When RaGa resonated at the Royal Albert Hall

In our 38 years of performing across the world, we’ve seen many memorable audiences. However, when was the last time we saw 5,000 people deeply immersed and emotionally tuned in for the entirety of an Indian classical concert? That too, outside of India? 

We witnessed it last week at the Royal Albert Hall, London. 

This was a crowd that came seeking the Indian classical experience. It was the 20th anniversary of the Darbar Festival, celebrated in the way they do best: by presenting pristine Indian classical music on one of the world’s grandest stages. 

The evening featured a double bill: Carnatic concert followed by Hindustani recital with thumris by Kaushiki Chakraborty.

Ranjani and Gayati with Vittal Rangan on the violin, Sai Giridhar on the mridangam and S. Krishna on the ghatam
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Darbar Festival

Ours was a full-fledged madi kutcheri, complete with Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and Tamil kritis and an expansive Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi, much like what we would have presented in a Mylapore sabha or a Bengaluru pandal. 

The Royal Albert Hall is vast and imposing. But the moment we began to sing, it transformed into something intimate, like the warmest of baithaks. It was heartwarming to see the audience tune into every nuance, respond at just the right moments, and stay connected in a beautiful loop of emotion. In the Kalpanaswara section, we presented our innovation ‘Swaradhuri’, which is a parallel singing of three ragas connected through Grahabedham. By the time we concluded with a Marathi abhang, the energy in the hall was palpable. 

With an excellent team — Vittal Rangan on the violin, Sai Giridhar on the mridangam and S. Krishna on the ghatam — singing felt effortless. A large part of this magic was made possible by the exceptional acoustics. The visual aesthetics, the sound design, the seamless backstage facilitation — all contributed to the experience. 

We’ve performed for Darbar many times — across venues in London and once in Italy. And, each time, the bar is raised by Sandeep Virdee, the man behind Darbar. From lighting and backdrop to camera angles and the colour of the performers’ attire, every detail carries intention.  In our land, there is no shortage of great music or gifted performers. We need dreamers — those who can imagine big, curate with vision, draw audiences consistently irrespective of the artiste. We need more such spaces where classical music can reclaim its place in the imagination of a world addicted to 60-second reels.

It’s a rare privilege to represent Indian classical music on this exalted stage. We stand here because of the countless contributors who have nurtured this art form with devotion, artistry and integrity, and this moment belongs to them too. We are reminded that when classical music is rendered with imagination, soul and sruti suddham, it reaches everyone — from a deeply-moved Philharmonic conductor who reached out to us to a quiet devotee in a Kerala temple.