Voices calling the clouds
A raga holds the rare, astonishing power to summon seasons long before the first clouds ever gather. Music always carries the memory of water, translating ancient verses into living sound. The team at Excurators successfully captured this beautiful magic during the opening chapter of their Baarish festival in New Delhi.
Stepping onto the stage with a quiet confidence, Atul Shankar breathed vivid life into his flute. Alongside Aarush Shankar and the steady, driving beats of Nishit Gangani on the tabla, he gracefully navigated the complex paths of Raag Megh. Their Kajari and Jhula pieces painted striking pictures of Banaras, shifting the atmosphere inside the room entirely.
The night then smoothly transitioned into a fascinating visual history. Historian Eric Chopra guided a quiet, captivated crowd through centuries of Indian art, showing how ancient painters and weavers captured the monsoon on canvas and fine fabric. Shifting the focus to scent, Pallavi Bhatia and Minhal Hasan explored the stubborn link between human memory and petrichor. They unveiled a beautiful bespoke fragrance that effectively bottled the earthy smell of wet soil.
The live return of Midival Punditz felt beautifully understated. The two producers deliberately kept the electronic elements restrained, setting up a quiet, rolling backdrop. That subtle choice allowed Malini Awasthi, Kutle Khan, and Pavithra Chari to easily step forward and carry the emotional weight of the set, their vocals lingering naturally over the digital loops. Watching ancient folk traditions fold so easily into modern soundscapes kept everyone quietly captivated. Festival founder Minhal Hasan built this entire evening to turn a simple shift in weather into a shared celebration, achieving exactly what he set out to do.
As Baarish prepares to return to the capital in the coming months, the sold-out room proved that these traditional melodies remain desperately needed in our modern spaces.
