Songs for Summer

The heat of the summer sun and the occasional respite from it have inspired several compositions in the Indian classical tradition, which has ragas for specific times of day, and for seasons as a whole

The magnificence, drama, and whimsical nature of Basant rtu are beautifully represented in deeply moving ragas that have constantly evolved over centuries. These ragas seem to give voice to all the joy, the hope, the beauty of Basant that words fail to describe

From kings to fakirs, the legend of cashmere has enthralled them all. The story and the history of this fabled fabric, as it travelled from India to the rest of the world, mesmerising everyone who encountered it along the way, is a fascinating one

There are many examples – across art forms – of the effect that the Indian Monsoon has on the land, and its people. In music, it has inspired both, traditional folk and the classical styles of music, and it has inspired them for centuries