Colors and celebrations: Sarod maestros and folk queen celebrate Holi through music

Preeminent sarod maestros Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash released their meticulously crafted Holi-themed album ‘Colors And Celebrations’ on March 10, 2025. This sophisticated musical offering represented a remarkable confluence of classical and folk traditions, featuring an extraordinary collaboration with Padma Shri recipient and renowned folk virtuoso Malini Awasthi, affectionately known as the folk queen of India.

‘Colors And Celebrations’ presented five expansive, intricately composed pieces that captured the multifaceted spirit of Holi: ‘Holi Hues (Hori Re Rasiya)’, an exuberant celebration of spring's arrival; ‘Divine Celebration (Hori Khele Raghuveera)’, a devotional piece honoring Lord Krishna's legendary Holi festivities; ‘Spirited Splashes (Rang Darungi)’, a playful, rhythmically complex composition; ‘Crimson Flush (Sakhi Solah Hazaar)’, a contemplative exploration of color symbolism; and ‘Colours of Love (Rasiya Ko Naar)’, a romantic interpretation of Holi's emotional resonance.

Talking about the release, Amaan Ali Bangash stated, "This album represented our artistic interpretation of Holi's profound cultural significance, beyond the surface revelry to explore its deeper spiritual dimensions. Each composition deliberately wove multiple thematic elements—from the triumph of good over evil to the celebration of divine love between Radha and Krishna, to the universal joy of renewal that comes with spring's arrival. The album conveyed the message of how music transcends all barriers of race, color, caste and creed similar to the festival of Holi that celebrates universal fellowship and human connection.”Ayaan Ali Bangash elaborated on this and said, "Our approach was to create a complete sensory experience through sound. The interplay between sarod and voice mirrored the interaction between colour and canvas during Holi celebrations. We used specific ragas that evoked particular emotional colours—from the serene tranquillity of morning ragas to the passionate intensity of evening melodies. Working with Malini ji was transformative, as her profound understanding of folk traditions brought authenticity and emotional depth that complemented our classical framework.”

Malini Awasthi, whose illustrious career spans over three decades preserving and elevating the folk traditions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, reflected on the collaboration and added, "Working with Amaan and Ayaan was a profound artistic dialogue that transcended conventional genre boundaries. What emerged was neither purely classical nor folk, but rather a new musical language that honoured both traditions of Awadh Brij and Banaras while creating something entirely distinctive. The compositions we created together spoke to the universal emotions that Holi represents—joy, devotion, playfulness, and the eternal cycle of renewal."

Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, who represent the seventh generation of the revered Senia Bangash lineage established by their legendary father, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, have consistently pushed the boundaries of the sarod tradition while maintaining its essential integrity. This release followed their critically acclaimed collaborative projects including ‘Sand And Foam: Music Inspired by Kahlil Gibran’ (2023), their pioneering work with Grammy-nominated vocalist Krishna Das on ‘Peace Mantra: Loka Samastha’ (2022), which bridged Hindu and Sufi devotional traditions; and their groundbreaking experimental album ‘Amalgam’ (2023) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The sarod luminaries’ recent musical ventures demonstrated remarkable versatility, from the contemplative ‘Morning Ragas’ (recorded at dawn in the historic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur) to the boundary-pushing ‘Prophets Of Prose’, a bold fusion project with Chilean jazz vocalist Claudia Acuña and American rapper Caliph. Their October 2024 trilogy of singles—'Ram Dhun’,’Payoji Maine’ and the ambitious ‘Diwali Project’—showcased their continued commitment to making classical Indian music accessible to contemporary global audiences while preserving its spiritual essence.

The album release preceded the Bangash brothers' highly anticipated summer 2025 international tour, which includes a residency at London's prestigious Wigmore Hall. The July 12th performances will feature a morning collaboration with acclaimed British violinist Jennifer Pike exploring the intersection of Western classical and North Indian musical traditions, followed by an evening concert featuring their father, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, in a rare family performance showcasing three generations of sarod mastery. The tour continues with appearances at Philharmonie in Luxembourg, Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, New York NY Swaledale festival in UK