Poet, composer and singer extraordinaire, Smt. Kiran Nath led a team of wonderful singers, musicians and dancer as they presented beautiful medley of Hindi and Punjabi folk songs . The event was called “Maahiya”, a term of endearment in Punjabi that refers to the beloved. The music filled  the hearts of the listener with the bliss that results from the expression of Shringara (love), a rasa (emotion) that is referred to as the king of rasas. 

Presenting her original compositions, Nath was able to take the audience to the fields of Punjab and soak in the simple joys that in hallmark of the village folk.  The lyrics of the folk songs are very simple and direct as opposed to Ghazals, which are complex and subtle in their content.  In the past Kiran Nath has presented exclusive Ghazal concerts. For a poet and composer to be able write both Ghazals and folk is a true testament to the breadth and depth of her talent. 

Aneesha Karody's colorful stage set up brought out the right ambience for the evening.  After a few opening remarks by the master of ceremonies, Dhanshree Ramachandran, the program opened with an energetic number Maahiya Mere Maahiya where Kiran Nath and  Mitali Wahidi were accompanied by  Anu Upneja , Parul Kumar , Parveen Minocha , Bela Kaul , Jasleen Kaur , Sanjay Jain,  Pankaj Shah , Preetpal Singh and Bibek Das .  The men and women dressed in folk costumes added a colorful touch to the presentation.  After a couple of compositions, Dr. Meena Sundaram, presented a fun and energetic number -  Laagi laagi re piya saawan ki jhadhi. Her lovely voice and fast rendition made this number special.  Following Teri Baanh phad lawaan by Kiran Nath, Shuchita Rao presented Aap ree aap Mujhe while Pooja Tiwari danced. Shuchita ji’s classical training shone through as she presented the number in a controlled manner. Pooja Tiwari’s dazzling costume and simple steps were a sight to behold. 

Harish Dang’s  emotive recitation of Kiran ji’s composition Dil wich rakh saanoon brought out the poetic beauty of the composition.  When the Nath family (Mitali Wahidi, Shameek Nath  Kunal Nath) came together to present Rang De Duppattada one felt reassured that the immense talent of Kiran Nath was indeed safely held by the next generation. Kunal, the youngest of the Nath’s got a encore request after his presentation Dooron dis Jayeen.  His voice and talent would surely allow him to become a successful professional singer if he chose it for a career. 

A few medleys performed by the group including Arsh Mehrotra ,  Anu Upneja , Parul Kumar Parveen Minocha , Bela Kaul , Jasleen Kaur , Sanjay Jain,  Pankaj Shah , Preetpal Singh and Bibek Das and Kiran Nath was a fantastic addition to the repertoire. 

In an era where Bollywood compositions dominate the light music scene it was so refreshing to see authentic folk music presented especially with original compositions. Kudos to Kiran Nath and the team for putting so much effort to bring forth an excellent show. Special mention needs to be made of the excellent accompaniment provided by Chris Pereji on the keyboard, Rajesh Pai and Abhilash Mehta on the drums and Bill Lenderking  on strings.  We hope the program will be presented again so that more people get to enjoy this music.  New England is blessed to have this star musician in our midst. The unsung hero of the evening was of course Dr. Surendra Nath who tirelessly worked to make the evening a big success. Lokvani presents a tip of the hat to this great family, the Naths.