful international journey across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore earlier this year, where it received an overwhelming response from audiences. Conceived by Kale nearly a decade ago, ‘Abhangwari’ is inspired by Maharashtra's centuries-old Warkari tradition and was envisioned as a way of bringing the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage to those who may never be able to undertake the journey themselves. Through the timeless poetry of saints like Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar, the concert recreates the devotion, surrender and collective energy of the Wari, transforming each performance into a shared spiritual experience where music becomes the path to Lord Vitthal.

Visibly moved during the evening, Nirmala Sitharaman was seen singing along with Kale and joining the audience in the chants of ‘Vitthala’. Addressing the gathering, she recalled an interaction in Hampi, Karnataka where two young people had asked her how she unwinds and re-energises herself. “I told them the only way I energise myself is by listening to music. I am more familiar with Carnatic music, but when they asked if I also listened to Hindustani music, the first name that came to my mind was Mahesh Kale,” she said. She added that someone from Kale’s team had come across that conversation and later invited her to the concert. “I felt a ‘wow’ feeling to be able to listen to Mahesh Kale live, and that too just after Ashadi Ekadashi, I could never have said no!” she expressed. Praising the vocalist, she added, “Maa Saraswati has blessed him. His voice, the way he connects with the audience and the message he gives through his music touches every heart. I pray to Maa Saraswati that he lives a thousand years.”

Ashish Shelar lauded Kale’s unwavering commitment to preserving and taking Maharashtra’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage to audiences across the world. Recalling his visit to Kale’s home in the United States, Shelar shared how deeply he was struck by the fact that, despite living thousands of miles away from India, Kale had created a home that embodied the spirit of a musical ashram, one rooted in Indian values, music and culture.

The atmosphere throughout the concert was one of pure devotion. Kale opened the evening with the timeless abhang ‘Ram Krishna Hari’ before taking the audience on a soul-stirring musical journey with beloved abhangs including ‘Jagadodharana’, ‘Sundar Te Dhyan’, ‘Vitthala’, ‘Abir Gulal’, and several others. A packed auditorium comprising audiences of every generation sat completely immersed in the experience… many swayed gently to the rhythm of the songs, sang along with Kale, closed their eyes in quiet reflection, and many were even moved to tears.

Summing up the spirit of the evening, Nirmala Sitharaman reflected on the beauty of experiencing devotional music with a live audience. Recalling how, as a child, she attended classical music performances of Bhagvat Katha and Ramayana Katha and others with her parents, she observed that while today’s generation often turns to their phones, nothing can replace the experience of being physically present for an evening like ‘Abhangwari’. “We must come back to listening to people like Mahesh. You not only listen, but it does something to you. The vibrations that are coming from this gathering and the audience’s participation are absolutely incomparable,” she said, expressing her gratitude to Mahesh Kale, his wife Purva Kale, and the entire team for creating such a memorable experience.