Celebration of sound

India’s rich and diverse rhythmic heritage will take centre stage once again as the Mahindra Percussion Festival returns with its 2026 edition, promising a powerful celebration of the country’s percussive traditions. The two-day cultural spectacle will be held on March 7 and 8, 2026, at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, marking the festival’s homecoming to Bengaluru. Artists from across generations and regions will come together to celebrate rhythm as India’s most universal musical language.

Over the years, the Mahindra Percussion Festival has evolved from a cultural event into a national movement dedicated to preserving, reimagining, and sustaining India’s percussive legacy. Rooted in the idea of connecting tradition with contemporary expression, the festival seeks to bridge the past and the present by bringing classical traditions, folk practices, and modern interpretations onto a single platform. Its larger vision is to keep the language of rhythm alive and relevant for newer audiences while honouring the foundationsof India’s musical heritage.

The festival’s philosophy was powerfully reflected in its 2025 tribute to legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, which highlighted Indian percussion as a living, evolving art form rather than a static tradition. Building on that legacy, the 2026 edition focuses strongly on unity, diversity, and collaboration across India’s rhythmic landscape.

A major highlight of the festival is Nada Pravaham – Circle of Sound, featuring Padma Vibhushan awardee Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, alongside Ishaan Ghosh and Shravan Samsi. Blending mridangam, tabla, and contemporary drums, the collaboration creates a dialogue between classical discipline and modern rhythmic energy.

Another key presentation is YĀTRĀ by National Award-winning vocalist Mahesh Kale, which reimagines rhythm as a spiritual journey rooted in Maharashtra’s bhakti tradition, placing percussion at the heart of the experience.

The festival also highlights inclusivity through Women Who Drum, featuring Swarupa Ananth, Charu Hariharan, Nush Lewis, Hamta Baghi, and Shalini Mohan, showcasing powerful female voices in percussion.

The Parai Awakens – Unreserved Live by Praveen Sparsh and a collective of Parai artists brings one of India’s oldest instruments into the mainstream through reinvention and cultural reclamation, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to inclusivity.

The grand finale will feature Grammy-nominated tabla virtuoso Bickram Ghosh with his high-energy concert Drums of the East, blending Hindustani classical roots with electronic percussion, body drums, and global textures for a deeply immersive experience.

Speaking about the vision, Jay Shah, Vice President and Head of Cultural Outreach at the Mahindra Group, said the festival aims to unify artists from across India who represent diverse identities but share a single cultural spirit rooted in rhythm. VG Jairam, Founder of Hyperlink Brand Solutions, added that the festival is shaping a pan-India cultural movement that connects tradition with new-age audiences.

The fourth edition of the Mahindra Percussion Festival stands as a powerful testament to India’s rhythmic diversity—bringing together traditions, generations, and communities to create a living, evolving legacy of sound.