From Raghu Dixit to Abhanga Repost: Mahindra Roots Festival will celebrate Indian music this February

Raghu Dixit, the frontman of the eponymous band ‘The Raghu Dixit Project,’ alongside members Raju Das Baul and Shilpa Mudbi, will be performing at the Mahindra Roots Festival. Photo Courtesy: Mid-day file pic

Adding to the list of many music festivals that Mumbai hosts, the first edition of the Mahindra Roots Festival is all set to take place in Bandra from February 24 to February 26. The line-up has over 10 incredible artists across multiple genres, languages and subcultures for its debut edition. Through this, the festival intends to recognise, nurture, as well as reintroduce Indian cultural roots to the new-age contemporary audience.

With this line-up, the festival will span theatre performances, folk music, classical music and poetry, contemporary Sufi, Abhangas, Bengal's Baul music tradition, tribal music forms and immersive storytelling to bring millennial and Gen Z audiences closer to a melting pot of voices and art intrinsic to the pulse of India's cultural matrix.

The opening night will see audiences witness an enthralling blend of music, stagecraft and storytelling in ‘Weaving Voices,' directed by Roysten Abel. Meanwhile, on February 25, Shabnam Virmani, well-known for co-creating an online collection of Kabir poetry and music with folk singer communities in India, will mesmerise the audience with her soulful performance. At the same time, folk-fusion band Abhanga Repost will perform traditional Marathi abhangas reimagined through a fresh new lens. Furthermore, renowned urban folk artist Arko Mukhaerjee will present a unique musical fusion of traditional and modern styles, while multi-instrumentalist Tajdar Junaid will leave his audiences in awe by fusing ethnic roots with contemporary bars. Not just that, but bringing their distinctive styles of fusion music to the festival are Tech Panda x Kenzani and Hashbass x Burrah.

The third day of the festival will see a spectacular presentation by The Aahvaan Project, a folk music and storytelling collective that aims to create a space for conversations around the relevance of love in today's era. Besides that, remarkable musicians Jasleen Aulakh, Alif, aka Mohammad Muneem Nazir and Raghu Dixit will also bring to the festival their folksy sound. Mainly a ‘One Woman Band,' Jasleen is known to draw attention to all aspects of the fabric of life - its joys and also its problems through her music, whereas Alif brings a unique contemporary fusion rooted in Urdu and Kashmiri music and poetry.

Meanwhile, Raghu Dixit, the frontman of the eponymous band ‘The Raghu Dixit Project,' alongside members Raju Das Baul and Shilpa Mudbi, will offer an absolute aural treat for all music lovers through soulful folk songs.

Jay Shah, vice president - Cultural Outreach at Mahindra Group, said, "The Mahindra Group has always been at the forefront of promoting and exploring diverse art, music and culture through various initiatives and programs. And the Mahindra Roots Festival was born out of this same need. With a truly exceptional line-up for its debut edition, the festival will bring forth and celebrate India's dynamic culture and its rich history and past in a way that deeply resonates with today's youth. I also hope the festival further encourages the Gen Z and millennials to return and stay in touch with their roots despite their sights set on the future."

VG Jairam, founder of Hyperlink Brand Solutions, added, "Community and celebration of diverse cultures are what defines us as a collective. We are glad that our involvement generates much admiration from both the artist communities and the audience as well. Our programs are conceptualised to establish a connection with our current and new-age audiences. The buzz around the Mahindra Roots Festival has been growing. And, we are glad to be teaming up with the Mahindra Group as this will surely help us push the boundaries to expand on the philosophy of bringing the roots of our diverse Indian culture on a single platform."

He further added, "The Mahindra Roots Festival, with its incredibly diverse line-up, promises to take fans on a soulful cultural journey with an element of discovery, making the festival the living, beating heart of Indian arts and culture."

The festival's opening night, which will be held on February 24 at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, will see subsequent performances hosted at antiSOCIAL on February 25 and at Bandra Fort Amphitheatre on February 25 and February 26.

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