From guided breaths to soaring raagas: Rishab Rikhiram Sharma balances calm & crescendo

Blending mindfulness with classical music, sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma drew a crowd of over 10,000 to his concert in Hitech City onFriday evening. The night began on a calm, almost meditative note. Before playing, Sharma guided the audience through a breathing exercise, accompanied by the soft hum of the tanpura. He then moved into a classical set, performing raagas such as Bihaag, Kedar, and Tilak Kamod, along with Raag Tilak Shyam, a contemporary interpretation he has shaped by drawing from traditional forms. Dressed in a bespoke ensemble, the musician introduced SITARA, an LED-enabled electric sitar co-created with his father, Sanjay Sharma, a master luthier, adding a visual layer to the performance. The setlist balanced original compositions with familiar melodies. Pieces like Shankara, Shiv Kailash, The Burning Ghat, Belua and Roslyn were interspersed with sitar renditions of hit Bollywood tracks and pop-culture anthems. The musician kept the tone relaxed and engaging with the audience throughout. He asked how many Gen Zs and millennials were present before launching into a medley of Harry Potter and Games of Thrones theme song, drawing an enthusiastic response. In another moment, he stepped off the stage and into the crowd to perform Kal Ho Naa Ho, creating a sense of intimacy despite the venue’s scale. There were reflective pauses as well. Speaking about The Burning Ghat, he said, “After visiting Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, I realised how life and death coexist, it’s both scary and beautiful at the same time. I kept thinking about it after coming back, and this piece came from that experience.” He later dedicated Chanakya to mothers, saying, “Motherhood is something very special and important. It shapes us in ways we don’t always understand immediately, but it stays with us.”The evening closed with Shiv Tandavam, earning a standing ovation.- Sanjana Pulugurtha