India, July 2 -- This Sunday (July 6) marks Ashadi Ekadashi, a major festival in Maharashtra and a significant day for the Warkari sect that culminates in a pilgrimage to the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur. To mark the festival, Indian classical singer Mahesh Kale will take the stage in Mumbai and Pune as part of the concert series, Abhangwari. "Being able to perform around Ashadi Ekadashi is like walking towards God, but in music. It's all about celebrating the spirit of the warkaris," he says. The singer participated in the walk to Pandharpur last year for the pilgrimage. Speaking about it, he says, "Walking in the wari was surreal, especially because I had travelled 30-odd hours right before I started the walk. You usually feel fatigued after a long international travel, but I was super energised. That energy and environment is hard to explain. I also got to sing with the warkaris during the pilgrimage. That experience will stay with me forever. I wish I could do wari every single year. Abhangwari is my way of going to Pandharpur in spirit." As someone who performs devotional concerts, Mahesh is proud to have taken the devotional music of Maharashtra, especially abhangs, to different parts of the world. Sharing why he felt the need to take abhangs beyond the realm of his home state, the vocalist, known for his renditions of abhangs such as Abir Gulal, Kanada Raja Pandharicha and Sukhache Je Sukh, shares: "I grew up in an atmosphere where abhangs were a part of our life. Every Thursday and Sunday, my father would take the family to a congregation of bhajan in a mandal. Hence, just like Indian classical music, abhang is my happy place. So if I feel a bigger diaspora can find solace in it, why restrict it to borders and language?" The musician is proud that besides the seasoned classical music aficionados, the audience at his shows also comprises young listeners: "I see a lot of youth representation at my concerts, and I'm grateful for that. While I get a lot of aashirvad from the older generation, I'm also excited that the youth is coming to attend devotional concerts."...