Diwali Pahat - A Morning of Indian Classical Music

Diwali Pahat with Neelay Mehendale and Friends: morning raagas build from meditation to crescendo, followed by Natyasangeet and haveli Sange
About this Event

Diwali Pahat with Neelay Mehendale and Friends is an in-person concert for the local community.

About the concert

The program presents morning raagas, Natyasangeet and haveli Sangeet. It begins in a meditative mood, then gradually builds in tempo and pace of presentation, reaching a crescendo. The raagas are structured yet improvised, offering a contemplative approach to meditation.

Musical traditions

The latter half features pieces from Natyasangeet, the musical theatre tradition of Maharashtra, and haveli Sangeet, which originated in the Braj region of India and later flourished in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Diwali Pahat – A Morning of Indian Classical Music

Diwali Pahat is a cherished Maharashtrian tradition in which Diwali mornings begin with music. “Pahat” means dawn in Marathi, and on these festive mornings people gather before or around sunrise to welcome the festival of lights with classical, devotional, and semi-classical music. It’s a celebration of new beginnings, light, and togetherness, set to the serene mood of the early hours.

In keeping with this tradition, Dr. Neelay Mehendale will perform live on vocals, accompanied by Friedemann Zintel on tabla and Kshitij Deshpande on harmonium.

Together, they will present a selection of morning ragas, followed by semi-classical and devotional forms such as Natyageet, Haveli Sangeet, Bhajan, and Abhanga, featuring compositions in various Indian languages.