Mumbai-based Indie-Pop band Kailasa is the only band to have performed at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela. FYI gets band members to talk about their experience walking alongside godmen and playing to crowds of over one crore devotees

"Imagine listening to more than 25 U2 concerts in one place, at the same time.

That's what it felt like when we were in Haridwar," says Paresh Kamath, lead guitarist and founder member of Kailasa, recalling the band's gig at the Maha Kumbh Mela, earlier this year.

The band has performed in unusual venues before, especially during their trips abroad, but watching a crowd of almost 1.5 crore devotees gather in the same place was a surreal experience they say they'll never forget.



Kailasa was invited to perform at the Swar Ganga, the Maha Kumbh cultural function.
u00a0
The band had the option of flying to Haridwar, but preferred instead to drive down from Delhi for their adventure.

"We saw large numbers of pilgrims, making their way towards Haridwar, along the way," says Naresh Kamath, bass guitarist with Kailasa.

The road less travelled

Instead of going via the main road, the band chose to follow a picturesque route winding along a canal, which drew water from the River Ganges. "The driver turned into our tour guide," says Naresh.

Once the band entered the holy town, the magnanimity of the religious affair hit them. "Everybody was either walking or stuck in cars, honking to make the traffic move.
u00a0
When we told our driver that we wanted to go see the place where the Maha Snaan takes place he refused, telling us that it would take over three hours to cross a mere three km stretch," says Paresh.

Lead singer Kailash Kher, adds, "We realised what it means to be a VIP when we were given a police escort, who struggled to clear the road for us."

Impressed by the Babas

Aside from massive crowds, the different sadhus and babas caught the band's attention.

They saw a street filled with trucks carrying ash-smeared sadhus to the ghat. The godmen were all over the place in stalls, performing poojas, or reading someone's future.

"The sadhus had such a sense of pride about themselves," notes Naresh.

Paresh was especially amused that while the rest of the audience flocked towards the band members, seeking their autographs, the babas simply stood in the background, smiling.

"It was almost as if they were urging us to go up and speak to them," he says.

In fact, Kailash was so inspired by the sadhus that he planned to smear his upper body with ash wear and wear little else apart from a dhoti to the performance. Unfortunately, because of security reasons, he couldn't action the plan.

As for the actual performance, the crowd simply went berserk when Kailash sang the opening lines of Jaana Jogi De Naal. "We knew right away that this was going to be a mad gig," says Kailash.

The one number that the band was sure of performing at the concert was Babam Bam Lahiri: the band's dedication to Lord Shiv.

"Most of our songs have a spiritual bent to them, which the crowd really loved," says Kailash.

The trip to the Maha Kumbh has had a huge impact on the members of Kailasa. So much so, that they are confident that the trip will inspire a song sooner than later. Tathastu, we say.