Management of the trustee of the Bhutrik Trust, Gayatri Krishna, always wanted to name the Trust’s Signature Music Festival for Children ‘Jackfruit’. She recalls that it is brochuching Jayant Kumresh, one of the first directors of the festival, who loved this idea. “She said it was a great name for the festival because we are talking about the discovery of music here, which (like a jackfruit) when you start) are very prickly and unknown,” she says.
If you decide to buy this prickly, unknown fruit, it is “sticky and you can do anything with it.” However, stay for a long time, and you are “one of the best fruits you have eaten in your life.”
The name has clearly hit a raga. In association with the Indian Music Experience Museum and Prests Center for Performing Arts, and the Jackfruit Festival supported by Arundhati Murty Philanthropists, now all have been designed for its seventh edition. The festival, which has famous Indian classical singer and composer Shubha Mudgal as the festival director, will have two concerts by children under 16, and include five workshops organized by Maestroes, including Begum Parvin Sultana, B Jayashari, Ranjit Barot, Sudhir Nayak and Sirirananagopalan.
“, When we are able to identify very talented children every year, I also realized that when we are able to identify very talented children every year, it is also necessary for them to create an atmosphere and an environment that is favorable for their progress in future.”
For that, such an environment will provide specially displayed artists with time and opportunities to dissolve with a other, learns about each other’s music, works as a team, respects each other and respects the artists and experts working with them, and enjoys each other’s music and talent.
She says, “A young artist painted in Jackfruit will so learn about other forms and styles of music, even they are ready to share the music they are reading,” she says. In addition, in his opinion, music education is an important aspect of the initiative. “Therefore, our workshops are open not only for children but also for adults.”
Two concerts
Raghav Krishna | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
First concert, Jackfruit 2025 LyricistDirected by Subha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, curate, and directed, 150 school students under the age of 16 will be drawn from across the country and provide a diverse music experience.
These will include popular melodies, theater songs, regional tunes and Karnataka classics, which have been elected with the help of musicians like Bombay Jayashari, Varijshree Venugopal, MD Pallavi, Priya Saraya, Shantinu Hurlekar, and Shaktishi Mukherjee.
“Shubha’s idea, this time, was a show with children from schools, which has a concert in the course,” Gayatri says. “Beauty is that these children are not learning music in a formal classical way, but are literally singing from their teachers in school, and for its enjoyment.”
Shubha feels that by the characteristic of various forms of music, the diversity of Indian music becomes clear to artists and listeners. According to him, it also promotes the exchange of knowledge and skills, and provides new ways of communication. “Abstract art, from per, is a synonym and there is no place for hierarchy, and therefore we welcome all the artists who come with the same enthusiasm from different backgrounds and circumstances.”
Shubha Mudgal | Photo Credit: Nitin Joshi
Second concert, Future MuscingOn the other hand, some young talents of Indian classical music have been included, including Aishhani Paul (Hindustani Vocal), Arnav Mokashi (Sitar), Raghav Krishna (Mandolin), Rachith Ramji (Carnatic Woyand), Abhinav Kandla (Carnatic Violen), Pradumna Karpur (Taflin), Pradumana Karpur (Taflin), Shrerexa Shanbhog (harmonium).
“In the last two years, we presented a concert series, titled Singing in the Future, in which young singers have to learn different styles and traditions,” Shubha explains that this year, instruments, instruments have been included in this format. “I am glad that we are able to include instruments this year, because in the past, we were only able to introduce instruments with artists.”
As someone who has been curing this concert for three years now, Shubha strongly believes that this process of identifying and choosing young artists for this festival opens one eyes for the abundance of talent and many gurus and bosses across the country who are nourishing the talent of young artists with calm dedication.
“, We try to provide a place to share talent, but with proper care to accept that they are young artists under training, and for this reason, we do not involve any child without consulting our respective parents, gurus and institutions,” says Shubha. “I think it is important to maintain this perspective and to accept the contribution of gurus and parents who have nurtured the talent of our young painted artists.”
The detailed schedule of the festival is available on Bhoomija’s social media pages, and tickets are available on bookmyshow. For more information, contact@bhoomija.org/ 9743734630.
Published – September 13, 2025 06:38 am IST