Purbayan Chatterjee Marks Independence Day with New Song ‘Satyagrah’

Sitarist and composer Purbayan Chatterjee traverses calm, energetic and emotional elements on his new fusion song “Satyagrah,” part of his latest album Sitar Stories.

Chatterjee teams up with keyboardist Steve Kottoor for hypnotic, prog-like dexterity that’s aided by drummer Shravan Samsi and tabla artist Yogesh Samsi. The song is recorded, mixed and mastered by Aditya Srinivasan.

The track arrives on India’s 78th Independence Day, specifically taking its title from the Satyagraha movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi. In a press release statement, Chatterjee calls the song a tribute to Gandhi “and his pursuit of truth.” The sitarist adds, “This track features a drum and bass framework with Raga JansamMohini. It highlights the interplay between acoustic and electric sitars.”

On his upcoming album Sitar Stories, Chatterjee aims to showcase the diversity of the sitar. With the lead single being “Satyagrah,” the seven-song album will release on September 18 and includes renditions of the morning raga Bilaskhani Todi as well as a tribute to Bollywood composer S.D. Burman.

Chatterjee says in a statement, “For four years, I’ve envisioned an album where the sitar isn’t just an instrument but the protagonist. The sitar represents a harmonious collision between two religions, two musical cultures, and two cultural idioms. It’s a symbol of diversity and tradition, yet it evolves constantly, gracing classical concerts, movie scores, and even commercials. Through this album, I aim to showcase the sitar’s full spectrum, from the grand Surbahar to the futuristic electric sitar. I hope listeners will join me in celebrating this remarkable instrument.”

The album follows Chatterjee’s 2023 collection of songs Classicool with classical artists like Ojas Adhiya, Sangeet Haldipur, Shikhar Naad Qureshi and more. In 2021, Chatterjee released the fusion-inspired album Unbounded (Abaad), which included star collaborators like Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Bela Fleck, Jordan Rudess (from prog band Dream Theater), Gary Husband and Michael League, among others.