Kabir Project

21/03/2022

Come for this very special evening of satsang with Mahesha Ramji & Jagariya Mandlis.
'Shabad Dhun Laagi' curated by Shabnam Virmani | Chowdiah Hall, Bangalore | 26th Saturday evening
Book your tickets now!

Buy Tickets for Bhoomija presents - Shabad Dhun Laagi 2022 with Mahesha Ram and Jagariya Mandli - Curated by Shabnam Virmani!

13/05/2020

When the mind is caught up in a storm of fear and self-loathing, how does one ground oneself? An anxiety-ridden slacker seeks refuge in Kabir's words, only to find that Kabir is not what he expected at all...

ajabshahar.com/stories/details/67/Fear

We are delighted to present a 40-min podcast by Swagath Sivakumar - a very special coming together of theatre, music, poetry, psychology and mysticism.

FEAR & THE GAMES OF THE MIND: A Musical Heart-to-Heart with Kabir
See the complete story here: ajabshahar.com/stories/details/67/Fear

Swagath is a student and apprentice at the Kabir Project. He is drawn to the Indian mystics by the remarkable resonances between their poetry and the teachings of the Buddha. As he grapples with his own difficulties, he enjoys sharing poetry and folk-philosophy which he has found personally insightful.

This is the first of a series of audio works on Kabir that have emerged out of Swagath's student project at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

27/04/2020

Discussion on our two books hosted by Write Circle, Jaipur, as a Zoom meeting, earlier this month. Also, a couple of songs!

The books under discussion:

"I Saw Myself: Journeys with Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai" (Penguin)

"One Palace, a Thousand Doorways: Songlines through Bhakti, Sufi & Baul Oral Traditions" (Speaking Tree)

18/01/2020

Thursday, 23 January, 7 pm, Bangalore International Centre.

How do mystic poets speak to us today? Exploring the inspiration to curate, translate and interpret the voices of mystic poets in our current socio-political and spiritual realities, this discussion will probe the challenge and ideal of love in our fractious times. Shabnam Virmani and Vipul Rikhi of the Kabir Project in discussion with eminent film critic and writer, CS Venkiteswaran, in the context of their two recently published books of translations from Shah Latif, Kabir and other poets.

23/12/2019

A review by Rita Kothari of "I Saw Myself: Journeys with Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai", published by Penguin India

"The book is more a journey than a final and comprehensive compendium to the Sindhi Risalo by Shah Abdul Latif. It has verses from the previous compilations, in addition to ones that Virmani and Rikhi hear as a part of the oral tradition in Kutch. In that sense this is an unusual, almost quirky book in that it mimics, despite being textual, the spontaneity of an oral tradition."

‘I Saw Myself’ features new translations of the Sindhi Sufi poet’s works by Shabnam Virmani and Vipul Rikhi.

16/12/2019

Many of these poets only spoke or sang. They did not, in the proper sense, write. Kabir himself was unlettered; in typical, confrontational fashion, he celebrated that station. It was not a matter of embarrassment for him.

Never touched ink or paper
Never held a pen in hand
The wisdom of all four ages
Kabir spoke with his tongue

From "One Palace, a Thousand Doorways", published by Speaking Tiger Books

Vipul Rikhi and Shabnam Varmani

19/12/2016

Inauguration of Paintings by Kazuaki Tanahashi