A new podcast released under Goethe Institut’s M.A.P (Music. Activism. Politics.) project focuses on the unique possibilities of songs of activism, taking them beyond their weighty socio-political messaging
Poster art by Priyanka Paul for the first episode of the podcast. Pic courtesy/Goethe Institut
Do songs such as Gracias a la vida by Violeta Parra, Blowin’ in the wind by Bob Dylan or Hum dekhenge by Faiz Ahmad Faiz address you differently? When listening to a protest song, can you feel the blood rising up your veins? If yes, Anatomy Of A Protest Song, the first episode of a series aimed at inspecting the intersections of music and resistance, will catch your eye. Our host Bhanuj Kappal welcomes us into the conversation with a rather cheeky song that celebrates beef-eaters across the world. The beef song by a Telangana-based protester was composed at a time when the current government was hoisting the cattle slaughter ban in the country. Once we catch the refrain, “Beef is the secret of my energy,” we know we are in for a fun ride.
ADVERTISEMENT
The episode discusses the power and poignancy of protest songs with Dr Sumangala Damodaran, a professor of economics and developmental studies, and musicians Ronid Akhu Chingangbam and Tenma. Damodaran says the fact that a song found in activism holds water through decades and becomes popular even amongst people who fail to comprehend it in its original language is because of a combination of tune and lyrics. She points out how the power of the written word helps a song-writer’s thoughts resonate with another generation.
Ronid Akhu Chingangbam, Moushumi Bhowmik and Bhanuj Kappal
Kappal who is a music journalist adds that he has hosted a couple of podcasts earlier. How did the team come up with the idea for this one though? “It was founded as a subset of a separate larger project which did not materialise. By that time, we were already in touch with prominent names in music and activism; so we started thinking of something that can be made accessible for the audiences despite the pandemic-induced restrictions. A podcast was the best way to go about it,” Kappal explains. About the experience of chatting up Chingangbam, Tenma and Damodaran, he adds, “I have spoken to Akhu and Tenma previously. Although they both emerged in the indie music space, both of them come from different worlds. They have interesting opinions on music. I spoke to Damodaran a couple of times before the podcast, and I was not only impressed by the length and breadth of her knowledge but also her calm manner of narrating stories.”
We look forward to the upcoming episodes that will feature artistes like TM Krishna and Moushumi Bhowmik.
LOG ON TO soundcloud.com
ALSO LISTEN TO THESE AUDIO SERIES
Poems of Protest: This audio series featuring some of the best resistance poems in Urdu highlights the importance of the language in South Asia’s political and literary spectra. It contains works by Ali Sardar Jafri, Ahmad Faraz and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, among others.
Kisan Podcast 2020-21: If you want to understand the progression of themes linked to the farmer protests in India, you can follow Sial Mirza Goraya’s Kisan Podcast. Apart from giving listeners an overview of the agricultural crisis in India, it also stresses on women’s leadership in villages.
Why We Protest: This series was born out of the frustration of the character and purpose of peaceful demonstrations being miscommunicated. It traces international protests following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
LOG ON TO spotify.com to tune into these podcasts
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
