For more than six years, Hyderabad based, 5-member band Chowraasta has been making waves in the Telugu indie music scene. From the humble beginnings with their first gig in front of 50 friends to touring to the US and in India, Chowraasta has come a long way blending folk with reggae adding a tinge of blues and retro in their music. In conversation with ETV Bharat, Yashwanth Nag, the co-founder of the band spills on going back to roots with their upcoming song Palletoori Pillagada, setting up an art center, gig at Ziro Festival, and first show in Asifabad after touring to America and more.
Born and raised in Chennai by his grandmother, who was a violinist, vocalist, and freedom fighter, Yashwanth moved to Hyderabad nearly 17 years ago. Growing up in a musically inclined family, he learned Carnatic and also explored bit of both, Hindustani and Persian classical. With an educational background in sound engineering, Yashwanth worked at a radio station in Hyderabad before embarking on a musical journey with Chowraasta.
As in the case of most indie artists and bands, the beginning was not easy for Chowraasta. They gave auditions across all the pubs in the city before a prominent resto-lounge gave them a chance. "When we entered, there were most talented musicians who had already been performing for many years. So we started playing Telangana folk in the pub," recalls Yashwanth about how Chowraasta found its sound. "So that's when people started noticing our band."
Yashwanth talks excitedly about the influence of Telangana's folk music on him and Chowraasta. "Telangana's music scene is very powerful and that really inspired us to play, take these songs to the pub and play to these people, to the next generation. Generally, they don't get to listen to the folk in the pub. They mostly listen to English or Bollywood. When we started they were already playing Telugu cinema songs. We wanted to break through and because the folk inspired us so much, we thought 'Why don't we play these folk songs, giving it a little bit of reggae touch to it?'" That is how the songs of Sahitya Akademi Award-winner Goreti Venkanna, 1900's noted poet Suddala Hanmanthu, and more were reimagined by the band for the new generation.
Talking more about Goreti's influence on their music, Nag shares, "He once visited our studio, and we jammed together. He shared a lot of insights into how they used to perform and how they perceived music in their lives. That inspired us. From that point on, we began blending folk and Western styles. We never really categorised our music as folk or reggae or anything specific. We just believed in the flow we had, and it turned out to be a mix of many influences."
Reflecting on finding Chowraasta's unique sound, Yashwanth explains, "Every musician is wonderful in their own way, but as we thought about it, we realised that we each have a few strengths, and we worked on honing them. For me, composing music has always been a passion since childhood. I love arranging, recording, and the technical side of music. So, we decided to focus on our original compositions. We thought, 'Let's create something unique,' and that's how we started writing our own songs blending folk with a reggae touch to create a different vibe."
Chowraasta originals are marked by the band's signature style where lyrics deliver the message while the music drives the energy of the song. Talking about their secret sauce, Nag furthers, "The melody, the notes you strum or sing, create the emotional pulse. While the lyrics deliver the message, the music brings the energy that makes it come alive. Both elements are essential. Sometimes, a song doesn’t need lyrics at all. A simple, powerful tune can evoke deep emotions without a single word. That’s the beauty of music. In some cases, the lyrics alone can move you. In others, the music alone can carry you. And sometimes, it’s the perfect combination of both that makes the song truly powerful. In the end, I see it as all part of the art."
Nag, who has worked in a radio channel for over a decade, has a natural affinity for jingles. This passion, coupled with folk music, led them to surprise their audience by playing jingles from 90s advertisements which were musically hit. The band also tapped into the high nostalgic value of title tracks from old TV serials. "When we performed these serial songs, they resonated so deeply with people that it felt like they were truly a part of their everyday lives. When I first heard the title track from Amrutham (a sitcom from the early 2000s) it inspired me so much that I decided to bring it to the stage. The audience immediately connected with it since the nostalgic value of these songs is incredibly rich."
Triggering a wave of memories and infusing fresh life into folk, Chowraasta band started getting attention and began performing their original compositions at various places in the city and beyond. So far, the band has produced around 12 songs. They also have a considerable presence on social media platforms with a 663K subscriber base on YouTube while on Instagram they are 89.3K strong.
From a breakup anthem like Maya to socially conscious Saagu Bharuvayena Raita, and Oorellipota Mama which depicts longing to return to a home that no longer exists, to the carefree Padara Saami. Their repertoire captures songs of many moods.
Going with the flow is the key to their process which begins with an idea, and then they brainstorm about composition, lyrics, and even promotion which he says that the band takes very seriously to reach the right audience. He adds that the team is like a close-knit family that "travels, lives, draws inspiration, and experiences life together." They aim to shoot music videos on a larger scale but often work with limited budgets, sometimes even creating content without spending a penny.
The popularity of Chowraasta is on the rise, however, the band has remained independent when it comes to producing music. Shedding light on this conscious choice, Yashwanth shares, "We are a group of people driven by passion, and the beauty of this journey is the freedom to produce our own music without relying on external funding." Having a sound understanding of how their presence on social media, active engagement as a band, and word of mouth are interconnected, Yashwanth adds that they earn good money from touring and live shows which they put into their pet projects like the one which they will be funding with Rs 15 lakh.
Their last offering was Padara Sami in August 2024. And within five months the band is coming up with Pallettori Pilagada. With a few more ready-to-release songs lying in their folder, Chowraasta plans to drop more tracks in the coming months. Yashwanth, however, was busy with his film commitments, which is why releases were delayed. For unversed, he has composed music for films like Neeku Naaku Dash Dash, Pareshan, Pailam Pilaga, and more.
For Pallettori Pilagada, Yashwanth also turned music video director. The song is a reimagined version of the track from Goutam Ghose's 1979 film Maa Bhoomi, originally composed by Vinjamuri Seetha Devi. The movie and song hold a special place in the hearts of Telangana people for it speaks about the plight of peasants who raised their voices against the princely states of Hyderabad in the 1940s. Reviving Pallettori Pilagada is purely to acquaint the next generation with it. "We are just being the bridge between the two generations," says Nag. "I directed and arranged it, but the original composition remains by Seetha Devi." The video was filmed in Moinda, a remote village in Asifabad district, featuring a child from the Gond tribe.
The song will be launched on January 17 in Asifabad, with Chowraasta collaborating with tribal musicians for a special performance. This will be their first performance since their tour in America, and the bandmates aptly sum up tomorrow's event as 'From America to Asifabad--going back to our roots.'
The band is in the process of releasing a documentary on tribal musicians and how they make their own instruments which are fading into oblivion. In a bid to give back to society, Chowraasta is building an art center in Moinda. It will be a nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting indigenous artists and music.
Bringing folk to pubs aside, there is another first that Chowraasta can be credited with: they are the first band in Telugu-speaking states to start the trend of busking. "When we went busking, we booked a bus and took our entire sound system with us," says Nag. The band travelled to four districts and visited around 14 villages in four days. "We would stop at the crossroads, get permission, perform for half an hour, and move on," recalls Nag. More than the performances, it was a learning experience for the band, as they would absorbed and explored the local talents hidden in the remote villages.
Following the release of Pallettori Pilagada, the next thing for Chowraasta is the Ziro Festival. The band will be performing live on day two of the festival which is on February 2, 2025, in Hyderabad. Talking about the gig at Ziro Festival, Yashwanth reveals that their hour-long performance will include their latest offering Palletoori Pilllagada along with other Chowraasta originals.
Read More
