MUMBAI: The centuries old tradition of 'abhangas' - verses composed by saints in Maharashtra and set to devotional tunes - is about to get a modern avatar. Abhanga Repost the band is set to debut its first TV show on Marathi music channel 9X Jhakaas.

The band members will perform an exclusive and modern rendition of the traditional 'Abhangs'. Abhangvari, the special show will be aired on 9X Jhakaas on 15 July, Ashadi Ekadashi.

While talking about their journey, Viraj Acharya, the band's percussionist said, “The making of Abhanga Repost wasn't just an overnight incident. Swapnil and Dushyant started this in May 2014 and performed at the Malabar Hill Festival in Mumbai. I met them in KC College and liked the whole concept and joined them as a band. We won a competition organised by Maharashtra Government and around last year August we decided if we are doing something we should do it properly. Now we perform only the Abhangas and we are satisfied while performing. However, we keep using pop, punk rock, jazz, folk and fusion elements to our composition.”

“We are really grateful to 9X Jhakaas for this opportunity and hope that the viewers will love our renditions of the popular Abhangs by our great saints. We perform Abhangs using a contemporary touch. We hope our Contemporary Folk Fusion is appreciated by the viewers of 9X Jhakaas,” added Viraj.

Ajay Vavhal, the vocalist said, “I have started singing when I was in the eighth standard along with my dad. Apart from that, I don’t have any formal training in singing. I just feel content when I am performing Abhangas.”

Abhangvari is a platform to the band ‘Abhang Repost’ to spread the celebration through their modern versions of popular Abhangs. The band has recorded four exclusive songs titled as ‘Majhe Maher Pandari’, ‘Vrukshvalli Aamha Soyare Vanchare’, ‘Ekasi Kadanna Ekasi Mishtanna’, ‘Deh Devache Mandir’. There will be five songs will culminate into the special show Abhangvari on Ashadhi Ekadashi, 15 July 2016 at 8 am.

Commenting on the same 9X Jhakaas programming head Ashwinikumar Patil said, “We at 9X Jhakaas have always been on the forefront of innovation in music. Our shows like Lai Bhari, Jhakaas Making, and our travelling music concert Jhakaas Music Yatra have been well appreciated by music lovers across Maharashtra, Abhangvari will give the talented singers of Abhang Repost the much-deserved platform to promote their talent and viewers will get to enjoy the modern versions of some of the most popular Abhangs.”