Hyderabad reverberates to musical ‘baithaks’ at homes in 2024

Hyderabad reverberates to musical ‘baithaks’ at homes in 2024. Artists enjoy performing to an intimate, attentive audience in an informal space

Earlier this month, YK Antiques Home Museum in Hyderabad turned into a harmonious setting for a classical music concert/sangeet baithak. The 850 antiques in brass, copper, bronze and stone spread across the house reverberated as vocalist Sarang Phagre accompanied by Vivek Kayal on the tabla and Upkar Godboley on harmonium performed to just around 30 people gathered there. Sitting in his home-cum-museum, octogenarian YK Murthy recollects the baithak: “It was a mesmerizing experience for a small group of parents with children, music lovers and artist-friends. We know kings and zamindars could afford to host such sessions. That day, I felt like royalty.” Visual artist Shruti Mahajan residing in the city had conceptualised and facilitated this concert, as she had seen such baithaks organised regularly by her father and grandfather back home in Bhopal.

This first-of-its-kind baithak/intimate concert at a home museum opens a new window for classical music performers and audience. Singer Keerti will take centre stage in the Museum’s second baithak in March 2025.

Artistes enjoy performing in such personalised, informal spaces as they connect better with a small group as they can see and interact with everyone beyond the front row! These baithaks or musical soirees for music, poetry, and mushaira have been a significant part of the tradition of Hindustani classical music presentations.

Auditoriums, heritage buildings, temples and step-wells have been prominent venues for musical gatherings in Hyderabad. So do baithaks mark a new beginning In the city’s cultural landscape? “Baithaks have been held in the city even earlier; now we are seeing a revival of that tradition,” affirms Vivek Kayal, a tabla player and employee of Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Vivek is one of the administrators of Hyderabad Baithaks, a group of artists and jaankaar srota (an informed audience).

The idea, Vivek explains, is to enjoy music without any distractions and also respect artists and their performance. Formed in 2015 — inspired by 50-year-old city-based group Guruvar Mandal — Hyderabad Baithaks has had around 50 such sessions, including 15 in 2024. “Conversations in a baithak revolve around the artist, his/her guru and the riyaaz pattern. One gets to know in-depth about the artists.”

With the concerts taking place in such domestic settings, do interruptions, noisy children or small talk or disturb the artist? No, says Shruti. “The vocalist can adapt well to the space and the audience is genuinely attentive. In fact, these informal music sessions help establish a culture of listening among children. It’s also part of building a culture where children learn to conduct themselves during a music concert.”

City-based Tatvaa Arts is well-known for conducting music concerts at unusual venues including parks, farmhouses and housing societies in Hitec City, Narsingi and Nallagandla. “Baithak mein jo daad milti hai, woh musicians ko bahut accha lagta hai (Musicians cherish the applause they get in a baithak),” says Akhilesh Washikar, managing director of Tatvaa Arts. Since their first baithak with sitar player Mehtab Ali Niazi at a farmhouse in Moinabad in 2021, the organisation has held around 25 baithaks to date.