200 participants to drum up devotion for Ganesha habba

Two hundred participants — men, women and children between 14 to 65 years — will join the percussion band Beat Gurus at this year’s Maha Mangalaarti, carrying forward South Bengaluru’s cherished Ganesha habba tradition.

“We received over 350 applications and shortlisted 200 based on availability and convenience. Of these, 150 are women and 50 are men. While only a handful are professionals, most are non-musicians — homemakers, retired individuals, students and working professionals. They came from across the city and underwent two months of rigorous training and rehearsals, braving heavy rains and harsh weather,” says percussionist and founder, Ganesh Govindaswamy, also known as Kachu.

‘Devotion to Lord Ganesha and a zeal to learn is what united 200 participants’

“It is the devotion to Lord Ganesha, the zeal to learn, and a passion for music that have brought 200 people together,” says Kachu, recalling how Beat Gurus began as a 15-member act 14 years ago and has since grown to hundreds of members. “We were an instant hit and over time, people began following our work — some were so fascinated that they wanted to join us. Last year, when we announced that we were ready to train women too, the response was overwhelming,” he adds.