How singer Dhammarakshit draws on centuries-old poetry to spark conversations on social injustice

It poured that evening. On the first floor of the Mandiram, Raghav Shreyas Foundation for Arts in Basavanagudi, rain hammered the old Mangalore-tiled roof. Inside, a small gathering sat huddled in the cosy room. The old house, with its unmistakable Bangalore character, had no conventional stage, no fancy lighting. There was just an artiste, his voice, and a room full of people listening.

For Dhammarakshit, this intimate setting was something of an experiment. The Mumbai-based Ambedkarite lok shahir is more accustomed to performing with a group of 10–15 singers in the energetic, collective format of shahiri jalsa. This solo concert, revolving around the poetry of the ‘Sathyasodhak’ (truth-seekers), was quieter and more reflective. It also required him to step outside a form in which he is most comfortable.