"Baiṭhak" Edition-1

Let's start with a simple question: what is a baithak?

Baithak is an intimate setting where musicians, students of music, and music loving people come together for a few curated performances.

Before getting into the details of this baithak, let me list down a few interesting things that happen in a baithak, which makes it much more intimate than any other setting.

While this background hints at exclusivity, today’s baithaks aim to break that notion by bringing people from all walks of life together to enjoy music in a close-knit setting. The very smallness of the event, with its limited audience, is what makes it stand apart from large auditorium performances. It brings people together who are truly interested in and/or invested in the music, creating a mutually enriching experience for both the artist and the audience. Yes, it has roots in a highly classist and elitist setting, as does every type of classical music.

Secondly, what really sets the baithak apart is the sheer closeness, both physically and emotionally, between the artist and the audience. Unlike auditoriums or massive stages, there’s no distancing here. The artist isn’t some distant figure elevated on a stage, while the audience sits back as mere spectators. In a baithak, both artist and audience co-exist in the same space. They breathe the same air, feel the same atmosphere. The artist performs, but there’s an implicit dialogue happening—a conversation between the music and the listeners, one that is felt, not spoken. The audience is able to interact with the artist with ease, before and after the performance, and sometimes even while the performance is going on (albeit in a respectful manner).

And this closeness does something extraordinary. It changes the way music is created and experienced. Indian classical music thrives on improvisation. Even when an artist comes fully prepared with their pieces, there’s an element of spontaneity that they bring in when performing live. They improvise based on the energy, the mood, and the responses of the audience. The music, then, isn’t just the result of the artist’s preparation. It’s the product of the moment—the sum of the artist’s skill and the audience's presence. The audience plays a much more significant role in a baithak than in a formal concert setting. They aren’t just passive listeners; their energy, their reactions (or even their silence), create a space where the artist can feel more free, more fluid. This relationship, this synergy, is what makes a baithak special. No two baithaks are the same, even if the artist and venue remain constant. The audience changes, the vibe shifts, and with it, the performance evolves.

In a way, the baithak flips the traditional concert dynamic on its head. It’s not just the artist who is responsible for the music. The audience, too, plays a part in co-creating that experience. And that’s why a baithak is not simply about music—it’s about community, connection, and collaboration. It’s a living, breathing exchange between the performer and the people who are there, sharing that moment with them. And in doing so, everyone leaves the space not just as passive recipients of art but as active participants in a fleeting, yet overwhelming, moment of creation.

Here is a BTS video of the preparation that went into the first edition of baithak.

We had an amazing artist line-up for our first baithak, as one can see on the poster.

First up was Guru Nimakanta Routray. He is an Odissi vocalist, who also happens to be my vocal teacher. Having performed all over the country and the globe, he is truly an experienced artiste. Being very close to our family, he was a very obvious choice to start the baithak with.

Accompanying him on the marddala, the very amazing Guru Buddhanatha Swain. He, too, is a frequent face in the Odissi music and dance scene. He is one of the very rare artistes who is good with both, solo and accompaniment.

Here is a video of the first performance of the baithak:

A small summary of the performance:

00:00 - Introduction

03:00 - Introduction/Discussion of song and raaga

06:00 - Performance (Raganga)

Rāga: Hemanta

Jāti: Audhava-Sampoorna

Mela: Naṭa Bādi-Sambādi: Madhyam-Shadhaj

Time: 2nd Prahar of Night (9PM-12AM)

Song: Ki Bhangi Kalā

Tāla: Ekatali (4 beats)

Poet: Sadānanda Kabisūrjya Brahma

Complete Lyrics:

କି ଭଙ୍ଗୀ କଲା ଲୋ ମିତ କି ଭଙ୍ଗୀ କଲା ମୁରଲୀ ସ୍ୱନେ ମୋ ଚିତ୍ତ ହଜାଇ ଦେଲା । ଘୋଷା ।

ରବି ପୂଜିବାକୁ ଗଲି ଯମୁନାର କୂଳକୁ ତ୍ରିଭଙ୍ଗିମା ଛବି ଦେଖି ଗଲି ନୀପମୂଳକୁ ଛନକାଇଲା ଲୋ ମିତ ଛନକାଇଲା । ୧ ।

କର୍ଣ୍ଣକୁ ଶୁଭିଲା ମୋର କଟିଘଣ୍ଟି ଘାଗୁଡ଼ି ହସ୍ତରୁ ଝଡ଼ି ପଡ଼ିଲା ରବିପୂଜା ଚାଙ୍ଗୁଡ଼ି ଛନକାଇଲା ଲୋ ମିତ ଛନକାଇଲା । ୨ ।

ସେତେବେଳକୁ ଦକଦକ ହେଉଛି ମୋ ଶରୀର ଧରମରୁ ବଳିଗଲା ସରିଥିଲା ବିହାର କରମେ ଥିଲା ଲୋ ମିତ କରମେ ଥିଲା । ୩ ।

ଜାଣୁ ଜାଣୁ କଳାକାହ୍ନୁ ଫାନ୍ଦରେ ମୁଁ ପଡ଼ିଲି କହେ କବିସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଘରେ ରହି ସଢ଼ିଲି । ୪ ।

24:52 - Classicality/Speciality of Odissi

28:23 - Performance (Bhabanga)

