Mahesh Kale could have stayed in Silicon Valley, building a career in technology. Instead, he chose music. The decision was not an easy one, but it was the one that gave him joy. Today, he is a National Award-winning vocalist who has introduced abhangs to audiences far beyond Maharashtra.
For Mahesh, abhangs are not just devotional songs. They are a way of connecting people with emotion, with worship, and with life itself.
His world tour, Abhangwari, brings the centuries-old tradition of the Wari pilgrimage into a concert format. It is an attempt to give people who cannot walk to Pandharpur a chance to feel the journey through song. As he closed the tour in Kolkata, Mahesh spoke about his leap from tech to music, his training, and why Indian classical music is not as difficult as people think.
Excerpts:
You were thriving in Silicon Valley. What finally pushed you to take up music full-time?
Love. I would never have made the switch without love for music. I had a strong degree, I was in the middle of Silicon Valley, and there was a high chance of a lucrative career. But I realised the joy that comes from simple, everyday things cannot be bought. I found that joy through music, so naturally I did not need the money. It was tricky because I was swimming against the current, but in the end it felt right. And I have been grateful ever since.
From Stanford Jazz to Abhangwari, how do you balance it all?
I don’t see it as balancing. Every human being responds differently to moments. When it rains, you crave adrak chai. In summer, you want nimbu paani. Music is like that—it churns inside and responds to what life offers. I love living, meeting people, observing cultures, travelling. All of that changes me inside, and my music simply reflects those shifts.
What does Abhangwari mean to you, and how did this tour take shape?
The name brings together two ideas. An abhang is a devotional poem written by the saints of Maharashtra in praise of Vitthal or Pandurang. Wari refers to the annual pilgrimage, where warkaris walk for days to reach Pandharpur. For hundreds of years, they have walked with unbroken devotion. Many people today want to be part of it but cannot. Abhangwari is my way of taking people there through narration and music, so they feel transported even if they are far away.
For someone who has never heard an abhang before, how would you describe it?
I would say: just come and experience it. No one is foreign to emotion or worship. And worship is not only about god or religion. If you love or admire something deeply, you worship it. Surrender and worship are very close. If you can feel even one of them, you will understand an abhang.
You trained in the Gurukul system. How has that discipline stayed with you?
Discipline comes from practice. There is a saying: if you want something done, give it to the busiest person. Busy people are used to handling tasks with order. For me, discipline has always been number one, and musical skill comes after. I grew up with it, I have practised it for decades, and now it is instinctive. My subconscious enforces it without effort.
What is one misconception people carry about Indian classical music?
That it is boring. Do you need to know the chemical composition of a fragrance to enjoy it? No. Classical music is like that. When you try Italian food for the first time, it will feel bland, but with time you taste the subtle flavours. They give you joy from within. Classical music works in the same way.
If you could sing one abhang for the world right now, which would you choose—and why?
Vrukshavalli Amha Soyare Vanchare. It says that all plants, trees, birds, and animals are our companions. We often value them only for their use—shade, fruit, flowers, or meat. But actually we share our lives with them. It is a reminder of our bond with the natural world, and it feels even more relevant today.