September 13, 2025

Gayathri Krishna, Managing Trustee of Bhoomija Trust, always dreamt of naming their unique music festival for children "Jackfruit." She shared this idea with Jayanthi Kumaresh, a founding director of the festival, who instantly loved it. "She said that it was a great name for the festival because we are talking about the pursuit of music here, which (like a jackfruit) is very thorny and unwieldy when you begin," Gayathri recalls. Trying music can seem sticky and tough at first, much like handling a jackfruit. But keep trying, and soon you enjoy "one of the best fruits that you have eaten in your life." This vibrant name truly suits the festival's spirit. Now, the Jackfruit Festival is back with its seventh edition, organized alongside the Indian Music Experience Museum and the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, and supported by Arundhati Moorti Philanthropies. The festival’s Festival Director, famed Indian classical vocalist and composer Shubha Mudgal, promises a colorful mix including two concerts by children under 16 and five exciting workshops led by maestros like Begum Parween Sultana, B Jayashri, Ranjit Barot, Sudhir Nayak, and Sriranjani Santhanagopalan. Shubha explains the festival’s heart: "In the process of curating for Jackfruit, I also realised that while we are able to identify very gifted children each year, it is also necessary to create an audience and an environment for them that is conducive to their progress in the future." She hopes this setting will let young artists mingle, learn from each other’s music styles, work together respectfully, and enjoy every note shared. “A young artiste featured in Jackfruit will therefore learn about other forms and styles of music, even as they come prepared to share the music they are studying,” she adds. Workshops are open for both children and adults, highlighting the festival’s focus on music education. The first concert, "Jackfruit 2025 Songsters," curated by Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, brings together 150 school students from across India. These children, from schools with music programs, will sing everything from popular melodies and regional tunes to Carnatic classics. Gayathri shares, "The beauty is that these children are not learning music in a formal classical way, but from their teachers at school, and are singing, literally, for the joy of it." This diverse showcase truly reveals the colorful spectrum of Indian music. The second concert, "Musicking Into the Future," spotlights young classical talents like Hindustani vocalist Aishani Paul, sitar player Arnav Mokashi, mandolin artist Raghav Krishna, and Carnatic vocalist Rakshitha Ramji, with accompaniment by skilled players on violin, tabla, mridangam, and harmonium. Shubha says, "In the last two years, we presented a concert series titled Singing into the Future, featuring young vocalists. This year, we included instrumentalists because in the past, we could only feature them as accompanying artists." With three years of curating Jackfruit, Shubha is amazed by the incredible talent nurtured quietly by gurus and mentors across India. "We try to provide a space to share talent, but with due care to acknowledge that these are young artistes under training," she emphasizes. The festival works closely with their guardians and teachers to ensure the best support. Ready to enjoy the musical feast? Check out the detailed program on Bhoomija’s social media pages and book your tickets on BookMyShow. For more details, contact contact@bhoomija.org or call 9743734630. Let the joyful journey into young Indian music talent begin!

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Tags: Jackfruit festival, Indian classical music, Children's music festival, Shubha mudgal, Music workshops, Young artistes,