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Mumbai, India | Composer and keyboardist Abhijit Pohankar will present the Global Varkari Project at the IPRS Stage as part of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2026 on Thursday, February 6, from 7:45 PM to 8:30 PM at Cross Maidan, Mumbai. The performance brings Maharashtra’s centuries-old Varkari Bhakti tradition into one of India’s most prominent contemporary public arts platforms.
Founded in 1999, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is Mumbai’s largest multidisciplinary cultural celebration, transforming the city’s historic arts district into a vibrant, open-access space for music, visual arts, theatre, dance, and literature. Over the years, the festival has evolved into a site where tradition and contemporary expression intersect naturally making it a fitting setting for the Global Varkari Project.
Rooted in the devotional poetry and philosophy of Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar, and Sant Namdev, the Global Varkari Project draws from traditional forms such as Abhangs, Kirtans, Bharud, and Vaghya–Murali. The performance incorporates indigenous instruments including the Ektara/Veena, Sambhal, Dholki, and Pakhawaj, alongside contemporary musical arrangements that allow the spiritual and collective essence of the Varkari tradition to resonate with present-day audiences.
Conceptualised by Abhijit Pohankar known for his work across classical, devotional, and contemporary music the project positions Varkari music not as an archival form, but as a living, participatory tradition. Within the open, urban environment of Kala Ghoda, the performance reflects a broader cultural movement where devotional and folk music are increasingly experienced in shared civic spaces, engaging audiences through immersion rather than formal framing.
The Global Varkari Project will be presented by Pohankar along with his ensemble, shaping the performance as a collective musical experience that mirrors the communal ethos of the Varkari movement itself where devotion, music, and community converge.
Event Details:
Global Varkari Project
Date: Thursday, February 6, 2026
Time: 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Venue: IPRS Stage, Cross Maidan, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai
Admission: Free and open to the public
