On stage and on par

Bhoomuja’s Jackfruit festival for children in Bengaluru, commences with a concert by children from Shrishti Special Academy

Bhoomija’s sixth edition of the Jackfruit Festival for children will be held in Bengaluru between September 20 and 22. Shubha Mudgal returns as a festival director. Organised in association with Indian Music Experience Museum, the event is supported by Arundhati Moorthi Philanthropies and this year’s edition will feature concerts, and workshops.

Persons with disabilities (PWD) from the Shrishti Special Academy, will present the inaugural concert, Sunny Symphony. The concert celebrates inclusion at every level and is directed by musician and singer MD Pallavi. The young performers will present a range of popular Kannada and regional songs with Pallavi.

“Leading the inaugural concert with students of Shristi Special Academy is a profound expression of what inclusivity in the arts looks like,” says Pallavi. “This performance is a powerful reminder that music transcends all barriers, offering every participant, regardless of their background, a chance to shine.”

Singing Into the Future 2.0, Shubha Mudgal’s flagship creation for the festival will will feature tabla maestro Aneesh Pradhan and showcase a vocal ensemble of child prodigies from across the country. In addition to this, there will be workshops for aspiring musicians and music lovers led by maestros such as Shruti Sadolikar, Ratnamala Prakash, Aneesh Pradhan, Purbayan Chatterjee, and Bengaluru-based beat-boxer Vineeth Vincent.

As part of Bhoomija and IME’s’ community outreach initiative, musicians such as Jayachandra Rao and Vasu Dixit will conduct workshops on the premises of different educational institutions. “This festival represents our commitment to nurturing a diverse array of voices and ensuring that every tradition is both honored and explored,” says Shubha Mudgal.

Suchi Somashekhariah is a special educator, who has been instrumental in starting Shrishti Special Academy and has been working with special needs children for the past three decades. She says Shrishti’s foray into the Jackfruit festival was organic.

“One of our volunteers knows the people at Bhoomija. She helps us with networking and partner interface, creating awareness and helped connect us with Bhoomija, who did a concert for us last year. We visit IME with the children. We work with children with disabilities of all ages and have children with autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual disability and so on.”