A Rant about Baithak

So here’s a little rant I never thought I’d do, but here we are.

For the past 8 months, I, alongside my parents, have been organising a monthly Baithak, which is an intimate, artist-first performance space. It started as a simple idea: a platform for artists in Odisha (and beyond) to come, perform, connect, and be heard by an intimate audience. What sets this Baithak apart is that it’s highly curated, but not by the organiser, i.e., me. The only part that I have decided for the Baithak, is that it shall be dedicated completely for Classical music, be it Hindustani, Carnatic or Odissi. I do not entertain any other genre. 

While, that is there, I also specifically ask artistes that I invite, to curate their own set, and bring something that they want to perform, or maybe something that is very close to their heart but they are unable to perform it elsewhere due to any factor. This is not a stage for formulaic performance or standard concert material. It’s a space where artists can try, express, experiment and do the piece they’ve been holding close but never found a room intimate or receptive enough to share it in. This Baithak is their Baithak more than it can ever be mine.

To be honest, I really thought it would just flow on its own. Like the kind of thing that gains momentum and finds its own rhythm. Well... not quite.

Yes, artists benefit a lot. Many of them tell me how the YouTube videos and online reach helped them get more shows, more credibility, more audience. I was so glad when I heard an artiste's bio where they proudly announced this Baithak as one of the prestigious shows that they have performed at. And I’m genuinely so very happy about that. One of the vocalists who performed in Baithak received two outstation invitations right after his video went online. Another artist told me this was the first time he performed a rare traditional composition he had never found the audience to share it with. These are small things, but they matter to me because they tell me that this space is needed.

Most people only see the final video or hear the music, but there’s a lot that goes on quietly behind the scenes: shortlisting artistes, coordinating schedules, arranging the venue, setting up lights and mics, shooting, editing, uploading, making posters, writing captions, handling ticketing, and then promoting everything online. It’s a full cycle, every month. It is a lot. Or seems like it at least.

But a huge "Thank You" to those artists who reach out proactively to perform. You really have no idea how much that means to me!

Sometimes, yes, I get overwhelmed. Baithak is no longer that low-effort little experiment that I was doing. It has morphed into this compulsory monthly commitment asking for emotional, creative, and logistical bandwidth. And honestly, if not now, then when should I be doing this? I'm young, energetic, and deeply stubborn about making it work.

[I am writing this to get all the thoughts out of my head]

So here’s the next step: I’ll be listing these Baithaks on platforms like BookMyShow, District by Zomato, and others at a very low price. I am not really doing this to make money. This is being done to gain visibility and to bring in newer audiences who wouldn’t otherwise know of a classical music or art event that is happening around them.

That being said, I am slowly reaching the point where funding will become necessary. Not because I want to start earning from Baithak, but because I want to stop asking artistes to perform for free. I’m an artist myself, and it’s honestly humiliating to keep relying on goodwill. I’ve made it work for 8 months, and I’ll make the 9th one happen too. But beyond that; well, I’d like to do better. I’ve been funding this entirely on my own. I’ve stretched this far on zero funding. It’s not impossible, but it’s not ideal either.

In Odisha, most cultural spaces are either shrinking or catering to the mainstream. Anyone even slightly “promising” is encouraged to move out of the state. Many artists leave for bigger metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore for want of opportunities, Baithak tries to create a reason to stay. Or at least, a reason to come back maybe. I’m trying to make staying a viable option for others who want to build something here. Because, what use is our cultural knowledge if it never lives and breathes in the region it came from? What are we saying to our next generation of musicians, dancers, and poets if all our stages are elsewhere?

So here’s my ask:

If you know of any platforms, grants, CSR funds, or even kind-hearted people who support grassroots arts initiatives, please send them my way. I’m looking for partnerships, sponsors, and most importantly, people who believe in the long-term nurturing of the arts, especially in regions that are often left out of the cultural conversation.

Please do comment or email me if you can help. Or if you just want to listen to some wonderful performances from some of the most sincere artists I’ve come across, hit me up. The Baithak doors are always open.

Here is the LinkedIn post where I am asking for the same: