Shubha Mudgal to headline monsoon festival in Delhi

Delhi will host a programme exploring India’s monsoon traditions through music, storytelling and the performing arts with the return of Baarish Season 2 | Chapter 2 at The Tivoli in Chattarpur on August 8.

Organised by Excurators in collaboration with Aadyam Handwoven, the event will be headlined by Shubha Mudgal, who will perform songs from Ab Ke Sawan with her ensemble. Released in 1999, the album blends classical, folk and contemporary influences while exploring themes of love, longing and renewal.

Puppetry and Naga rain songs

The evening will open with Garaj and Baras, a puppetry presentation by Puppetshala Performing Arts, led by master puppeteer MD Shameem. Drawing on traditional storytelling techniques, the production will feature characters inspired by the rains while introducing audiences to one of India’s oldest performing art forms.

The Ao Naga Choir will present rain songs from Nagaland. Rooted in the oral traditions of the Ao Naga community, the performance will explore the importance of nature and seasonal cycles in the region’s musical heritage.

Monsoon motifs in handloom

A discussion curated by Aadyam Handwoven will examine how weaving traditions across India have represented the monsoon through colours, motifs and craftsmanship. The session will also consider the relationship between seasonal changes and regional handloom practices.

Visitors may also attend a wine appreciation masterclass conducted by Grover Zampa.

According to the organisers, Baarish was conceived as an annual cultural platform exploring the monsoon through different art forms, rather than solely as a music festival. Each edition brings together musicians, craftspeople, performers and storytellers working across traditional and contemporary forms.

Excurators Founder and Managing Director Minhal Hasan said the programme would present the monsoon as a cultural experience reflected in music, poetry, crafts and oral traditions. He added that artists from different parts of India would present monsoon traditions from across the country.

Aadyam Handwoven’s Business Lead Manish Saksena said the partnership was part of the organisation’s efforts to highlight India’s cultural heritage beyond textiles by connecting handloom traditions with music and the performing arts.

The event will begin at 6:30 pm. Tickets are priced between Rs 1,770 and Rs 8,850 across three categories.