Indian sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma concluded his India tour in New Delhi at the DDA Grounds in Delhi with over as over 20,000 attendees.
The performance was graced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta who made a rare appearance at a live concert, that also saw Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla in attendance.
A striking highlight of the performance was the conscious avoiding of fireworks to ensure a mindful and responsible celebration. Addressing the audience, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma said a grand finale is defined not by spectacle, but by the audience who had made the tour meaningful. Being one to consistently voice concerns about environmental issues and previously highlight rising AQI levels in the capital, it was encouraging to see him take the timely step.
The performance encapsulated the essence of the tour, opening with a welcome speech by his parents followed by a meditative breathing session before unfolding into an expansive exploration of ragas including Bihaag, Kedar, Tilak Kamod and Shyam Kalyan performed on the Sitara, his next-gen electric sitar.
In a striking first, his contemporary sitar reinterpretation of the global hit song from Dhurandhar set the stage ablaze, among other previously known popular mashup hits. Unfolding into a medley, he blended sitar, percussion and shehnai, seamlessly weaving in samples from Dhurandhar’s ‘FA9LA’ while paying homage to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with insets from ‘Man Atkeya Beparwah De Naal’.
It was not only the Dhurandhar performance but also other songs from his expansive setlist featuring original compositions such as Shankara, Shiv Kailash, Burning Ghat, Belua, and Roslyn, alongside reimagined pieces like Harry Potter x Game of Thrones and Bollywood classics including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Zara Zara and Tumhi Dekho Naa, that kept the multi-generational audience enthralled.
The evening culminated with Chanakya, Kautilya, Venkateswara and Tandavam, drawing a unanimous standing ovation and marking a fitting conclusion to the journey.
Produced by Team Innovation and District by Zomato, the stage visuals unfolded as a cinematic backdrop of serene monumental landscapes, while at one poignant moment tracing Rishab Rikhiram Sharma’s journey from his early beginnings to his rise in contemporary Indian classical music till now.
For the final performance of his tour, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma appeared in a custom MISHO couture ensemble that blended artistry with symbolism. The look featured a gold-gilded armour layered over a tailored black bandhgala adorned with bespoke gold-plated buttons, styled with a fluid dhoti and complemented by full-sleeve mehendi on his hands.
Following a nationwide run across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Kolkata, the New Delhi finale of the 10-city `Sitar for Mental Health India Tour` was a unique display of classical music in India.
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma performs in Delhi; skips fireworks amid AQI concerns
