'Chichli Dhol': Listen To Album Highlighting Sounds From Madhya Pradesh's 'NIMAD'

Mumbai's multi-disciplinary artist Jayesh Malani and Barwani, Madhya Pradesh-based drummer Bharat Chandore ventured to Madhya Pradesh's Nimad region to document its sonic and visual culture. The pair created a makeshift music studio on the banks of river Narmada in the region's Chichli village and recorded various folk groups and artists from the village and its surrounding places.

As part of a wider work entitled 'NIMAD' that takes the help of other creatives to offer live shows, short films and an archival website, Jayesh and Bharat have been presenting the recorded music with an approach that tries to preserve the traditional quality of the sounds while relating it to contemporary culture. The latest addition to the released work comes with 'Chichli Dhol', the third single from the upcoming single.

In contrast to the previous lyricism-led upbeat tracks 'Harbola Blues' and 'Pyaaro Pyaaro', 'Chichli Dhol' and its music video, directed by Keerthi Raju who is also the visual director of NIMAD's live shows, offers a more sombre experience owing to its groove Khadi Chal (played by Dhol player Dashrath Bhandole) which is used to guide possessed participants during the festival of Gangour.

The pair recounts being taken to a temple around midnight on the 2nd day of their visit by the nomadic tribe of Dhangars after recording with them the whole day. As various folk groups including the Dhangars played Bhajans at the temple, Jayesh and Bharat report to have noticed multiple people seeming possessed and performing strange physical activities amidst a surreal atmosphere. The pair try to capture that experience and their take on what goes inside the mind of someone spiritually possessed with the music that makes use of Dashrath's dhol playing and various field recordings from Chichli.

Watch the music video for 'Chichli Dhol' below and follow NIMAD on Instagram for more updates.