Lucknow: Monsoon acquired a musical soul in Lucknow on Saturday as ‘Baarish Art Music Monsoon’ brought together poetry, music, storytelling, craft and food for an immersive evening at a city hotel.The event celebrated the season through the city’s signature tehzeeb, mehmaan-nawazi and its deep-rooted literary and musical traditions. Designed as a tribute to the many moods of rain, the evening drew from Awadh’s cultural memory and placed the monsoon at the centre of sound, verse and shared nostalgia.The programme began with classical singer Askari Naqvi’s ‘Megha Re’, a soulful tribute to the monsoon of Awadh. Evoking dark clouds, rain-soaked earth and sudden showers, the performance created an intimate and reflective mood, setting the tone for the rest of the evening.Poet and scholar Yatindra Mishra then presented ‘Kahaani Geeton Ki: Baarish Edition’, tracing the relationship between rain, memory, poetry and Indian music. His presentation moved seamlessly between film songs, thumri, kajri, folk and classical traditions, featuring favourites such as ‘O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayee’, ‘Sawan Ka Mahina Pawan Kare Sor’ and ‘Ab Ke Saawan Ghar Aaja’. Drawing from the musical traditions of Lucknow and Banaras, Mishra explored the monsoon as a metaphor for romance, longing, separation and remembrance.The mood turned celebratory with the Kutle Khan Project, which blended Rajasthani folk, Sufi music and contemporary sounds. The repertoire included ‘Kesariya Balam’, ‘‘Chhaap Tilak’, ‘Ghoomar’, ‘Dum Naal Dum Bharangi’ and ‘Lal Meri Pat’, along with ghazal favourites including ‘Salamat Rahe Teri Aankhon Ki Masti’ and ‘Sochta Hoon Ki Woh Kitne Masoom The’.Monsoon songs such as ‘Saawan Aayo’, ‘Jhirmir Barse Meh’, ‘Garaj Baras Aaj Megh’ and ‘Lehariyo’ added to the atmosphere before ‘Dama Dam Mast Qalander’ brought the evening to a spirited close by Kutle Khan.
