Vasundhara Mantri is ready for her second solo musical performance. “The first one was in Salt House (last year), which was more casual. This time around it’s a little intense and serious,” says the mild-mannered jewellery designer who has always been passionate about music. Titled Samarpan (meaning ‘surrender’), it is being presented by Alka Jalan Foundation and will be held at Daga Nikunj (25/1 Ballygunge Circular Road) on March 2, 6pm onwards. Dr Rajeev Agarwal will compere the show. Vasu, as she is lovingly known as, tells The Telegraph what to expect.
Tell us about Samarpan...
It’s a concept show and about putting music together in a more meaningful way. Of course my first performance was an experience for me and it was great. This time I wanted to convey different thoughts and emotions. Since childhood I have been trained in different genres of music, whether it’s Sanskrit chanting or Hindustani classical, or Rabindrasangeet. I was thinking of how best to bind it together in a thread that makes sense and how to utilise my knowledge and share it with people.
Devotion is a universal language and feeling, the feeling of oneness, but everyone expresses it so differently. The feeling it evokes is the same though. At the show, I will start with Sanskrit chants, going into bhajans and Rabindrasangeet to Gujarati songs and the Punjabi shabad, Sufi devotional songs and gospels. We want everyone to connect with the songs in some way or another. The idea is to create a sense of surrender within people.
People have been through so much in the last couple of years and I felt this was a good topic to touch upon. At some point, everyone has had to leave it up to the Almighty or whatever power they believe in.
This is something that resonates with me also and I have been going to different teachers and practising spirituality and it has helped me through various stages of my life. I am sure everyone can relate to it. This is a humble effort.
You have been rehearsing for a while now...
I have been into music a lot more in the last two years. It has always been my passion, but Covid gave me the time to and also the mental space to do it more seriously. I conceptualised this show in November. My serious practice for the show started in January. To portray the correct thought, you need to get into that zone. I am thoroughly enjoying it. This is one show which I want to repeat for different organisations and people.
Navin Daga has trained me for the show and Sarita Chandak has helped in conceptualising it. They are part of the band called Dhwani.
Tell us about your songlist...
I am doing a Sufi set where I will sing Duma dum mast kalander and Ali more angana. Then I am doing Kabir medley. He was a saint who didn’t believe in one particular God, but believed strongly in the Almighty. I am also doing a Bollywood medley to show how Bollywood has adapted to devotional music. I am doing O palanhare, which everyone can connect to. I am also doing Anandaloke. It’s my favourite and I feel calm when I sing that.
Surrendering is very difficult...
That you must surrender is what we learn theoretically, but in reality, it is difficult. The moment you can reach even one step forward, it is so liberating. All of us are taking steps in that path. Even the first step means a lot.
What stage of your spiritual journey are you at personally?
This is such a difficult question for which I have no answer. I feel this journey can take a lifetime. When you are faced with that situation, it takes a lot even for me to go back to that teaching, till you are pushed to a point where you are forced to remember it. I think all of us are somewhere in the journey. I have to give a lot of credit to the elders of my family. From the age of seven I have been going to Chinmaya Mission. As kids, we didn’t really understand the meaning of the scriptures and to wake up on a Sunday morning and go was a pain. Now I understand the value of it.