Song: Mu tah jāni jāni karichi māna

Poet: Kabikalahansa Gopalakrushna Pattanaik

Composition: Pt. Harmohan Khuntia

Rāga: Mishra Pilu

Tāla: Jati (14 beats)

Complete Lyrics:

ମୁଁ ତ ଜାଣି ଜାଣି କରିଛି ମାନ । ଘୋଷା ।

କାହାକୁ ବୋଲିବି କିସ ମୋହରି କରମ ଦୋଷ ସ୍ୱହସ୍ତେ କରିଛି ବିଷପାନ । ୧ ।

ଅଛି ତ ସତେ ଏ ଯୋଗ ଆନ କେ କରିବ ଭୋଗ ଲୁହ ପୋଛି ହୋଇବାକୁ ଗ୍ଳାନ । ୨ ।

ଆହା ହାତ ଧରି ମୋତେ ଏହି ରୁଷା ଲାଗି କେତେ ଦେଇଥିଲେ ନ ପାଳିଲି ଆନ । ୩ ।

ବ୍ରଜବିଧୁ ଦୁଃଖ ଦେଖି ହୋଇବି ବୋଲି ତ ସୁଖୀ ଆନକୁ ବଢ଼ାଇଦେଲେ କାନ । ୪ ।

ଗୋପାଳକୃଷ୍ଣ କହଇ ଆଣିଲେନି ଲେଉଟାଇ ସଜନୀ କର ସେହି ଗୁମାନ । ୫ ।

36:16 - A few words

36:51 - Performance (Geeta Govinda)

Song: Paśyati diśi diśi

Poet: Adikabi Jāyadeba

Rāga: Desh

Tāla: Ekatali (4 beats)

Complete Lyrics:

ପଶ୍ୟତି ଦିଶି ଦିଶି ରହସ୍ୟି ଭଵନ୍ତମ୍ |

ତ୍ଵଦ୍-ଅଧାରା-ମଧୁରା-ମଧୁନି ପିବନ୍ତମ୍ ||1||

ନାଥ ହରେ ସୀଦତି ରାଧା ଵାସା-ଗୃହେ ||ଧ୍ରୁଵପଦଂ ||

ତ୍ଵଦ୍-ଅଭିସରଣ-ରଭସେନ ଵଲନ୍ତୀ |

ପତତି ପଦାନି କିୟନ୍ତୀ ଚଲନ୍ତୀ ||୨||

ଵିହିତା-ଵିଷାଦ-ବୀସା-କିସଲୟ-ଵଲୟା |

ଜୀଵତି ପରମ ଇହା ତଵ ରତି-କଲୟା ||3||

ସ୍ଟାମ୍ପ ଅଵଲୋକିତା-ମୂଲ୍ୟ-ନୀଲାମୀ |

ମଧୁ-ରିପୁରହଂ ଇତି ଭଵନ-ଶିଲା ||4||

ତ୍ଵରିତମ ଉପୈତି ନ କଥମ୍ ଅଭିସାରମ |

ହରିରିତି ଵଦତି ସଖିମ ଅନୁଵରମ୍ ||5||

ଶ୍ଲିଷ୍ୟତି କୁମ୍ବତି ଜଲ-ଧାରା-କଲ୍ପମ |

ହରିରୁପଗତା ଇତି ତିମିରଂ ଅନଲ୍ପମ୍ ||6||

ଭଵତି ଵିଲାମ୍ବିନୀ ଵିଗଲିତା-ଲଜ୍ଜା |

ଵିଲାପତି ରୋଦିତି ଵାସକା-ସଜ୍ଜା ||7||

ଶ୍ରୀ-ଜୟଦେଵ-କଵେର ଇଦଂ ଉଦିତମ୍ |

ରସିକ-ଜନଂ ତନୁତଂ ଅତିମୁଦିତମ ||8||

Next up on our line-up was one of Odisha's finest flautists, Guru Jabahar Mishra. He is an assistant professor at the Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar. A student of Pt. Ronu Majumdar, he is one of the leading flautists of his generation and Odisha. He was accompanied on the tabla by Subhranshu Sahoo, an up and coming tabla player of our generation.

Here is a video of the second performance of the baithak:

A small summary of the performance:

00:00 - Introduction

01:50 - Importance of Baithak

03:59 - Alap - Raga Durga

Jāti: Audhava

Thāṭ: Bilawal

Bādi-Sambādi: Madhyam-Shadhaj

Time: 2nd Prahar of Night (9PM-12AM)

14:12 - Jod - Raga Durga

17:25 - Jhaptal Gat (Madhya lay) - Raga Durga

36:37 - Teental Gat (Drut lay) - Raga Durga

46:12 - Jhalla - Raga Durga

51:24 - Alap - Raga Tilak Kamod

Jāti: Audhava-Sampoorna(vakra)

Thāṭ: Khamaj

Bādi-Sambādi: Shadhaj-Pancham

Time: 2nd Prahar of Night (9PM-12AM)

53:03 - Teental Gat (Madhya lay) - Raga Tilak Kamod

1:02:33 - Alap - Raga Mishra Pilu

1:05:11 - Dhun - Raga Mishra Pilu

At the end, I would like to thank my neighbours (Divya didi and her husband) who graciously handled the catering for this event.