Kolkata was witness to a mesmerising evening as the "Folk Queen of India", Padma Shri Malini Awasthi transposed the audience at Kolkata Centre for Creativity to the bustling ghats of Banaras, the lanes of Lucknow and Awadh, through the soulful folk melodies of the Hindi Heartland. The folk exponent sang in various dialects including, Bhojpuri, Braj, and Awadhi as her performance brought the stories of the common people to life.
While some were familiar melodies, others were songs which would have been forgotten by now if not for Malini Awasthi whose determination to keep the folk traditions alive has inspired a new generation. Her performance was a reminder that no matter how far we come, we must never forget or deny our roots, because they make us who we are, even if we don't realise.
During our short interaction with the performer, she told us what it means to be rooted to one's culture while moving forward, and her soul connection with Kolkata and Bengali folk music.