Shankar Mahadevan: Singing at Ram Mandir has been my most cherished experience

Composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan performed during the Shri Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony on Monday. “Singing at a historic place like the Ram Mandir, which is full of spirituality, has been my most cherished experience,” Mahadevan says, adding, “I sang a shloka and Tulsidas’ Shri Ram Chandra Kripalu Bhajman. The song is in Yaman Kalyan, a classical genre, but it’s something everybody knew and sang-along. The feeling of oneness it brought about was beautiful. I ended my set with a Ram Dhun that I recorded last year.”

Mahadevan says he only expected “a harmonium and a tabla to accompany me”. He adds, “There were instruments from every state of the country, including the pakhawaj, mridangam, tabla, sarod, Veena, flute, ghatam, ravanahaththa and shehnai. It turned out to be a beautiful experience for me.”

The musician, who reached Ayodhya one day before the event, goes on to talk about the time he spent there with his wife, Sangeeta Mahadevan. He adds, “We had dinner at the Maharaja of Ayodhya’s home and it was a great experience. Everything was so well organised. Being at their 150-year-old mahal was amazing.”