IBTIDA – Ek Mehfil returns for a new season to celebrate Sufi music in India

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Designed as a traditional gadda-seating mehfil with a limited audience, the evening moves away from the format of a conventional concert to create a space where every note, every pause and every lyric is experienced up close

IBTIDA – Ek Mehfil returns with a new season opening with ROOH, an intimate Sufi mehfil that brings the tradition back to its most authentic and immersive form. 

Founded by Tanvi Singh Bhatia and Anubhav Jain, IBTIDA has spent the last six years reimagining India’s traditional mehfil culture for contemporary audiences through evenings centred around music, poetry and storytelling. 

The new season begins in Mumbai on August 1 at The Great Eastern Home in Byculla, before travelling to Delhi on August 29, taking the same immersive Sufi experience to audiences in the capital. 

Designed as a traditional gadda-seating mehfil with a limited audience, the evening moves away from the format of a conventional concert to create a space where every note, every pause and every lyric is experienced up close.

While IBTIDA has always had the privilege of working with celebrated artists across diverse genres, this year we are consciously expanding our vision to create space for emerging voices and aspiring talent.

We believe that some of the most extraordinary artists are still waiting to be discovered. As a cultural IP, we see it as our responsibility not only to preserve and celebrate the arts but also to nurture the next generation of artists by giving them meaningful platforms, visibility, and opportunities – says ay Tanvi Singh Bhatia and Anubhav Jain, Founders of IBTIDA – Ek Mehfil. 

Headlining the evening is acclaimed Sufi vocalist Varsha Singh Dhanoa, whose evocative performances have earned her recognition for bringing depth and emotion to the genre. Through a thoughtfully curated repertoire, she will take listeners on a journey through timeless Sufi compositions that speak of love, longing, surrender and the search for something greater than ourselves.

At its heart, ROOH is an invitation to slow down. There is no elaborate stage, no spectacle and no distance between the artist and the audience. Instead, the evening unfolds as a shared experience, where music becomes conversation and every listener becomes part of the mehfil.

With ROOH, IBTIDA begins a new season of cultural experiences that continue its mission of reviving the spirit of the traditional mehfil creating intimate spaces where music, poetry and human connection take centre stage. In an age of larger-than-life productions, the evening celebrates the quiet power of gathering together to listen, reflect and connect through music. 

As IBTIDA continues to champion India’s living traditions, ROOH offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience Sufi music in its most authentic setting where stories are carried through song, silence holds meaning and every guest leaves with a memory that lingers long after the final note. 

Event details:
When: August 1 (Mumbai), August 29 (Delhi)
Where: The Great Eastern Home in Byculla, and Chattarpur Farms in Delhi
Time: 7:30 pm onwards
Ticket: https://ibtidaekmehfil.com/pages/rooh

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