The Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation, inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji, is thrilled to announce the inaugural edition of the HSBC Taj o Taj Festival. This festival promises a magical, mystical, and rich confluence of Indian culture and heritage against the stunning backdrop of the Taj Mahal in Agra. It marks a historic moment, as such an event is being held after more than two decades! The festival will take place on the 22nd and 23rd of February 2025, at Gyarah Siddhi Park, Near Mahtab Bagh, Nagla Devjit, Agra, from 3:30 PM onwards till sunset.

HSBC Taj O Taj Event

This is a 2 day festival, on the 22^nd and 23^rd of February 2025 with the support of and in association with Govt. of UP, Ministry of Tourism – UP, and Agra Development Authority (ADA), and Taj Mahotsav. We are also grateful to Indian Oil (IOCL) & Voltas Beko for their support to this unique festival in it’s first edition.

The pious land of Uttar Pradesh has always enriched the culture of our great country. Most of our country’s performing arts repertoire, is inspired from Lord Krishnas Leela. The preservation and promotion of Bharats rich tradition of performing arts and culture is a critical intervention. And what better way than to present it to the global audiences against the backdrop of one of the worlds most loved monuments, the Taj Mahal.

This is a unique moment indeed, and will be etched in the minds of people across the world, as after more than 2 decades a Festival will held at Gyarah Siddhi, which has Taj Mahal as the back drop.

Durga Jasraj speaking about this exciting initiative said, “We are committed to make our Bharats Sanskriti richer and feel extremely responsible since Hon. Prime Minister of India, Respected Narendra Modi ji launched the Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation. The exquisite monument Taj Mahal, makes it imperative that we present a festival, which we hope in time will attract even more tourists from across the world to experience the mystique of Bharats confluence of Culture and Heritage which HSBC Taj o Taj – Cultural Ode to Taj Mahal aspires to present thereby bringing pride to our nation’s glory.“

Mr. Sandeep Batra from HSBC speaking about this exciting initiative said, “Commenting on the occasion, Sandeep Batra, Head, International Wealth and Premier Banking, HSBC India, said, “We are honoured to be part of the Taj o Taj Festival, a celebration that showcases the spirit of Indias rich cultural tapestry against the enchanting backdrop of the iconic Taj Mahal. This is more than a tribute to our heritage, its a testament to the timeless legacy of Indian arts. At HSBC, we believe in the power of connecting people to opportunities, and through our association with this festival, we are bringing the world closer to India’s majestic cultural history. This historic event is a bridge between the past and the future, and HSBC is privileged to be a part of this special occasion.”

The schedule of Performances

Day 1 – 22^nd February 2025:

1.Haveli Sangeet

This ancient form of Traditional Indian Music is an important part of our rich Cultural Heritage. Originally known as ‘Pushtimargi Sangeet’ and is typically performed in temples of Lord Krishna (havelis). It is a description of Lord Krishna’s daily life activities, that has been written by ‘Ashtachap Kavis’ (8 Saints). This genre has significantly enriched the repertoire of our vast Indian Music. The legendary Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj is singularly instrumental in taking this unique and beautiful divine genre to the masses, with his compositions, which became hugely popular globally.

Performing Artistes – Pt. Ratan Mohan Sharma and Ankita Joshi

Sunil Avchhat (Flute), Ramakrishna Karambelkar (Tabla), Abhinay Ravande (Harmonium), Omkar Dalvi (Pakhawaj), Uddav Khumbar (Indi-Percs), Devendra Chitnis, Vivek Naik, Purti Joshi, Divya Tawde (Chorus)

2.Ghazals

A carefully curated Ghazal performance, paying a Tribute to the incredible legacy of the Titans – great masters like Jagjit Singh, Mehdi Hassan, Begum Akhtar and others…

Performing Artistes – Pratibha Singh Baghel and Maestro Deepak Pandit

Prashant Sonagra (Tabla), Atul Raninga (Keyboards), Akhlak Hussain Varsi (Harmonium), Arshad Khan (Irshad)

Day 2 – 23^rd February 2025:

1.DHAA, a tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain

Percussion, the heartbeat of Music, never fails to move each of us… Day 2 begins with a heartfelt musical tribute to one of the greatly respected and admired musicians globally – Ustad Zakir Hussain. This very personal musical tribute will showcase the virtuosity, collaborative influence & power that his music continues to resonate amongst music lovers.

Performing Artistes – Maestro Taufiq Qureshi and Shikhar Naad Qureshi, percussion duet on Djembe & Drums

Abhinay Ravande (Harmonium)

2.Legendary Wadalis

Powerful voices blending with deep spiritual notes, will come alive with the grand finale Sufi-Qawwali performance of this 2-day special festival. Soulful renditions of Sufi poetry will enthrall the audience, with the prowess of the legacy of the Wadalis.

Performing Artistes – Padma Shri Ustad Puran Chand Wadali ji and Akademi Yuva Puraskar Awardee Lakhwinder Wadali

Aslam (Tabla), Rakesh Kumar (Dholak), Ashwani (Dhol), Munish Kumar & Ajay Pal (Keyboards), Rajinder Kumar (Octapad), Ajay Singh (Lead Guitar), Keshav Chandra (Bass Guitar), Vikrant (Drums), Subhash Singh, Ajay Kumar, Jai Karan Singh & Gagandeep Kumar (Chorus)