List of Indian classical music festivals


The following is an incomplete list of Indian classical music festivals, which encapsulates music festivals focused on Indian classical music. The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition dating back to 1500 BC. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music. There are two divisions in Indian classical music. Hindustani music is mainly found in North India. Carnatic music, from South India, tends to be more rhythmically intensive and structured than Hindustani music. While some festivals such as the Carnatic event Tyagaraja Aradhana continue to focus on traditional Carnatic classical music, an emergent trend of the past few decades has been that of fusion music, where genres such as khyal and western music are intermixed to appeal to a wider audience.

Festivals

Carnatic

Festival name1st
yr
CountryStateCityNotes
Tyagaraja Aradhana1846IndiaTamil NaduThiruvaiyaru
Chembai Sangeetholsavam1910IndiaKeralaGuruvayur
Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh1920IndiaUttar PradeshVaranasi
Madras Music Season1927IndiaTamil NaduChennai
Kalasagaram Annual Cultural Festival1967IndiaAndhra PradeshSecunderabad
Ramanavami Global Music Festival by Sree Ramaseva Mandali RCT1939IndiaKarnatakaBangalore
Purandara Dasa Aradhana1974IndiaKarnatakaHampi
Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival1978United States of AmericaOhioCleveland
Parampara Series – Andhri1997IndiaTelanganaHyderabad
Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru2005IndiaTamil NaduChennai
Hyderabad Tyagaraja Aradhana Music Festival2016IndiaTelanganaHyderabad5-Day Event

Hindustani

Festival name1st
yr
CountryStateCityNotes-
Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan1875IndiaPunjabJalandharHeld every year in last week of December-
Tansen Samaroh1950sIndiaMadhya PradeshGwalior-
Dover Lane Music Conference1952IndiaWest BengalKolkataHeld every year in January
Uttarpada Sangeet Chakra1955IndiaWest BengalUttarpada-
Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan1952IndiaMaharashtraMumbai-
Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival1953IndiaMaharashtraPuneHeld every year in December
Ninaad Sangeet Mahotsav1965IndiaUttar PradeshAgra-
Sabrang Utsav1968IndiaDelhi-
ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan1971IndiaVariousVarious-
Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh1972IndiaAndhra PradeshHyderabad-
2011IndiaMaharashtraPune-
Saptak Festival of Music1980IndiaGujaratAhmedabadHeld every year in January-
Ganga Mahotsava1985IndiaVeriusVaranasi-
Pandit Chatur Lal Festival1990IndiaNew DelhiDelhi-
Virasat1995IndiaVariousVarious-
Jahan-e-Khusrau2001IndiaDelhiNew Delhi-
Ruhaniyat – The All India Sufi & Mystic Music Festival2001IndiaVariousMumbai/Various-
Sitar in Petersburg2008RussiaNW DistrictSt. PetersburgFocus on sitar-
SwaraZankar Music Festival2009IndiaMaharashtraPune-
Citi-NCPA Aadi Anant Festival2010IndiaMaharashtraMumbai-
Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival2010IndiaUttar PradeshLucknow-
Riwaayat2010IndiaAndhra PradeshHyderabad-
Chaturprahar2011IndiaMaharashtraMumbai-
Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Hyderabad2012IndiaAndhra PradeshHyderabad-
8 Prahar2014IndiaMaharashtraMumbaiAnnual Event, last 10 November 2019-
Qutub FestivalIndiaDelhiNew Delhi-
Giligundi Music FestivalIndiaGiligundiNear Sirsi, KarnatakaHeld in May every year
Sangeet Martand Ustad Chand Khan Music Festival1992IndiaNew DelhiDelhi--
Gunidaas Sangeet SamarohIndiaMumbai-
Karikan Parameshwari moonlight Sangeeta FestivalIndiaHonnavar karnataka-
Nila Festival, Kerala Kalamandalam1986IndiaKeralaCheruthuruthy-
Tihai, Shatatantri Media2014USASan FranciscoCalifornia18–20 September-
Rajarani Music FestivalIndiaOdishaBhubaneswarAnnual Event-