Royal Opera House, Mumbai in collaboration with Kaafi Kultured and Avid Learning, present Yatra with Aanchal, an Immersive transcendent concert of Sufi and indie Qawwali music featuring one of India’s rising voices in the genre. Led by Singer, Composer, and Songwriter, Aanchal Shrivastava, Yatra is an intimate, mehfil-style experience that revives the centuries-old tradition of poetic storytelling through music. Rooted in emotion and spirituality, it transports audiences into a world of mystic love, longing, and lyrical depth.
Aanchal’s repertoire beautifully weaves together hit renditions of folk and Sufi classics—Paar Channa De, Mast Kalandar, Kun Faya Kun, Jugni, Chaap Tilak, and more—alongside originals such as Ishq Akela and Woh Shaam, further deepening the set’s rootedness in cultural memory. The performance features a talented live ensemble of musicians accompanying Aanchal on stage, featuring a tabla/cajon player, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer, the performance creates a rich soundscape that balances both contemplative and celebratory moods.
Having travelled across Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Pune, and beyond, Yatra with Aanchal now returns to Mumbai, the city where the journey began, for a homecoming edition that promises to be its most evocative yet.
Join us for an unforgettable night of melody and mysticism, an immersive celebration of sound, soul, and storytelling.
Aanchal Shrivastava is a celebrated voice in the world of indie folk, Sufi, and Qawwali music, known for her rich, husky vocals and deeply emotive performances. At the heart of her artistic journey is her signature live act, Yatra with Aanchal—an intimate, mehfil-style experience that revives the centuries-old tradition of poetic storytelling through music. Rooted in emotion and spirituality, Yatra transports audiences into a world of mystic love, longing, and lyrical depth. She lent her soulful voice to the much-loved “Din Shagna Da” in Four More Shots Please (Amazon Prime), followed by the hauntingly beautiful “Doobi Tujh Mein Piya”, and made her Bollywood playback debut with Love Games (directed by Mahesh Bhatt). From beloved folk renditions like “Kadi Aao Ni,” “Madhaniya,” “Haji Lok,” and “Tareyan To Puch Chan,” to original compositions such as “Ishq Akela” and “Woh Shaam,” Aanchal’s voice continues to captivate listeners across India. A two-time TEDx speaker and thoughtful storyteller, Aanchal brings a rare authenticity and depth to every performance, one that lingers long after the last note fades.
Read moreExperience the mystic power of Qawwali as Aanchal Shrivastava brings her transcendent concert Yatra back to Mumbai for an evening of poetic resonance and soulful melodies.
The Many Languages of Faith Through Music
Across cultures and belief systems, music has remained a profound expression of devotion — a way to access the divine beyond rituals and words. Sacred sounds, in all their diversity, echo the spiritual philosophies and emotional landscapes they emerge from.
From the soul-stirring verses of Sant Kabir to the serene strains of the Christian hymn Ave Maria, these musical traditions reveal how spiritual music, regardless of origin, speaks the same language of surrender. Whether it is a folk bhajan sung in praise of Krishna or the haunting intonation of a church choir, such melodies root us in something larger — in community, in devotion, in transcendence.Across traditions, these musical forms invite not just belief, but experience — moments where the listener feels part of a collective devotion, rooted in something larger than individual life. In their many languages and styles, they affirm that faith, when sung, speaks in a universal tongue.
A Short History of Qawwali – The Music of Ecstasy
Qawwali, the mystical form of Sufi Islamic devotional music, has its roots in 13th-century India, attributed to Amir Khusrau—the celebrated poet, scholar, and disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya. Designed as a musical offering at dargahs (Sufi shrines), qawwali weaves Persian, Urdu, Hindi, and Braj into rhythmic chants and poetic narratives that praise saints, express divine love, and mirror the seeker’s inner journey.
Performed by an ensemble of vocalists and musicians, qawwalis are built around powerful repetition, call-and-response structures, and a crescendo-like build-up that guides listeners into a trance-like state. The harmonium, tabla, and clapping hands become conduits for spiritual rapture. Famous lines like “Mast Qalandar” or “Bhar Do Jholi” are not just songs—they are timeless invocations.
Even as it remains rooted in tradition, qawwali has evolved—crossing over into Bollywood, global music festivals, and modern Sufi-fusion acts. Yet at its heart, it remains what it always was: a passionate cry for unity with the Divine.
Qawwali in Modern Times – Resonance Across Generations
While Qawwali is rooted in centuries-old Sufi traditions, its appeal has far from faded. In fact, it continues to flourish in modern cultural and musical landscapes — from shrine courtyards to global stages. The essence of Qawwali remains spiritual: a means to transcend the self and connect with the divine. But its language, presentation, and audience have all evolved.
Contemporary artists like the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, the Sabri Brothers, and more recently, ensembles like Nizami Bandhu and Warsi Brothers, have kept the tradition alive while inviting new generations to engage with its intensity. Film music, too, has embraced Qawwali as a dramatic and devotional device — from classics like Parda Hai Parda and Bhar Do Jholi to modern reinterpretations in Coke Studio and digital streaming platforms.
Today, Qawwali lives at the intersection of the sacred and the social. In its modern iterations, it speaks to diverse spiritual experiences — whether performed in Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, or even English. It has crossed religious boundaries, often sung at secular events, festivals, and concerts, drawing listeners with its emotive force and layered poetry.
Its resurgence in contemporary culture isn't merely nostalgic. For many, Qawwali represents a yearning for connection — to faith, to meaning, and to something larger than oneself in an increasingly fragmented world. The harmonium and tabla may now be accompanied by digital soundscapes, but the soul of Qawwali remains untouched: still calling, still echoing with devotion.
