Rastafarians know the power of words. Their dialect, a fusion of English and the Jamaican Patois, abhors third person references; “I and I”, they say, instead of “us” and “you”, a display of agape, equality and love for all. It was from this monotheistic religion, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s as a form of protest against western colonisation and cultural imperialism, that the densely lyrical music genre of reggae took shape and inspiration. It was protest rhythms at its rawest, unabashedly political in its condemnation of slavery, racism and injustice.
At first glance, Asok Ram seems like something of a stereotype—a long haired singer with a naturally percussive bassy voice. The 40-year-old, however, helms Reggae Mars, an 'artivist' musical group endeavoring to spread awareness about various social issues. What drew him to reggae, says the musician who swears by Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, was “the aggression of the genre”. “The beats are similar to pulsations of the heart, making it appealing to a large audience,” he says. And Ram is one of the many recent inductees (his band was formed in 2017) into reggae from India, along with other musicians like Taru Dalmia of Ska Vengers, a strident critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ram's works, however, seem less 'political'. Take their campaign against autism—an illness that is misunderstood by large swathes of the public. Through their music, Reggae Mars wants the rights of the community to be recognised, and for them to receive the requisite support.
We dream more love, more affection,
Instead of poisons and medications,
We really need your passion
The band, says Ram, isn’t properly structured yet. He seeks to include individuals who share the same passion for music, as well as those who are share the same goals as him. “Wherever I go, I choose good musicians and if our ideologies converge, we work together.” With the help of his close friends, Ram has recorded multiple songs and most of them are posted on YouTube.
Rastafarianism, like reggae, espouses a strong Afro-centric point of view. But, the cultural connect between the Carribean nations and India—courtesy the large number of indentured Indian labourers that toiled in African plantations—has spilled over. Argues V. Burgess in his research paper 'Indian influences on Rastafarianism': “Certain similarities between the two traditions are evident, specifically regarding the use of marijuana as a sacrament and the growing of long dreadlocks. Although these traditions in India go back thousands of years, Rastafarianism did not arise as a popular belief system in Jamaica until the early 20th century.” The civilisational exchange, argue researchers, could have gone as far back as to influence preacher Leonard Howell, considered one of the founding fathers of the Rasta movement.
Though reggae, as a genre, has not yet gained popularity in India, Jamaica's most famous son—Bob Marley—is an icon for millions. From a commercial point of view, would this restrict the musician's art? Reggae Mars is strongly rooted in the ska tradition—a precursor to reggae, with its conversational model of delivery and emphasis on the offbeats. But, would the audience be open to more avant garde forms of musical exploration? Yes, according to the musician. “It is still very popular among the youngsters." Reggae Mars will make their first public performance at the High Hopes Concert on June 16 in Kozhikode, where they will be accompanied by various other artists. They have performances scheduled in cities like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in the coming months.