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Just back after giving performances in Europe, former Orissa chief minister Giridhar Gamang says he was surprised to see the enthusiastic response to his tribal music.
"Our troupe visited Austria and performed about nine programmes. The venues were packed with audiences," Gamang told Indo-Asian News Service on his return.
"I had never imagined that the Europeans would love tribal music so much. Even the music experts from neighbouring countries, including Germany, attended the events and appreciated us."
In September last year, Gamang was invited by a cultural group to perform in San Francisco. "I was astonished to see people in that part of the world dance to my tunes." he said.
An accomplished player of tribal instruments like the changu and dhamp, 58-year-old Gamang has been experimenting on making music with utensils. He has formed his own band called Hidden Talents and has been giving solo performances at cultural events.
Gamang has served eight consecutive terms as a parliamentarian, 11 years as a central minister and about nine months as the chief minister of Orissa. He did not contest the state election after his humiliating ouster from the post of chief minister in 1999.
Since leaving office, Gamang has been concentrating solely on music. He has already released three albums of tribal music, including Sambalpuri folk music, and has performed in more than 60 shows across India. His albums have apparently sold 500,000 copies in Orissa alone.
Gamang has decided to substitute politics with music as both, in a way, reach out to people. "Music is a powerful medium by which one can serve the people directly. Politics is linked to the masses and music too has the same appeal," he said.
So popular has Gamang become that he has been asked to compose the score for an upcoming Oriya feature film. Being produced under the banner of Hemraj Films, the movie is based on a story by eminent Oriya novelist Pratibha Roy and is being directed by Gourisankar Das.
"Even when I was a minister I never forgot my hunger for music and was performing at various places," Gamang recalled. "My objective is to popularise tribal music and tribal instruments of my home state the world over in an undiluted form."
"Tribal persons exhibit their musical talent in their communities mainly during festivals and other occasions. It has never come outside. I am taking this talent to the music lovers in India and abroad," he said.
Indo-Asian News Service
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