Author: Shubha Mudgal


The Status of the Harmonium


We are in the midst of celebrating 60 years of independent India and since we always celebrate with fanfare, there have been the usual concerts, aka Azadi Express, with a turbaned actor-cum-truant-MP Govinda doing his characteristic dance moves, TV clips on almost every channel with...

Jahaji Music by Surabhi Sharma: a film on chutney soca music


Published earlier in my fortnightly column for Mint. Jahaji Music 

A response to Arindam Mukherjee’s “Heir Gloom”


Last month, out of the blue, the media came up with a pleasant surprise for classical musicians. Outlook (Issue dated September 25, 2006) featured “Heir Gloom”, a cover story on Indian classical music, a subject shunned by most Indian publications on the grounds that readers...

Look what they’ve done to “Ali More Angana”


Do you remember “Ali More Angana”? For those who dont, its an Indipop album I recorded in 1996 and the title track became both popular and controversial, if the media is to be believed. I wont discuss the controversy if indeed any existed, but just...

Task Force on Cultural and Creative Industries: A discussion.


Dear friends, Mr. Rajeev Sethi, Vice-Chairperson, Task Force on Cultural and Creative Industries had written to me asking me for comments on the Performing Arts. I had sent a few comments to Mr. Sethi, who called back and suggested we take our discussion forward and...

Singapore Workshop June 2006


Dear friends, Aneesh and I are delighted to hear that we will have the opportunity to meet with you again at the workshop in June this year. Please find below a short description of this year’s workshop and please start using this blog to ask...

Chak de phatte!


This article was first published in Tehelka. Chak de phatte!!! It’s a virtual “let’s have a blast” slogan that you’ll hear ever so often in the ‘bhangra-with-the beat’ music that steadfastly refuses to be defeated by the gloomy depths of despair from which the Indian...

Gaanewale, Bajaanewale, Khaanewale


This article was first published in the Times of India, Mumbai in 2003. This has been a difficult and violent year for India, with communal violence and terrorist strikes taking centre stage. Perhaps that is why not many have noticed that despite a lot of...