As a music lover, it can be a bit overwhelming to discover new artists and music genres in the sea of digital audio space. One life is not enough to discover all the sounds, but you can start your journey with Bir Music Festival (BMF).
Its 10th edition will celebrate original music, along with experiences like cyclothon, star gazing, yoga, art workshops and more.
Fire Art | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Bir is Asia’s biggest paragliding destination, but that’s not all that the village has to offer. It has a rich culture and we are coming together as a community of artists to promote it,” says Alakhnanda Sharma, founder of BMF. He adds that the festival started in 2020 after the pandemic. It is organised two or three times a year, sometimes in other cities as well, to promote tourism in the village.
BMF is a completely sustainable festival. “Even the festival stage is made of bamboo and the shades at the venue are made from donated and discarded clothes,” says Alakhnanda.
She adds, “In the last nine seasons, we have hosted over 300 artists from across the country.” This edition will feature indie band Agni, as well as several other lesser-known bands and musicians, such as DIY Disruption, a rock band from Kerala,Rajasthani classical and Ghazal singer Prakhar Jojan and Delhi based poet Likhari.
The festival does not play recorded or electronic music on either stage. “Our music is 100% live and everyone plays and performs their own original compositions,” says Alakhnanda.
Previous edition of BMF | Photo credit: special arrangement
The music plays non-stop for 56 hours, which is the duration of the festival. It includes both the performing artistes and visitors. The tickets include accommodation and food. However, day passes, which allow entry to the festival, are available only to residents of Himachal Pradesh.
“We started this festival because we wanted to promote original music, especially from the mountains, and eventually artists from other places started approaching us,” he said, adding that the festival will also feature yogis, healers, painters and more. “We have an art stage where we do painting as well as other formats like fire and slow art, which will be taught and demonstrated.” The festival will also host activities that focus on promoting local businesses and culture.
Organic Tribal Music Band Shanka Tribe | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The main aim of the festival is to promote locally made food and drinks, especially wine. “The festival is for all ages, but since the venue is quite sprawling, we have a separate bar area where we only allow adults. We don’t sell local wine, but let them taste it for free through activities so that people can visit the village and experience it for themselves. This is another source of income for local women,” says Alakhnanda.
Fitness conscious people can participate in the cyclothon at BMF. Bir offers serene views of the Himalayan mountains and the 24-km cycling track is a great way to explore the village. “People have to register separately for the cyclothon. We take bookings according to people’s experience level and they can also choose to ride e-bikes,” says Alakhnanda.
Bir Music Festival | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Interestingly, the sale of drinking water is not permitted at the festival. Kiosks with earthen pots filled with drinking water have been set up at several locations around the venue, and spectators can fill their own water bottles.
Bir Music Festival will be held from 15th to 17th June at Hipostel, Bir. Book your tickets at birmusicfestival.com, starting price ₹8,925.00
A look at the biggest events and festivals in the country, before they happen. So, do you want to travel more? Watch this space.
