Mahindra Percussion Festival 2026: Rhythm and beat in the spotlight

Crowds gathered successful large numbers astatine the Prestige Centre of Performing Arts successful Bengaluru connected Saturday evening for the Mahindra Percussion Festival 2026, successful relation with The Hindu. The two-day festival, present successful its 4th edition, brings unneurotic musicians and artistes from antithetic genres, showcasing the powerfulness of percussion. The Pulse Within is the taxable of this variation of the festival.

The festival kicked disconnected with Nada Pravaham — Circle of Sound — led by the legendary mridangist Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. Born successful Tanjore successful 1935, helium is simply a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan arsenic good arsenic the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Accompanying him were his disciples, tabla subordinate Ishaan Ghosh, drummer Shravan Samsi, and vocalist N. Hariharan. “Age is lone a number,” said the 91-year old, arsenic helium took the stage. “This is the 81st twelvemonth of my career. Playing for Bengaluru is simply a red-letter time for america arsenic the assemblage is truthful knowledgeable”.

The show was inspired by 4 Cs — confluence, creativity, camaraderie, and connection. With Hariharan providing the konnakol, the Carnatic-style improvised vocals, the show was a circuit de unit betwixt the 4 musicians. Free-flowing beats and the rhythmic vocal improvisation were expertly led by Umayalpuram successful a choky performance. Ishaan connected the tabla was peculiarly impressive. The gig built up to a crescendo and concluded with a power-packed mrigandam act.

After a abbreviated break, it was clip for Yatra by Mahesh Kale. Mahesh is an Indian-American classical vocalist, known for his expertise successful Hindustani and devotional music. “Through my concert, I privation to springiness you the consciousness of a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage crossed antithetic parts of the country, of antithetic saints successful antithetic languages”.

Yatra utilized Maharashtra’s devotional bhakti euphony to inquire the question, what is bushed is the spiritual path? It utilized percussion and question to find meaning of the infinite. The ensemble enactment had 12 musicians, helming instruments specified arsenic the tabla, a drum set, electrical guitar, keyboard and harmonium, but with bushed and bushed taking the lead. The convergence of each the instruments and vocals was a sensory thrilling experience.

Day 2 of the festival volition person acts specified arsenic Bikram Ghosh, Women Who Drum, and Parai Awakens, a show with the past drum from Tamil Nadu, the parai.