Aanchal Shrivastava's music show ‘Yatra with Aanchal' comes to Pune
Qawwali has always been a space dominated by men. Even in modern performance circles, it's rare to find a woman leading a full Qawwali set. Aanchal Shrivastava is changing that. On May 24, she will perform her live show 'Yatra with Aanchal' at Monalisa Kalagram in Koregaon Park, Pune. The live acoustic set will feature a mix of Qawwali, Sufi, folk, and original compositions.
Shrivastava's journey with music started when she was just two and a half. After noticing how often she banged on plates and spoons at home, her parents enrolled her in a local music class. The class was meant for older children, but her teacher allowed her in. By three and a half, she had already done her first public performance.
Most of her early training came from 'gharanas,' not from music schools or formal certification courses. That kind of learning, she says, shaped how she sings today – especially in Qawwali, which demands power and control.
For women, performing Qawwali is not easy. But Shrivastava says the deep, open, and full-breath singing Qawwali requires fits naturally with her training.
'When I was younger, I'd tell my dad my throat hurt after singing; I can't reach the correct notes. Guruji would say that if you truly want to sing, you must forget your organs. Sing from your stomach and forget about the pain. That stayed with me. You can sing from your throat for only 15 or 20 minutes. It won't sustain you. Singing from your stomach is the only way,' she explains.
Growing up, she was often called the Lata Mangeshkar of the school or the Nightingale of her class. 'It was flattering,' she says.
'But I never really felt I sounded like her. If someone had told me I sounded like Abida Parveen ji, maybe I would've realised that I was meant to make powerful music earlier,' she explains.
It took her years to see what direction her voice was taking her. She added, 'Even though I started young, I understood what I was made for only three or four years ago, when I left my job and committed to music full-time.'
What made it clear to her was the audience. The response was strong every time she performed Sufi or folk songs, even if people hadn't heard them before. Her original track, Ishq Akela, is now a staple in her live sets. 'People sing along, even if they don't know the song. There's something raw in it. I think I've been blessed with a voice that helps people connect, not just with the music, but with themselves,' she explains.
Her contributions to the music reflect that same depth and emotion as her performances. She has sung for Amazon Prime's Four More Shots Please and made her Bollywood debut in Mahesh Bhatt's Love Games. Her songs Kadi Aao Ni and Ishq Akela have made her a known name in India's indie and Sufi music scenes.
At the Pune show, she will perform Qawwalis like Chaap Tilak, Tu Mane Ya Na Mane, Asaan Te Tainu Rabb Manneya, Punjabi folk like Nehar Wale Pul Te Bula Ke, and her own original compositions. The music will stay rooted, with harmonium, tabla, dholak, claps, and acoustic guitar, and won't feature any electronic sounds.
The evening will open with a performance by poet and Kavita Café founder Garima Mishra. Shrivastava will be joined on stage by guitarist Mahi, who's worked on most of her originals, harmonium player Omkar, known for his work on several Bollywood tracks, and the rest of the band and backing vocalists.
She calls this live show 'Yatra with Aanchal' because it's not just about travel; it's about taking the audience through the journey with her. 'This isn't a show where you sit and watch. I want people to sing, clap, and move. I want them to feel like they did when they were kids when they weren't scared to dance or feel something and didn't have boundaries.'
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