PaDa Project | Episode 1 | Mohan Kumar

#dixitvasu #padaproject #karnataka #Chennai #sikkim #shillong #manipur #folk #music #travel #exploration Tagaru is a folk song that sits at the heart of the Kadugalla tribal community. The song begins akin to the call of the shepherd at the stroke of dawn after which they begin their everyday with a rhythm that has been preserved for hundreds of years. It weaves itself around their every pastoral practice, all of which are an intimate caring of the sheep's well being and symbolizes the way the shepherds lend the importance of their own lives to the sheep. Artist: Mohan Kumar is not just a folk artist from the Kadugolla tribe. He is a wave in the endless tide of artists that have been singing in this rocky outcrop for as long as one can remember. As per tradition, which is second nature to everyone in this community who grows up in the shadow of these ancient hills, Mohan was taught the songs of his land, by his grandmother and his mother and despite the changing nature of our world which has its gaze set to the future, Mohan is on a mission to not leave the past behind. In his efforts, he has studied and worked at the Karnataka Janapada Viswavidyalaya to learn methods of recording and documenting oral histories and traditions. As a first step, he has put to pen the intricacies of his traditions that were once only held by one's tongue and compiled a book called “Kadugallara kolata padagalu". A book for which he has won the “Pustaka award” from the Janapada Academy. As a next step, he has set up the “Karnataka Kaadugallara Samskruthika Trust '' through which he hopes to further document and preserve folk and tribal knowledge for future generations. Pada Project: A song reveals a people, a people reveal their purpose, a purpose reveals an unseen universe. A universe that floats in the endless grace of a song. It is here that the stories of the PaDa project lie. Translation of ‘Tagaru’: If you ask him to sell it, he would never budge to sell it . He is greater to be forgotten He is from a higher community He radiates the beauty of an emerald From the clan of Goddess Maari He has the favours of Mulloji Born in the burrows Surrounded by seven plaits He is from the great brave kaliveera family Who wears a big turban Made out of his braided plaits He's from the sons Shiva Belonging to Shashala family From the ancestors of heroes who wore chains as jewels Son of seven fathers of konjira mountain ranges Lived in Sitturu hamlet Who Lives like lord Shiva himself ಕೆನ್ನೆಲಿ ಬರುವ ಕನ್ನಳ ಟಗರಿಗೆ ಇನ್ನೇನಿಕ್ಕೀದೊ ಹಿರಿಯಣ್ಣ ತಂದನ್ನಾನಾ What will you feed your dear and well-fed ram? Oh my elder brother! ಇನ್ನೇನಿಕ್ಕೀದೊ ಹಿರಿಯಣ್ಣ ಬಾಳೆಯ ಹಣ್ಣಾಗಿಕ್ಕಿದೆ ಮರುಗವ ತಂದನ್ನಾನಾ What else will you feed your beloved ram! Ripened bananas and tender leaves ಬುದ್ದಿಯುಳ್ಳ ಟಗರಿಗೆ ದುಡ್ಡಿನ ಬಾಳೆಹಣ್ಣು I will buy bananas for my clever ram ದುಗ್ಗಾಣಿ ಕಡಲೆ ಮಡುಲಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡು ಬುದ್ದಿಯುಳ್ಳ ಟಗರಿಗೆ ಕರೆದೇನು ತಂದನ್ನಾನ A penny worth of peas tied in a lap bag, come my clever ram it is for you ಪಕ್ಕೇಲಿ ಬರುವ ಬಕ್ಕಳ ಟಗರೀಗೆ ಮತ್ತೆನಿಕ್ಕೀದೋ ಹಿರಿಯಣ್ಣ When your well-fed ram is beside you, what will you feed it? Oh my elder brother! ಮತ್ತೆನಿಕ್ಕೀದೊ ಹಿರಿಯಣ್ಣ ಬಾಳೆಯ ಸಿಪ್ಪೆಲಿಕ್ಕೀದೆ ಮರುಗವ ತಂದನ್ನಾನ What else will you feed it, elder brother? Banana peel with tender leaves ಹಸಿವುಳ್ಳ ಟಗರೀಗೆ ಕಾಸಿನ ಬಾಳೆಹಣ್ಣು For the hungry ram, bananas bought by spending money ರಾಸಿಯ ಕಡಲೆ ಮಡುಲಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡು ಹಸಿವುಳ್ಳ ಟಗರ ಕರೆದೇನು ತಂದನ್ನಾನ A big heap of peas in a lap bag, for the hungry ram ಕುರಿಯ ಬಿಡುವಾಕೆ ಈರಣ್ಣ ಹಟ್ಯಾಗಿಲ್ಲ The elder brother is not at the barn. ಮರಿ ಇನ್ಯಾರು ಬಿಡುತರೊ ತಂದನ್ನಾನ... Who will let the lambs out? Who will let the lambs out to the lake? They have already gone down to the lake and are in the water. ಕುರಿ ಕುರಿಯೇ ಚಂದ ಕುಸುಮ ಹೂವೇ ಚಂದ ಕುರಿಯಟ್ಟ್ಯಾಗಾಡೊ ಮರಿ ಚೆಂದ ರಂಗಯ್ಯಾ ಮರಿಗುದುರೆ ಚಂದ ಕುಣಿಸಾಕೆ ತಂದನ್ನಾನ.. Sheep are lovely Like the saffron flowers are lovely Lambs that play in the barn are beautiful and innocent, oh God Rangayya He has bought a pony to watch them dance delightfully. Credits : Artist: Mohan Kumar Cinematography: Naveed Mulki Samarth Upadya Production Manager: Pavan Bhat Editor : Sandeep Sudhakaran DI : Karthik Venkatesh Content and Subtitles : Mansi S Rao Transcripts: Abhigna Arcot PaDa logo : Madhura Gowda PaDa illustration: Megha Venkatesh 'Tagaru' Vocal : Mohan Kumar Arranged and Produced by: Vasu Dixit Percussion : Pramath Kiran Violin : Ramcharan S Guitar and Bass guitar: Joel sakkari Mixed by Joel Sakkari Mastered by Vivek Thomas PaDa title track: Composed, Sung and Produced by Vasu Dixit Mixed and Mastered by: Joel Sakkari Special Thanks Bindhumalini N Kajal Porwad Anand kumar Doddayya Gowdru Iranna Gowdru Kavalappa Veeralingayya Umesh Suresh Mahalingayya Lingaraju Kariyanna Chandrashekar Chikeriya Eranna and all the residents of Bandehalli Presented by Believe India in association with Snehadhara Foundation Directed by Vasu Dixit.