From 16th to 18th September 2016, we returned to London’s Southbank Centre for a landmark edition of the Darbar Festival to host such a profound gathering of talent, featuring a line-up that bridged the diverse traditions of Hindustani and Carnatic music.

The festival was defined by unforgettable performances, from the masterful sarod of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to the mesmerizing vocal harmonies of Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra in their Darbar debut. We were also thrilled to present the “Universal Notes” project, a groundbreaking collaboration between Indian classical maestros and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Other highlights included the soul-stirring flute of Rakesh Chaurasia and a powerful vocal-veena duet by Aruna Sairam and Jayanthi Kumaresh. This year was truly special- it saw the festival evolve into a truly immersive cultural hub, where world-class performances met insightful panel discussions, further cementing Darbar’s role as the premier international stage for Indian classical arts.