IMG's 'MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar' to Bring Rare Belabaharr Sounds and Monsoon Ragas to Mumbai on 12 September

Mumbai — Indian classical music lovers in the city have a rare treat ahead of them as the Indian Music Group (IMG) prepares to present "MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar," a special musical evening dedicated to exploring the many emotional expressions of the monsoon through Indian classical music. The event is scheduled for 12 September 2026 in Mumbai and brings together two distinct musical lineages on a single stage.

The programme will feature Shri Viraj Joshi, grandson of the legendary Hindustani vocalist Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, performing alongside Pandit Naviin Gandharv, celebrated Belabaharr exponent, distinguished Tabla soloist and founder of Anuraaj Classical Band. The pairing brings together vocal Hindustani classical tradition and the rare, bowed sound of the Belabaharr in a shared exploration of Malhar — the family of ragas traditionally associated with the monsoon season.

What 'Malhar Ke Prakaar' Explores

The title of the programme, "Malhar Ke Prakaar," translates loosely to "the varieties of Malhar," pointing to the evening's central theme: the numerous forms and emotional shades that the Malhar raga family takes on within Hindustani classical music. Ragas in the Malhar family have long been associated with the arrival of monsoon rains, and different variations are traditionally understood to evoke distinct moods, from longing and anticipation to celebration and relief.

By presenting these different expressions of Malhar through both voice and the Belabaharr, the programme offers audiences a chance to hear how the same seasonal emotional theme can be interpreted across different instrumental and vocal traditions within a single evening.

Two Distinct Musical Lineages Sharing the Stage

Shri Viraj Joshi carries forward the vocal legacy of his grandfather, Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, one of the most celebrated names in twentieth-century Hindustani classical music and a recipient of the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Shri Viraj Joshi's participation in the programme connects the evening directly to one of the most respected vocal traditions in Indian classical music history.

Pandit Naviin Gandharv brings a very different but equally rooted lineage to the stage. As the leading exponent of the Belabaharr — a bowed instrument invented in 1980 by his father and Guru, Pandit Babulal Gandharv — he represents a musical inheritance that runs through Sarangi playing on both sides of his family before culminating in his own mastery of this rare, purpose-built instrument. His presence on the programme introduces audiences to a sound that few outside dedicated classical music circles are likely to have encountered before.

What Audiences Can Expect from the Belabaharr Segment

The Belabaharr's distinctive tonal qualities — often described as combining elements of the Sarangi and Violin with the expressive nuance of the human voice — make it particularly suited to the emotionally rich, seasonally themed repertoire of Malhar, aided by a balanced use of taal mathematics that makes the recital more dynamic and exciting. Pandit Naviin Gandharv's decades of performance experience across major institutions including NCPA, ICCR and NMACC suggest audiences can expect a recital built on both technical precision and deep emotional expression.

Given his equally strong background as a Tabla soloist, the programme may also showcase moments where rhythm and melody intersect closely, a hallmark of Gandharv's performances across other festivals and cultural platforms where he has appeared over the past three decades.

A Platform Built by the Indian Music Group

"MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar" is presented by the Indian Music Group (IMG), an organisation associated with curating classical music programming that brings together established and emerging artists. The choice to centre this particular programme around the Malhar raga family reflects a broader tradition within Indian classical music circles of hosting seasonal, theme-based concerts that align musical repertoire with the time of year in which they are performed.

For Mumbai's classical music audience, the pairing of a vocalist carrying forward the Bhimsen Joshi legacy with an artist representing one of India's rarest instrumental traditions makes this a programme likely to draw both dedicated classical music followers and newer listeners curious about the Belabaharr.

Context Within a Wider Career

The Mumbai programme adds to a growing list of prestigious platforms where Pandit Naviin Gandharv has performed, including NCPA, Shanmukhanand, Virasat Reach, industrialist Mukesh Ambani's Antilia, industrialist Gautam Adani's Shantivan, Essar Group events, Lakmé Fashion Week, St. Xavier's College and Sanskriti Upvan. It also follows one of the most widely noted moments of his career — his performance during the welcome ceremony for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, hosted by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, a moment that brought the Belabaharr's sound to an international audience through extensive media coverage.

"MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar" continues this trajectory, offering Mumbai audiences a chance to experience the Belabaharr live within a programme specifically built around one of Hindustani classical music's most emotionally resonant raga families.

Venue and Timing

"MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar" is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM on 12 September 2026. The programme will be held at St. Xavier's College, located at 5, Mahapalika Marg, opposite Metro Cinema, Dhobi Talao, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, [1] one of the city's most recognised cultural and educational landmarks and a venue Pandit Naviin Gandharv has performed at previously during his Tabla career.

Running Order

The evening will open with a performance by Shri Viraj Joshi, accompanied by Shri Madhav Limaye on the Harmonium and Shri Mandar Puranik on the Tabla, followed by a Belabaharr recital by Pandit Naviin Gandharv, who will be accompanied by the promising and highly talented Shri Soham Gorane on the Tabla. This sequence allows audiences to experience the vocal and instrumental expressions of Malhar back-to-back within the same programme.

Event and Artist Information

Audiences interested in "MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar," presented by the Indian Music Group in Mumbai on 12 September 2026, featuring Shri Viraj Joshi and Pandit Naviin Gandharv, can follow updates and artist information through the following channels, or reach out directly for enquiries:

Instagram (Pandit Naviin Gandharv): https://www.instagram.com/naviingandharvbelabaharr?stkn=cWxnajJ2OTYwdXR6

Contact: 9820207827

Email: belabaharr@gmail.com

[1] St. Xavier's College, Mumbai: https://xaviers.edu/

About the Programme

"MKP — Malhar Ke Prakaar" is presented by the Indian Music Group (IMG) as part of its ongoing effort to celebrate India's classical music traditions through seasonal, theme-based programming. Audiences attending the Mumbai edition can look forward to an evening that moves between vocal and instrumental expressions of Malhar, supported by a full ensemble of accompanying artists across Harmonium and Tabla.