New Delhi: The Capital is set to celebrate the auspicious occasion of ‘Aashaadi Ekadashi’ on a grand musical note. India’s best-known devotional music concert “Bolava Vitthal” is being brought to Delhi by The Cultural Department–State Government of Maharashtra in association with Pancham Nishad, an organization set up to preserve and promote the rich traditional performing arts of India.

Bolava Vitthal is a unique concert of abhangs and devotional songs dedicated to Lord Vitthala on the eve of Ashadi Ekadashi. From the 12th to 19th century, many great saints like Sant Dyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram, Sant Gora Kumbhar, Sant Namdeo and Sant Janabai, to name but a few, penned many abhangs devoted to Lord Vitthal.

It is significant to note that legendary vocalist Bharat Ratna, late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was the pioneer in presenting and popularizing this genre of ‘Santawaani’ (devotional songs). He did around 2500 shows across India during the mid 70’s & 80’s.

Today after a hiatus of 3 decades, Delhi music lovers will once again have a rare opportunity to listen to this genre of Indian Devotional Music which originated from the State of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Rahul Deshpande, Devaki Pandit and Jayateerth Mevundi, leading vocalists of the present generation will enthrall the Delhi audience by rendering some of the choicest abhangs in their mellifluous voice in this unique event titled “Bolava Vitthal” scheduled to be held at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi on Friday 4th July, from 6pm onwards.

After Delhi, the tour will move on to Kolkata, Nashik, Kalyan (Mumbai suburbs), Mumbai, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Panaji (Goa).

For the past eight years Bolava Vitthal has received tremendous response from the music lovers across India. During these years, eminent musicians like Ganasaraswati Kishori Amonkar, Ajit Kumar Kadkade, Aarti Ankalikar-Tikekar, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande and Shaunak Abhisheki to name a few, have performed on this platform.

The man behind organizing this unique concert of devotional music– Mr Shashi Vyas, son of veteran vocalist Padmabhushan Late Pandit C R Vyas, is pleased to hold this event in association with The Cultural Department–State Government of Maharashtra for the first time in Delhi.

“Bolava Vitthal concerts have created its niche amongst the audience in the past eight years. It’s pan India reach symbolises the popularity of devotional song genre,” explained Vyas.

Significantly, Bolava Vitthal will soon travel to the US & UK and Vyas is already working on the dates around October 2014 or May 2015. “The response has been tremendous and we are very excited. The Indian devotional music genre is now getting world-wide audience,” says Mr. Vyas.