Songs of Freedom on August 14th in Bangalore
By K.P Sasi
12 August, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Freedom Songs – A Get together of Activist Singers in Bangalore
On August 14, 2012 at UTC, Miller Road, Bangalore from 5.00 to 8.30 pm
Social action all over the world has been shaped and inspired by songs. Often, revolutionary poetry got transformed to protest songs, involving the participation of a larger crowd. Through songs activists informed, inspired, motivated and touched the hearts of people on various aspects of social reality all over the world, using minimum words. And in reality, these minimum words could achieve what large essays and long speeches could not achieve.
In India, apart from the freedom struggle, left groups used music in a major way through IPTA, KPAC and many other forums. Some of these songs of the past continue to inspire even the youngsters today. It shows the ability of music and poetry to transcend time.
During the last few decades in India, a large number of songs have emerged in the dalit movement, anti-nuclear movement, anti-dam movement, farmers’ struggles, fisher-folk’s movement, adivasi movement, women’s movement, movement for the rights over natural resources, child rights movement, sexuality movement, anti-communal movement, human rights movement, environment movement , anti-displacement movement and the struggle against destructive development in general. One thing is clear from this: Songs unite people.
Through songs, the activists of today are expressing a different notion of freedom – much different from the earlier notions of freedom struggle. The activists today recognize the existence of a neo-colonial exploitation even today but the struggle which unites them is through multiple resistance movements on diverse issues. We feel the need to strengthen such songs and popularize them.
There are also traditional folk songs of the adivasis, dalits and local communities which reflect and provide a poetic and philosophical meaning to their struggles. These songs have been part of their culture and not easily bracketed as `activist’ songs. However, they have provided much internal strength to many of these communities to resist the onslaught of the modern consumerist world. Sufi songs in this part of the sub-continent have also played a similar role through their deeper musical, mystical, philosophica and poetic reflection.
It is in this context that some of us decided to explore the possibility of creating a common platform for these expressions of music. The best day possible for this event is just before August 15th marking our freedom. When the country celebrates 65 years of freedom let us celebrate the present freedom struggle of the people.
It will be a get-together of freedom songs. Please inform all those who will be interested.
Pedestrian Pictures, Department of Women’s Studies (UTC), Visual Search, Solidarity Youth Movement, Karnataka Janashakthi, ALF, Moving Republic, Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, PDF, Vishtar, INSAF, Sichrem, National Adivasi Alliance, New Socialist Alternative, Lesbit and Others
K.P Sasi is an award winning film director and a political activist. He can be reached at [email protected] Mobile No- 9845453614
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