Exclusive: Vasu Dixit’s latest project celebrates folk music across India

Bengaluru-based music composer Vasu Dixit’s (of Vasu Dixit Collective) latest project is an exploration of different kinds of folk music in India. A collaboration with Believe India and Ishtar Music, along with Snehadhara Foundation, the PaDa Project is a docu-series created to support India's folk music traditions.
“'Pada' in Kannada means sound. 'Pa' and 'Da' are also two musical notes and 'janapada' in Kannada means 'words of the people.' The idea behind the project is not just to capture the songs, but to tell stories of people of different communities and tribes through songs.It’s my exploration to find out what's common among the different kinds of folk music,” says Vasu, who is the lead singer of the band Swarathma.
Lasting 18-20 minutes, the first episode of the PaDa Project is set in Karnataka and features tribal musician Mohan Kumar with his song Tagaru — a folk song specific to the Kadugalla tribal community. Released last month, the episode also has him speaking about the pastoral practices in his community.
Vasu adds, “A lot of people don’t know there is a community called Kadugalla. All folk music comes from a particular community and the kind of work they do. Farmers have one kind of song, while the fishermen have another, and the weavers yet another. That is what I want to do — to capture the connections between music and people's lives, rituals and ceremonies, local food traditions, and diverse socio-cultural themes.”
In the months to come, the project will also feature artsites Sithirai Senan from Madurai, Mickma Tshering Lepcha from Gangtok, Dalrariti Gratel Kharnaior from Shillong, and Mangka Mayanglambam from Imphal.
"The project was born out of my interest in folk music. Both sides of me – a filmmaker and a musician – have come together for this. At the end of the day, what are we but storytellers?" asks Vasu, adding that he plans to release a new episode every month. Over the first week, the episode will be released on YouTube, following which, the music video will be out and in the next week, and the song will be released on other streaming platforms. The last week of the month will be dedicated to promoting the upcoming episode.
We ask Vasu how he identified these folk artistes and he shares that the process was organic. “I asked fellow musicians and they would know at least one folk artiste in the area. For instance, a friend in Shillong connected me with an artiste there. In the same way, the artiste from Sikkim led me to one in Manipur. It’s all through my music circle. It’s not like I auditioned hundreds of people and zeroed in on a few. I just met the right people at the right time,” shares Vasu, adding that this platform will help these artistes build a portfolio.
“It’s a good 20-minute episode about them, their music, and the land they come from – something they will be proud to showcase. They are the anchors and they tell the stories – it's not just a voice-over,” offers Vasu.
Besides the PaDa Project, Vasu is working on a Kannada audiobook for children and also on his EP, which he says will be out soon.