As dusk fell upon a sea of eager listeners, actor, music composer, and singer Raghubir Yadav took the stage on Day 2 of Spoken Fest Mumbai, weaving together echoes of his past, with his performance. Widely known for his presence on stage and television, he was seen presenting as a musician at the Spoken Fest—his first live performance of this kind. His soulful performance unravelled childhood memories from his birthplace, Adartal, where music wasn’t just an art form but a way of life.
Raghubir Yadav shared stories and melodies from his childhood. He fondly reminisced how the rhythmic sounds of Adartal’s bylanes marked the start of his artistic journey. From the bhajans of Surdas that he first heard at the age of three to the melodic calls of street vendors—like the papad seller and the chana wala—his performance at Spoken Fest was an ode to a fading era when music flowed effortlessly through daily life. He recalled his childhood when travelling caravans of 10-15 carts would sing as they moved, how melodies emerged even from the most unexpected corners and how these sounds shaped his musical journey.
As he sang Bhojpuri folk songs like “Hamka joganiya bana gaye… “ the crowd swayed, mesmerised. When he broke into “Mehngai Dayain Khaye Jaat Hai” from Peepli Live, the energy shifted to lighthearted and deeply immersive. The festival grounds pulsed with an undeniable nostalgia, transporting audiences to a time when music wasn’t just composed but lived! At one point, Yadav picked up a simple straw (pipni) and played music on it, reliving his childhood. Accompanied by three other musicians Naynesh Pimpale, Siddharth Joshi & Hardik, he transformed Spoken Fest into a time capsule where melodies were born from the simplest joys of life.
His performance left an imprint—one of warmth, simplicity, and the undeniable magic of folk music. Raghubir Yadav didn’t just sing; he painted pictures with his voice, leaving the audiences at the Spoken Fest with hearts yearning for melodies from the past!
