Preempting the onset of the rainy season, the Travancore Palace came alive with the sights, sounds, and scents of the monsoon as Baarish–an immersive art and culture experience curated by Excurators and India Cultural Hub–opened its first edition to a resounding reception. Designed as a multi-sensory tribute to India’s most beloved season, Baarish brought together music, art, performance, and cuisine to evoke the spirit of rain in all its poetic intensity. Under a cool and crystal-clear canopy, an immersive entry experience featuring ambient mist, evocative visuals, and rain-inspired soundscapes, welcomed the guests.
A Symphony of Rain, a musical invocation featuring Ashim Bery, Lalit Kumar, Kumar Sarang, and Anant Raina, was a spellbinding blend of tabla, santoor, vocals, and ambient textures. This was followed by Moods of Megh – Monsoon in Indian Art, where ‘Itihāsology’s Eric Chopra gave an illustrated talk on the myriad representations of rain in Indian art, from stormy miniatures to romantic Ragamala paintings. Cafe Lota created the flavors of the season with regional specialties.
The evening culminated with the Baarish Ensemble, featuring Mooralala Marwada, alongside artists Anirban Ghosh, Yusra Naqvi, Diyatom Deb, Nikhil Vasudevan, Pranay Verma, Subhankar Chatterjee, and Vaibhav Batra. Created especially for this experience by W.I.P Labs and Excurators, the Ensemble reimagined folk-rooted music through a contemporary sonic lens.
Minhal Hasan, Managing Director of Excurators, said, “The arrival of the monsoon is a surreal experience — it calls on people to step out, to slow down, and to immerse themselves in the reflections it stirs. With Baarish, our specially curated series blending music, art, and cuisine, the aim is to evoke both the creative spark and the quiet romance that this season brings. It was truly heartening to see the overwhelming response to our first edition. From an energetic folk rendition to immersive visual art, layered soundscapes, and a menu crafted to echo the mood of the season, every element of Baarish is reimagined to create something staggering. We’re excited to bring two more thoughtfully designed evenings in July and August. They will celebrate the many emotions the rains awaken — and remind us that there is beauty in pausing, in gathering, and in feeling.”
“This marks a special moment for India Cultural Hub as we take our community beyond the screen into immersive, sensory-rich cultural storytelling. Bringing together art, music, and food felt organic, because that’s how we experience the monsoon — through senses and stories, not in isolation.” – Suhavini Singh from India Cultural Hub.
“One of the most evocative ways the monsoon appears in historic Indian art is through the dramatic & sensitive literary and sonic traditions that surround it. From the Madhumadhavi Ragini — where the nayika, stirred by the sight of a peacock and clouds, ventures into the rain-soaked forest as the Abhisarika Nayika — to cosmic depictions of celestial waters flowing in the backdrop of the primordial Hiranyagarbha painted by Manaku, these paintings inspire both bewilderment and awe. Baarish, in this tradition, becomes a vessel for a sea of feelings.” – Eric Chopra
