Paskin: From A Forgotten Tune To The East Indian Anthem That Keeps Everyone Grooving

No wedding is complete without the iconic East Indian song Paskin. The moment the song is played, even those seated at their dinner tables, join in this master blaster of a song, dancing to Crompton Texeira’s Paskin Paskin. The rhythm, the beats, the fusion of East Indian vibes are fused so well that you cannot help dancing to it.

Stirred and Fried – Tal Fry

Tal Fry, a dynamic Indian percussion ensemble led by Manohar Balatchandirane, last year performed at the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025 in Sarawak, Malaysia — one of Asia’s most iconic cultural festivals.

I have received so much love from society, this concert is my way of giving back: Kavita Seth

Playback singer Kavita Seth is well known for her soulful voice and her ability to blend traditional Sufi and folk music with contemporary sounds. She has won the Filmfare Award twice in the Best Female Playback singer category, once in 2010 for her classical Sufi rendition of Iktara (Wake Up Sid - 2009) and in 2023 for her song Rangisari from the film “Jugiugg Jeyoo” (2022), this is besides other citations and awards.

Rhythm Divine: Raja Kumari

Like many young girls, Svetha Yellapragada Rao’s life wasn’t in the strata where she thought she was in. She wanted to do many things, like any normal teen around, but it was difficult, a South Indian girl growing up in America.

Rhythm is God: Sivamani

Sivamani is a highly acclaimed percussionist, known for his innovative techniques and showmanship in both the carnatic rhythmic style as well as Western jazz drums. He is the only Indian drummer to be conferred with the prestigious ‘Padma Shri’ by the Indian Government in 2019. On stage he can be seen surrounded by an impressive display of percussion instruments. His concert is nothing short of genius when it comes to percussion.

Events give independent bands a powerful stage: Avial

With their rich mix of Malayalam rock and folk, Avial is known for pushing musical boundaries. Their performances at South Side Story this weekend will be a high-energy celebration of regional sounds with a modern twist, captivating audiences across generations.

‘Either pack up, or just do the damn gig’: Farhad Wadia

Farhad Wadia’s musical journey has been a colourful one, from trailblazing Mumbai’s rock scene and founding Independence Rock now rejuvenated to maintain rock’s place in India, he talked to Reagan Gavin Rasquinha about music, I-Rock and more

As a storyteller, I always feel the message of art is more important than the discipline chosen: Cheryl Bains

On the eve of International Women’s Day this year (8th March), Cheryl Bains an operatically trained Soprano and a classical-crossover artist, brought forth ‘The Legend of the Goddess: Where Vedic Tales Meet Opera’, an innovative opera production that explores various facets of femininity through female deities, composed specially for the stage.

We continue to perform the same way our ancestors did for their Yajmans: Desert KATS

The Desert KATS from Barmer, Rajasthan enchant with Rajasthani folk melodies, are brilliant musicians and singers from the Langa community in western Rajasthan India were one of the performers at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival that took place on the 26th and 27th January 2025. The KGAF Cross Maidan, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai also celebrated its silver jubilee this year.

The idea of making the musical instrument Kali Maa, came to me in a dream: Anupam Shobhakar

Anupam Shobhakar, a Brooklyn-based Grammy jury member and acclaimed Indo-fusion artist, was in Mumbai to perform at the Kala Ghoda Festival. He brought along his unique musical instrument which he created, the double-necked ‘Kali Maa’, an instrument which is a blend between the guitar and the sarod that produces a unique sound of Hindustani classical and Western rock/jazz.