Karbala Rivayat singers from Agasanur perform outside the village for the first time Premium

Karbala Rivayat is performed during the first 10 days of the Muharram month. The singers who performed in Bengaluru last week were passionate performers from various communities in the village of Agasanur which has a unique syncretic tradition.

Last week, for the very first time, Karbala Rivayat singers of Agasanur village of Ballari district performed outside their village, winning over the hearts of the audience gathered at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC).

Karbala Rivayat (that describes the battle of Karbala in the form of a ballad) is performed during the first 10 days of the Muharram month. The singers are always passionate performers from various communities in the village of Agasanur.

At BIC, singers Dose Iranna and Usman Ali (both in their 70s), 65-year-old Raghava Reddy and the youngest member Sadaq Ali performed in their rich voices accompanied by anklets with humongous bells, to not miss a single beat.

While expressing their excitement to share their rich culture with the people of Bengaluru, the Rivayat singers also note that this has been a family tradition, and their families will carry it forward.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Usman Ali says, “Just like me, Dose Iranna and many other Rivayat singers have been practicing this tradition for 40-50 years. Our fathers and grandfathers, no matter which caste or religion they belonged to, sang Karbala Rivayats.... We have continued doing it and so will our families for years to come. Religion or caste has never been a matter of discussion in our village. All of us live in harmony and respect each other’s religious practices. “ 

Adding to it, Mr. Dose Iranna, one of the senior-most Rivayat singers of Agasanuru, says Muharram is observed by every single person of the village.

“I started learning the Karbala Rivayats when I was 10 years old. Even back then, there was never just one community singing the Rivayats. Since my childhood I have seen both Muslims and Hindus sing the Rivayats. When they heard me sing for the first time, they never asked my name or my religion, all they said was you have a great voice and the right note, so come sing with us,” he told The Hindu.