SIDDHANT BHATIA, Sounds of Khumba

Fulfilling the expansive, revolutionary vision of Grammy nominated Indian classical singer, composer and music producer Siddhant Bhatia, Sounds of Khumbia is a transcendent, deeply spiritual and powerfully immersive aural and visual soundtrack to and multi-faceted reflection of the 2025 Prayag Maha Kumbh Mela, the most recent iteration of the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage festival that marks a full orbital revolution of Jupiter around the Sun and is celebrated as the largest peaceful gathering of people in the world.

With more than 660 million people having taken a sin cleansing, soul liberating dip in the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati meet, the 45-day event was unique because as per astrological calculations, the 2025 edition happened under a constellation alignment that happens only once every 144 years.

Clearly a sacred, transformative cultural event like that is worthy of, and can only truly be chronicled by an epic project of great depth and scope. But Bhatia goes miles further, creating not only a chronicle but an intricately textured vocal and instrumental work that is itself a resonant, life-giving cultural event. Each deeply woven musical tapestry draws from centuries old sounds, rituals and traditions to form a collective symphony reflecting a wealth of Indian music for not only us, but for future generations to enjoy and be inspired by.

For many of us in the Western world where Judeo-Christianity is the primary spiritual ethos, Sounds of Kumbha offers, through an eclectic array of melodic graces, beautiful vocals and rhythms that are sometimes gently lilting but often intense and fiery, a fascinating glimpse into the way the Hindu culture seeks and achieves atonement. The seekers believe that bathing in the rivers at each Kumbh Mela is a means to prāyaścitta (atonement, penance, restorative action) for past mistakes ,and that it cleanses them of their sin. The divine is ever-present and love lives in the hearts of all the seekers. As Bhatia says, “The dip is not just symbolic. It is believed to purify lifetimes of karma. For the individual, it is a moment of absolute surrender, aligning one’s inner universe with the cosmic rhythm. For the collective, it is a spiritual resonance and a reminder that across borders and identities, humanity can breathe as one.”  

For all the majestic dynamics and sheer excitement of the recording and stunning compelling visuals presented in the accompanying YouTube videos, there is a tendency with an undertaking of such epic proportions, fueled by and illustrating powerful social and cultural significance, to make the concept, theme and daunting logistics the story at the expense of appreciating the rich beauty and finely detailed grandeur of the music and performances themselves. Yes, it should be noted that Sounds of Kumbha is likely one of the most ambitious global recordings in history, bringing together 50+ artists (many Grammy-winning and nominated) to record in more than ten studios worldwide and delivered along with the videos and reels within 30 days – all while Mahakumbha was in progress.  It had the backing of four major stakeholders – the UP Government, Network18, History18 and Universal Music Group.  

Let’s not let that awe we feel towards the immense work Bhatia and his vast ensemble (musical and otherwise) distract us from the grand musical magic that caresses our souls and excites our senses, from the explosive, intensely percussive glory of the establishing opening anthem “Legend of Kumbha” (a poetic retelling of the Samudra Manthan – please Google that! –that shares the mythological roots and story of the Kumbha featuring the Indian Choir Ensemble) through “Shiva Shiva,” a booming, boisterous and soaring, chant filled jam offered as a hymn of gratitude to Lord Shiva, who tradition says drank the first poison to save creation – and whose throbbing drums echo the heartbeats of millions at the Sangam.

Each of the album’s tracks presents a distinctive emotion or reflection from the Mahakumbha. There’s the call to divinity, the wild chaotic energy of the crowds, the quiet of surrender and the ritual dances of devotion. Sounds of Khumba has it all – drum and bass driven grooves, folk chants, modern electronica music and Indian classical.

As Bhatia sees it, and all who listen will agree wholeheartedly, the album as a whole tells a continuously engaging story of peace, faith and unity through diversity. Like many concept albums that offer an immersion into an exotic world all their own, Sounds of Khumba is probably best experienced as a complete journey to enlightenment. Yet for those looking for a more customized listen, there are a few excellent entry points which capture key aspects of the spiritual energies and purpose of the project – notably, “Sangam” and “Ram Ram.”  

Even if the listener doesn’t know the spiritual significance of the word “Sangam,” its elevating, free-flowing exquisiteness and ever intensifying energy offers the perfect East meets West musical aesthetic with the glorious flute musings of Ron Korb and Jim Kimo West’s gentle acoustic guitar complementing the caressing choir of angels vocal vibe created by Siddhant, Kalyani Nair, the Indian Choral Ensemble and the adventurous violinspirations of co-composer Kala Ramnath. The confluence of these sounds reflects the meaning of the word “Sangam,” which translates to union, a meeting point representing the Triveni Sangam where the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Sarswati meet. The “Sangam” of these rivers opens a great spiritual portal that enables millions to gather and align with their own inner confluence. The song’s ever enveloping rhythms were designed by the oar sounds of a boat sample Bhatia captured as he was recording the sounds of Kumbha.

A collective chant of courage peace and hope, the multi-movement, rhythmically diverse “Ram Ram” is a collective spirited chant offering courage, peace and hope to the faithful, standing out by being graced by the soothing, inspiring vocal encouragement of guru and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation who, casual listeners must be aware, is no relation to the famed late musician with the same name. Shankar’s first ever appearance on a global music track makes it a truly historic moment, but the rapturous track is also notable for the way its sparsely arranged, gracefully lilting opening part ultimately segues into a funkier groove topped with the hypnotic sitar melody of Adnan Khan. After a brief dreamy flute interlude by Pravin Godkhindi, the piece eases into another inviting vocal seduction backed by another “angelic choir” of backing vocalists.

The unique sectional relay continues with a lightning paced vocal chant duetting with the fiery tabla rhythms of Zuheb Ahmed Khan Kanjira, later enhanced with other emphatic instrumentation. To the Western listener, it might sound like jazz scatting with heavy duty spiritual energy. It wraps with a final emphatic Shankar vocal, surrounded by voices that approximate a Hindu version of a gospel choir.   

These are just a few of the ways Bhatia and his team achieved his dual mission to record the real sounds of the Mahakumbha (its chants, temple bells, crowd, rivers and atmospheres) and to create original, globally appealing music that could carry the spirit of the Kumbha to the world. “We weren’t just making music,” he says. “We were participating in something larger than life ... something timeless. We walked together at dawn, prayed at the Sangam, captured sounds in the middle of chanting crowds, and jammed in makeshift setups across temples and ashrams. I hope when people listen, they feel held by the music, by the river, by the ancient wisdom of this land. I hope it sparks stillness in chaos and unity in diversity.”

Please treat yourself not only to the full sonic experience on streaming or CD, but also the Sounds of Kumbha’s YouTube page, which features videos of each track complete with English translations.

These can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/ @siddhantbhatia/videos