About this Event
Authentic Indian Kirtan & Raga Singing in Stroud
Whether you love singing Kirtan or Ragas, lead chant circles, or are simply curious about Indian music, this workshop will deepen your connection to sound, voice, and devotional singing.
Participants will explore the nuances of the Indian vocal style, including the art of gliding between notes, which is so fundamentally different from Western singing.
In Indian classical music, Ragas (or “Raags” as they are commonly known) are the evocative melodic frameworks that carry mood, emotion, and spiritual resonance. In an inspiring and uplifting workshop, Sulekh Ruparell will reveal how Ragas underpin devotional chanting.
There are many western lovers of Indian music, but the vast world of classical ragas (or “raags”) can feel daunting to explore. Believing that the beauty of Indian music should be shared, not hidden behind theoretical complexity, Sulekh is on a mission to reveal Indian ragas as they truly are: a direct pathway to emotion.
“A raag is essentially a feeling or an emotion brought about by certain note combinations," Sulekh explains."I'm going to make the classic Indian sounds, that we all love, accessible.”
He will also reveal how they can be a rich underpinning for kirtan chanting, of which there are many devotees in Stroud! “I think the workshop will be excellent for people who are already into Indian music because I can build on the knowledge that they've got.”
And for the absolute beginners? “What better way to introduce yourself to Indian devotional music than in an authentic and traditional way starting with how we we even get to the melodies of Kirtan in the first place and that's through the fundamental system of Indian scales or feelings which is built into the raga system. So I think there's something for everyone.”
Join us to experience the evocative melodic patterns of Ragas. Then become immersed in the meditative power and collective resonance of singing sacred Kirtan chants underpinned by the deep beauty of traditional Indian Ragas.
There is also an evening Kirtan following the workshop at the Old Town Hall. 7pm-8.30pm. Experience beautiful and uplifting Indian Kirtan as we all sing simple chants together. Sulkeh will be accompanied by mesmerising tabla and beautiful backing vocals.
About Sulekh Ruparell
Sulekh Ruparell is a London-based Indian Classical Musician, a virtuoso harmonium and tabla player, and an expert in devotional music with over 25 years of teaching and performing experience.
Like many British Indian families, Sulekh’s family are originally from Gujarat, in western India on the border with Pakistan. Sulekh himself was born and raised in London, but an early family visit to India shaped his musical direction.
“My trip to India when I was 11 was a defining moment. Staying in an ashram and listening to folk singers sing devotional Indian music was a watershed moment for me. I found the music that I love. And going back in my second trip, aged 13, my father bought me my first harmonium.”
Sulekh started learning harmonium and tabla in the UK, but he recalls how one of his teachers told him, “‘Sul, if you really want to learn this music, you need to take yourself to India.’ And that's what I did after my degree.”
Since then Sulekh has spent many years studying music with masters in India. In his kirtans and teaching, Sulekh draws on this deep well of experience, having learned under his classical teacher, Pandit Ishvar Jadhav, and finding his folk inspiration in the late Shantibhai. “I spent many, many hours with Shantibhai", Sulekh recalls. "He was an incredible folk musician and a huge inspiration in my music."
"I’m hoping that I can bring all those elements across when we do the workshop and the kirtan in Stroud." Sulekh really fell for the town and it’s people on his first visit in the summer. “I'm very grateful and honoured to share Indian music with the good people of Stroud. I just hope that I can give something extra cool, and perhaps something that they haven't necessarily seen in the world of kirtan”.
Event venue & nearby stays
Stroud Yoga Space & Shop, 26 Nelson Street, Stroud, United Kingdom
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