As words and ideas flowed across venues at the Vedanta presents Jaipur Literature Festival 2026, music found its own powerful voice with the opening of the First India News Jaipur Music Stage (JMS) at Hotel Clarks Amer. The inaugural evening set an evocative and energetic tone for three days of live performances that promise to mirror the diversity, depth and dynamism of India’s contemporary music scene.
The curtain rose with Soumik Datta | Travellers, an immersive sonic journey by the internationally acclaimed sarod virtuoso and recipient of the 2025 Eastern Eye ACTA Award for Music. Known for pushing the boundaries of classical tradition, Datta wove together the rich, resonant tones of the sarod with ambient soundscapes, field recordings, spoken word and layered sound design. Part of his seven-month ‘Melodies in Slow Motion’ tour across India, Travellers drew the audience into a contemplative world—one that blurred the lines between performance, memory and movement.
As the night progressed, the mood shifted seamlessly from introspection to exuberance with the arrival of the Vasu Dixit Collective. Celebrated for their distinctive Electronic-Folk sound, the ensemble delivered a high-octane performance rooted in Kannada and Hindi musical traditions. Led by singer-composer and filmmaker Vasu Dixit, the Collective breathed contemporary life into the verses of saint-poets such as Basavanna and Kabir, blending folk philosophy with modern rhythms and electronic textures. The result was a set that was both deeply rooted and refreshingly current, striking an instant chord with the audience.
Together, the opening performances captured the essence of the Jaipur Music Stage—where tradition converses with experimentation, and heritage finds new expression through modern sound. With such a compelling start, JMS has firmly positioned itself as a vibrant cultural companion to the literary conversations unfolding at JLF 2026.