Thiruvananthapuram: A band that does not claim to be green
The Sunday event at Mall of Travancore at 7 pm will be the first time the full band is making a public appearance.
Thiruvananthapuram: 'Chumaduthangi', the music band that will be performing on Sunday as a prelude to the upcoming Green Congress, does not sing about green politics. But, every time, they go to a juice stall, they make sure to tell the bearer not to put a straw in their drinks.
They try not to order food in so that they can avoid parcels. They religiously avoid plastic.
Their songs about life, hopes and dreams do not give away the fact that they make green choices. They are the classic young idealists who do not promise to be all that.
When DC asked Safeer V. Jabbar, one of its founder members, if the band is guided by a philosophy, he said, "No." That is refreshingly different, in a world where many merely pay lip-service to lofty ideas.
The Sunday event at Mall of Travancore at 7 pm will be the first time the full band is making a public appearance. Other than the vocalist, the team now consists of manager Nikhil Vijayan, sound engineer Aju Vijay, vocalist Sangeeth Vijayan, percussionist J R Varma, keyboardist Sajan Kamal, drummer Jibin Christopher, guitarist Joji Joy and bass guitarist Jerin Sam.Slowly, as they eased into a conversation, and were asked about the origin of their name, their Good Samaritan beginnings were revealed. They first performed at near the 'Chumaduthangi' near Spencer Junction.
"The structure which looks like a 'pi' was used in the olden days by wayfarers, as a resting spot. A group of people wanted to turn this point to a cultural street similar to Manaveeyam. We performed for the first time there. In the beginning, we thought we'll contribute part of the money to the ones who need it. But we are together because we all share a certain sense of sound and know what our music should sound like," says Safeer V Jabbar. According to him, their genre is alternative funk and rock.
When asked about their green choices, its keyboard player Sajan Kamal said, "JR Varma and Sangeeth Vijayan are part of Green Army. They have influenced us as well. Even when we don't meet as a group, we try our best to avoid plastic."
