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Hindustan Times

The rise of Gen Z audience, rasiks at baithaks in Delhi-NCR

Music, with its universal appeal, is now bridging extremes – from head-banging EDM sets to deeply immersive, soulful renditions. Making a quiet yet powerful comeback is the baithak – the intimate, unplugged musical gathering once synonymous with the culturall-life in Delhi-NCR. Amid this soothing ambience and unfiltered musical energy is a surprising audience: Gen Z. The revival of baithaks, across Delhi-NCR, is witnessing an unexpectedly high interest from the younger generation. Traditionally hosted in homes or small informal spaces, baithaks are all about forging a direct connection between the artiste and the audience (rasiks), between melody and emotion. Though these receded into the background during the pandemic, they are now re-emerging across India, especially NCR, drawing enthusiastic young listeners in large numbers. 'In a world of high-decibel concerts and flashy gigs, a baithak brings a kind of calm that fills the room in a way nothing else can,' says Abhinav Arora, founder of a Delhi-based baithak collective, Abhinav Ka Sangeet. 'What really amazes me is how many Gen Z attendees we see… often more than half the room. These are young people known for club nights and upbeat playlists, but here they are, sitting at easy with mesmerised eyes, saying 'Wah wah' when a note hits just right, clapping in sync, and asking us for more insights into the baithak culture and it's background after the performance. It's this unexpected shift that's giving artists and organisers a renewed sense of purpose. The baithaks today aren't strictly classical either. There's a conscious effort by us to blend traditional ragas with contemporary sounds so that the young ones can enjoy this new-found music taste of theirs.' 'We're witnessing a steady yet meaningful shift as young audiences are no longer passively consuming culture, they are actively seeking depth,' says Anubhav Jain, co-curator at IBTIDA-Ek Mehfil, as his colleague, Tanvi Singh Bhatia elucidates, 'In our recent 50-seater baithaks, nearly 20% of attendees have consistently been Gen Z. What's remarkable is that this isn't driven by trend, but by a desire for emotional and cultural resonance. While we maintain the sanctity of the baithak and resist turning it into novelty, the mix of Gen Z, younger millennials, and legacy patrons creates a rare intergenerational dialogue exactly what IBTIDA stands for.' Is this preferential shift in format thus causing the artistes to try an unconventional format to perform in? Tech Panda & Kenzani, an Indian electronic DJ and music production duo based out of Delhi, who are prepping to perform at an experimental baithak throw light on this. 'We thought the fusion between our music and the soulful essence of a baithak will be beautiful for those in the audience,' says Tech Panda aka Rupinder Nanda, adding, 'We are very excited to perform at the baithak as our audience knows what we do in terms of music. A fusion musical of such kind is unprecedented and gives the chance to artistes to reach out to a very diverse audience. We have decoded all the tracks that we have and have made fresh tracks to create music that is very calm and therapeutic. I personally am into classical music and to blend something that is of such experimental sorts is what drives an artiste.' 'In our generation, everyone is more into big rock or pop concerts. But then we performed at a baithak-style concert during a recent college fest, and the vibe was something else,' says Tanvi, a member of Dhwani, the musical society at Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) of Delhi University (DU), adding, 'The hall was packed, and no one wanted to leave! I'd never seen that kind of response to classical music before. It really showed me that even with all the modern stuff out there, we Gen Zs can totally enjoy and connect with baithaks. In fact, I see more and more of my friends getting into it now.' Catch It Live Ghar Ki Baithak Where: S Block, Panchsheel Enclave When: June 21 Timing: 7pm Entry : +918860092206 IBTIDA-Ek Mehfil ft Papon When: August 30 Timing: 8pm Entry: +919819870281 Kabir Baithak 2.0 Where: N 111, Panchsheel Park, Delhi (July 5) & The Poéttery Studio, Sector 55, Gurugram (July 6) Timing: 5.30pm Entry: +919582791836 For more, follow HT City Delhi Junction