Tag Archives: India

Ailaan: Music From The Farmers Protests (Video)

This article was originally published by The Indian Culture Forum and republished here with permission.

The farmers have shaken the government with their protests, now continuing for over three months. They’ve challenged the regime with their blockades, sit-ins, marches, as much as they have with their songs and music. This is not new. Historically, agrarian movements such as Tebhaga have given us a rich tradition of music that articulates farmers’ struggle, resolve, and demands.

Ongoing protests are no different as songs in solidarity have been produced in hundreds, adding a contemporary zing to traditional forms, creating new musical interventions, and standing up against the regime that has tried to censor them deploying all its auxiliaries. This episode of Waqt ki Awaz, in solidarity with the protesting farmers, is a tribute to the poetry and music from the farmers protests.

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Song Of The Day: Fist Up By Armaan Yadav

For any hiphop artist getting started in the rap game, it is a great feat to make it to Sway Calloway’s radio show Sway In The Morning. During the pandemic, Sway started giving rappers and lyricists from around the world a chance to step onto his virtual stage and show their talents. One of these rappers comes all the way from India and his name is Armaan Yadav. We here at Shouts are familiar with Armaan as we have been following his protest rap for a while.

Armaan seems to always feel compelled to pen down words about the injustice he constantly witnesses in his home country of India, which he then shares with the rest of the world. For the outside world, it is a great thing; that there are artists that journal what is going on so we can all become more informed, more empathetic humans.

Armaan’s latest offering is a full steam protest tune available for anyone looking for some energy boost during their resistance.

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Legendary Italian Protest Song, Bella Ciao, Gets A New Rendition Supporting Indian Farmers

What started out as a folk song sung by the mondina workers in the paddy fields of Northern Italy later became a global anthem of protest. Bella Ciao has been sung and chanted all over the world where people gather to protest fascist governments or oppression of the powerful.

Now a new rendition of the classic song has been published by Indian musician Poojan Sahil. In an interview with The Telegraph India Poojan commented on his thinking as a new generation under an oppressive government:

“Like many of my generation who came out to support the anti-CAA protests, there is disappointment at what is going on around us. We feel that we will have to struggle for freedom of thought, the very existence of our friends…. essentially the world the generations before us took for granted,”

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