Musicians roll out new songs to welcome Bappa

Ganeshotsav and music are intricately connected to each other. The city reverberates with chants of 'Bappa Morya Re' filling the air with tutaris and hand cymbals. However, this year seems to be special for the music industry, as the singles lined up are not just sung by singers who specialise in the devotional genre, but by those who are synonymous with popular music.With these singers or composers, there are quite a few ‘firsts’ happening this Ganesh Chaturthi; for instance, in the Times Music track 'Hey Bappa Morya', Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan will be singing together for the first time. Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash have composed two popular Ganesha aratis, on sarod. Sunidhi Chauhan, who is associated with Bollywood and western styles, will be heard this festival season singing Ganaraj Tu — her first devotional outing in Marathi. Devotees are going to be spoilt for choice as big names showcase their devotional side along with the regular names associated with Ganesha festival music. BT spoke to a few of these musicians, who shared their experience on the things that went into creating these tracks...


‘Instrumental Ganesha aarti on sarod is a first’
Classical musicians and sarod players Amaan and Ayaan have played 'Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh' and 'Sukh Karta Dukh Harta', on sarod for the first time. Talking about it, Amaan says, “We have tried to capture the simplicity and feeling of these aartis on sarod with Times Music. Starting with Jai Ganesh, we move to the transition of Sukh Karta with a beautiful Ganesh Paran, which refers specifically to a type of pakhavaj composition whose structure and compositional attributes are varied. Through these, we pray that we are able to
bring peace and tranquility on this auspicious occasion!”
The musician duo admit that it was a challenge to work on these aartis as they were already popular. “It was an honour and privilege to interpret these aartis through our instrumental version. I hope that this track connects with every soul, as music, according to the Vedas, is the key to the pathway of divinity,” says Ayaan.
Talking about his early memories of the festive time, he recalls, “As a child, I was always fascinated by Lord Ganesha, which is why I’d always sketch and draw Ganesha playing sarod.”
‘It was a joy to express my love for Ganesha through these songs’
Composer Shreyas Puranik has created Ganesha songs in Hindi and Marathi. “I came up with the hookline while I was doing my morning riyaaz. I ended up composing the entire melody then and there. I then got lyricist Prashant Ingole on board. The songs have turned out to be perfect for Ganeshotsav. It was a joy to portray my love towards Bappa,” he says. Shreyas has also created 'Ganraj Tu', which has been sung by Sunidhi in both languages. Talking about it, Sunidhi says, “This is my first Ganpati bhajan in Marathi. I loved the composition style and I really wanted to sing it. The Hindi one has beautiful lyrics and I have done something different in it. My son Teg accompanied me to the recordings — when he is around I work peacefully.”


‘Two singers like us are doing a Ganpati song for the first time’
Sonu and Shankar coming together for a devotional song for Ganpati is perhaps going to be the highlight of the season. Talking about it, Sonu says, “People usually do solos for Ganpati. This is a first where two singers like us are doing a Ganpati song together. Shankar is like an elder brother. He and I thought of coming out with the same song.” Talking about the song, he informs, “Ganpati mein, you either have slow, soft numbers or high-energy songs. Ours is the latter.” When Shreyas played the composition for Sonu, he was blown away. “Shankar and I immediately decided to do the song when we heard it. He has created a great devotional track.”

‘It was the will of Lord Ganesha’
For Shreyas, a Ganesha devotee, the experience of creating songs for the festival was special. “My first ever Bollywood song was Gajanana from Bajirao Mastani (2017), which also got into Guinness Book Of World Records. Another thing that makes these new songs, which I have created for the festival season special, is the fact that legendary singers like Sonu, Shankar and Sunidhi have collaborated on it. I also got to work with one of the most powerful voices from the Marathi industry, Adarsh Shinde, who has sung the Marathi version of Hey Bappa Morya. This one is really big.”
For most musicians, doing these tracks was like the will of the Lord and a blessing. Amaan and Ayaan have been wanting to create aartis on sarod for a long time now, but concert commitments had kept them away from the studio for long. However, it materialised finally this year. “I guess it’s happened now by the will of Lord Ganesha,” says Ayaan, adding, “When it did happen, it was like an inner calling to create the aarti during Ganpati.”
For debutant composer-lyricist Sonal Pradhan, Ganpati Deva by singer Amit Mishra (of Bulleya fame) means the world. “Ganpati Bappa is everything to me, so, I’ve put in my heart and soul in it. The energy in the programming, brings life into the song. And Amit’s voice-throw and texture takes it to another level,” gushes the composer.
Lyricist Prashant Ingole has a deep connect with Ganpati, too. He shares, “I feel that with Ganpati, there is always magic happening. Since the last 24 years I have Ganesha at home for seven days. These songs were magic for me. First Ganaraj happened and then Bappa Morya shaped up.”

‘I have always wanted to do a single for Ganesha festival’
Hariharan is yet another noted name on the list of singers singing this Ganpati season. He says, “I have always wanted to do a single for Ganesh Chaturthi. I composed a musical phrase — Dhem Ta Na Na Na Na Vighneshwara, which gradually took the shape of a song. Vighneshwara is energetic, spiritual, and rhythmic; it encapsulates the role Lord Ganesha plays in inspiring and improving our lives. The lyrics are simple and sing-able.”

Elaborating on the music, the singer-composer adds, “Musically, it is a fusion between Indian melody, heavy rock guitar and a combination of Western grooves and Indian rhythm of tasha, dhol and jhanj. The outro is a fusion of these elements with an electronic twist. My son Akshay has produced, arranged and programmed the music along with Saibu V Simon. The lyrics are penned by Sahil Sultanpuri, guitars are by Sanjoy Das and the rhythm section has been played by Vadan Dhol Tasha Pathak.”
Ajay Jaiswal’s Deva Deva has singers Sachin Kumar Valmiki (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa runner-up 2016), Aakanksha Sharma, Sahil Solanki, Anamika Singh and Akash Jaiswal. Ajay says, “Deva Deva is a Ganpati aarti that talks about the various attributes of Lord Ganesha. It will stay with you for a long time.”