RADICAL TRADITIONS

Music ensemble the Anirudh Varma collective will perform in Delhi today as part of their India tour. A conversation with the group's founder on what makes them tick, what makes them different, and what makes them groove together.

- PRACHI SATRAWAL

USIC is often said to be an agent of passage—a journey into enchantment and the very breath of life's deepest desires. To sing together, to pour one's heart into song, to experiment, play, and revel in the beauty of this mystical art form is to connect across generations, blending modern sensibilities with ancestral rhythms. "We don't call it fusion," says Anirudh Varma, founder and creative force behind the Anirudh Varma Collective (AVC). "People have been very appreciative of our idea of the collective, but for us, it's about presenting Indian music in a way that feels accessible and engaging, especially to those who might think of classical music as a heavy or inaccessible art form."

Since its inception in 2018, the AVC has been on a mission to bridge classical traditions with a modern sensibility, challenging the norms of Indian classical music and reimagining it for a diverse and evolving audience.

Today, AVC will return to The Piano Man Jazz Club in Delhi as part of their India tour. This special show offers fans a glimpse into the Collective's upcoming third album, as Varma puts it, "This time at Piano Man, we're exploring familiar ground but with a fresh perspective. We're reworking some old compositions, adding new layers, and introducing a few surprises."

The collective's genesis The idea for AVC started long before their official debut. As Varma recalls, "The seed was growing in my head about half a year before our first show in 2018, maybe even before that." During his time at Delhi University (DU), where Indian classical music has a strong presence, Varma, a Western classical pianist, saw the potential for blending the two traditions.

"I'd listen to a bandish and think of it as a song. It was singable, relatable. But for some reason, people often perceive classical music as niche and difficult to access. I always approached it from a Western contemporary classical lens."