Baiju Dharmajan Releases E-book Biography

Baiju Dharmajan.

It’s been a decade since Kochi prog rock band Motherjane released their most famous song, “Mindstreet” and the band’s former guitarist Baiju Dharmajan relives how this song came to be and the band’s golden years in his new biography released online. Titled Motherjane: Baiju Dharmajan Diaries, the e-book captures the band’s existence straight from their days as a cover-heavy college band in 1996 to Dharmajan’s own current projects, ranging from guest solos to composing music for Malayalam films.

Journalist and drummer Arun S Kumar

The biography written by Kochi-based journalist and drummer of instrumental rock band Kaav, Arun S Kumar, was released this week ahead of Dharmajan’s tour of Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. Kumar, who interviewed Dharmajan over three months and spent close to six months writing the book, has known the guitarist for eight years. Says Kumar, “I’ve always had this idea of doing a big interview [with Dharmajan]. I also knew a lot of the background guys [crew] who worked with Motherjane.” In fact it was Dharmajan’s manager Rahul Gandhi, who also managed Motherjane between 2003 and 2008, who planted the idea of the e-book.

The 36-page e-book begins at the point where Dharmajan, who was then not part of Motherjane, first chanced upon a performance by the band at a bachelor party and ends with the guitarist hinting at why the band may have split. When asked whether a Motherjane reunion may ever be on the cards, Kumar did not entirely dismiss the idea. Says Kumar, “A one-off show can happen, but I don’t think Baiju will ever get back with Motherjane. He’s making very different music now, with Baiju Dharmajan Syndicate and with his collaborations like [folk metal band] The Down Troddence, where he’s playing a solo on one of their songs. He has a lot of different associations now.”

Baiju Dharmajan Syndicate performs at Hard Rock Café Worli, Mumbai on November 14th, followed by a guitar workshop at Furtados, Juhu on November 15th. Tour details here.

Download Motherjane: Baiju Dharmajan Diaries here.