New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) Music that bridges the gap between Indian classical and contemporary will ring across the Qutub Minar complex on December 13 to mark the beginning of 'Songs of the Stone', an after-dark musical series to bring together India's historic monuments and its musical traditions.
Organised by Inkpot India, the inaugural chapter will seek to offer an evening that interlaces music, history, and immersive after-dark storytelling within one of India’s most iconic architectural legacies.
Conceived by Simar Malhotra, founder of Inkpot India, the series reimagines monuments as vibrant cultural stages where architecture, memory, and artistic innovation intersect.
The musical evening will be centred around a performance by sitar virtuoso Mehtab Ali Niazi, whose musical journey weaves together the depth of classical ragas with the fluidity of jazz and contemporary fusion.
He will be accompanied by a group of artiste, including Khurram Ali Niazi, Zargham Akram Khan, Divyam Gaur, Ranajoy Das, Danish Ali, and Monis Ali, creating a textured soundscape that harmonises tabla, multi-percussion, guitars, drums and ambient elements.
The performance will also showcase premieres of Mehtab’s un-released original compositions.
The evening will commence with writer-curator Eric Chopra, founder of Itihāsology, who will discuss the layered narratives and histories embedded within the Qutub complex and the Mehrauli landscape.
“Inkpot is about looking inward and recognising the depth of our cultural wealth. Our task is not only preservation but reframing - making India’s artistic expressions aspirational and resonant in the contemporary global imagination," Malhotra said in a statement.
The musical evening, produced by Excurators Events and supported by Delhi Tourism and the Archaeological Survey of India, will mark the beginning of "a long-term national initiative designed to create deeply immersive, emotionally connected artistic experiences across India’s heritage sites".