Anoushka, a musician, tried her hand at Hyderabad

Anoushka Shankar, a musician and sitar player, gave a moving and soul-satisfying performance that made even the usually dull and soulless Tuesday exciting. Anoushka Shankar’s “Live in India” tour recently graced Shilpakala Vedika in Hyderabad, sponsored by Tatvaa Arts and presented by HSBC.

Hyderabadians who love music seldom pass up the opportunity to attend live performances, as seen by the varied audience during Anoushka Shankar’s show. A diverse range of age groups packed the theater, demonstrating the great variety of the city. Naturally, her appearance in Hyderabad is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. She eventually brought her presence to the city of pearls after an arduous eight-year wait.

From the crowd’s hushed impatience, “What Will We Remember?” from Anoushka Shankar’s own album “Chapter 1: Forever, For Now,” which was published in 2023, opened the event. The song “Boat to Nowhere” from the 2016 album “Land of Gold” demonstrated the gradual transformation in a short while. The crowd was captivated by the song’s escalating rhythms, which were followed by “Ishq,” a 2011 single from the album “Traveller,” which established the mood for the remainder of the performance.

Not only did Anoushka Shankar’s sitar wow the crowd on this lovely musical evening, but the supporting artists also garnered notice. The whole experience was enhanced by the contributions of Pirashanna Thevarajah on mridangam and ghatam, Tom Farmer on cello, Arun Ghosh on clarinet, and Sarathy Korwar on drums.

A performance of “Secret Heart” from “Land of Gold” was next, then “Stolen Moments” and “Day Dreaming” from “Chapter 1: Forever, For Now.” Regarding “Stolen Moments,” Anoushka Shankar said, “I learned throughout Covid that we never know what obstacles we may face or what the future holds. For me, the main goal was to really be there and cherish those times. And daydreaming, which comes from, I suppose, my understanding of a Carnatic student since I grew up hearing my grandma and mother sing.”

Say Your Prayers, one of the songs from the album “Land of Gold,” was played during the following segment of the performance. The audience was moved by Anoushka Shankar’s intimate album “Traces of You,” which led to her being nominated for a fourth Grammy Award. “I just want to say that Hyderabad has always been a city that means something special to me because, I don’t know if you know, but this is the city where my parents got married, and I was at the wedding when I was seven,” the woman added, describing her relationship to Hyderabad. My earliest recollection of this city is of attending this really memorable family gathering. Hyderabad means a lot to me. This morning, when I was arriving at the airport, I got the most bizarre realization that their wedding took place on January 23, exactly 35 years ago. I feel strangely happy to be here with you all.

Their subsequent performance, “Fire Night,” gave the audience goosebumps. Sarathy Korwar transported the listeners to a another realm with his drumming. Anoushka Shankar said that when the band was created last winter, they began performing this song together. “Dancing in Madness” from “Traveller” and “Reunion” from “Land of Gold” capped off this magical evening. The audience was enthralled by Anoushka Shankar and Quintet’s two-hour musical trip. It was the ideal musical night to round off the day—an event that could not have been had anywhere else in Hyderabad.