Mumbai: Bolava Vitthal is a unique concert of abhangs and devotional songs dedicated to Lord Panduranga on the eve of Ashadi Ekadashi.From the 12th to 19th century, many great saints including Sant Dyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram, Sant Gora Kumbhar, and Sant Janabai penned many abhangs devoted to Lord Panduranga.

Pancham Nishad Creatives flags off Bolava Vitthal, a seven city concert to pay tribute to the legendary vocalist and Bharat Ratna – late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who popularised abhangs (devotional songs in praise of Lord Vitthal) not only in India but across the world through his thematic concert ‘Santawani’. This time, Pancham Nishad is taking this concert across the border of Maharashtra to Dharwad, Bangalore and Chennai.

This concert is not only for devotees of Lord Vitthal, but also for music lovers in general. The tunes and classical finesse promises a resplendent evening. Bolava Vitthal was initiated with the objective of giving a rare opportunity to music lovers and devotees to listen to such maestros singing praise of Lord Vitthal.

For the past five years, Bolava Vitthal has received tremendous response from the music lovers. In these years, music stalwarts like Ganasarwasti Kishori Amonkar, Ajit Kumar Kadkade, Aarti Ankalikar-Tikekar, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Upendra Bhatt, Devaki Pandit, Shaunak Abhisheki and Jayateerth Mevundi have performed on this platform.

This year the Bolava Vitthal concerts will see leading singers Shankar Mahadevan and Suresh Wadkar along with Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Shaunak Abhisheki, Savani Shinde, Kalpani Komkali, Jayateerth Mevundi, Rahul Deshpande and Devaki Pandit. The tour begins on July 9 in Goa, followed by Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Dharwad, Bangalore and Chennai.

In Mumbai, the concert will be held on July 11, 2011 at Shanmukhnanda Auditorium.

The man behind organising this unique music festival is Shashi Vyas, son ofPadmabhushan Late Pandit C R Vyas. Said Vyas, “It gives me great pleasure to announce this seven city concert. Every year we pray to Lord Panduraga and this year we are dedicating it to the God of music – Pandit Bhimsen Joshiji. Through this concert, we all will remember his great voice and his contribution to music.”

Shankar Mahadevan also reflected the thoughts of Mr Shashi Vyas. “Bolava Vitthal gives me a chance to sing abhangs and get back to my classical roots. It’s an honour to perform in memory of Pandit Bhimsenji,” he said.