Thodi der mein main barf ho jaungi: Rekha Bhardwaj in Delhi

Braving the winter chill, people from across the NCR and other cities turned up in huge numbers for Rekha Bhardwaj’s performance in the capital, on Saturday. Pleasantly surprised by the audience turnout, the singer hailed the crowd members as “bravehearts” for daring to sit in an open venue almost till midnight, on a particularly cold night.
Every time she announced a soundtrack as the last one for the night, requests for other songs poured in. After performing for over 1.5 hours at the event – organised by IBTIDA Ek Mehfil – Bhardwaj finally concluded the night with Raat baaki, baat baaki.

‘MERE HAATH JAM GAYE’
Noting that the concept of mehfils is being revived through such events, Bhardwaj said, “Chaar dewaaron mein mehfilein abhi bhi hoti hain. Hum log abhi bhi ghar pe jab ikattha hote hain toh mehfilein hoti hain. Lekin ye IBTIDA ki wajah se aagaaz hua hai ki mehfil ko chaar deewar se bahar laane ka. Aap sab bhi bravehearts hain (as they turned up in the cold). I think it’s the emotion that needs to reach (people). Haath toh jam gaye, lekin maza bhi bahut aa raha hai.”
During her performance, Bhardwaj kept repeating “Mere haath jam gaye”, but with the audience persisting with requests, she joked, “Thodi der mein barf ho jaungi.”

‘PATTA PATTA BOOTA BOOTA IS VISHAL’S COMPOSITION’
Bhardwaj shared some interesting anecdotes while introducing her popular numbers like Tere Ishq Mein and Phir Le Aaya Dil. Before singing Patta patta boota boota, she told the audience, “This is Vishal’s (Bhardwaj) composition. Vishal bol leti hoon main. He happens to be my husband, and that’s a good introduction for him.” Last month, Rekha and Vishal performed together for the first time in Delhi, at Jashn-e-Rekhta. She added, “Mujhe laga kai baar ki gul hi jaan leta hai aur dil nahi janta, especially when it’s a female.”
An ode to Ustad Rashid Khan
In the middle of her set, the National Awardwinning singer mused that nobody could have known that this performance would happen a week after Ustad Rashid Khan’s demise. She said, “It’s a cycle. Life moves on. A person whom I worship, admire, and idolise – Ustad Rashid Khan saheb... Teri Raza is a song my baba, Gulzar, wrote when he lost his dear friend. Today, I want to sing this song (as a dedication to Ustad Rashid Khan).” After Ustad Rashid Khan’s demise, Bhardwaj had posted on social media, “Meri zindagi ka sabse dukhad din!”

Rekha ji’s persona resonated beautifully with our curation: Curators
Tanvi Singh Bhatia and Anubhav Jain, curators of IBTIDA- Ek Mehfil said,"Rekha Ji has graciously supported IBTIDA- Ek Mehfil when we first initiated the conversation for our Bombay Baithak, being a young IP the love we get from the artists facilitating our concept and ideation is very overwhelming & heartwarming. Rekha ji’s persona resonated beautifully with our curation & her story telling was a perfect marriage between us and our discerning audience.Reviving and celebrating India in its truest form is what IBTIDA- Ek Mehfil stands for and we looking to recreate the mehfils and baithaks in India."