January, the Month of Music Festivals in India (2026)

In the annual calendar of Indian Classical Music, Hindustani Sangeet and Carnatic Music together, the month of January has a special place, apart from new year festivities this month is held special due to Makar Sankranti and its regional celebrations and nearly all the major classical music and dance events hosting centres of India host a music and dance event or a big or perhaps bigger events of classical music and dance. This year, the Behala Classical Music Festival in Kolkata and the Saptak Music Festival in Ahmedabad were very special and held on a grand scale. 

Behala Classical Festival — Kolkata’s Annual January Music Celebration

The Behala Classical Festival is an annual Indian classical music event held in Kolkata, typically in January, that brings together some of the finest exponents of Hindustani classical music from across India. It is widely appreciated by music lovers for its blend of tradition and artistry, and for the unique ambience of winter evenings filled with timeless ragas and rhythmic brilliance. 

It was held from 11 January to 14 January, 2026, at the Behala Blind School Ground in Kolkata, with evening hours from 7 pm to 10 pm.

In its 14th season, the festival unfolded over four evenings, offering audiences a rich roster of performances blending vocal and instrumental classical music. Artists from across India performed a range of Hindustani classical genres, showcasing both deep tradition and individual artistry. The crisp winter evenings provided an evocative backdrop, infusing each raga with heightened emotional resonance. 

The programme featured renowned musicians — including eminent masters and seasoned performers — who imbued each concert with depth and nuance. Performances highlighted a variety of ragas and classical styles that drew attentive and knowledgeable listeners, creating an atmospheric experience where the music took centre stage. Eminent artists like Hariprasad Chaurasia, Rakesh Chaurasia, Ojas Adhiya, Rahul Sharma, Ishaan Ghosh, Purbayan Chatterjee, Ambi Subrahmanyam, Abhishek Borkar, Yashwant Vaishnav, Tejaswini D. Vernekar, Biswajeet Deb, Sanatan Goswami, Shubhendra Rao, Saswati Mondal, Sanjoy Adhikary, Sarwar Hussain, Jyotirmoy Banerjee and Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarti-- a galaxy of Hindustani classical maestros, performed, and entertained the audience this January.

Festival Background & Cultural Value

The Behala Classical Festival was started more than a decade ago by the Behala Sanskritik Sammilani, a cultural body committed to promoting Indian traditions through music and the arts. Over the years, it has grown into one of Kolkata’s cherished winter cultural fixtures, attracting classical music enthusiasts of different ages and backgrounds. 

Held at the open-air ground of the Blind School in Behala, the festival is especially valued for its intimate setting. The relaxed and communal environment lets audiences engage deeply with performances, fostering a rich listening experience away from big-stadium trappings. 

In previous editions, the festival has honoured artistic excellence by featuring legendary musicians and, at times, by including honorary awards or tributes for lifetime achievements, recognising icons of Indian classical music. 

Overall, the Behala Classical Festival stands as a significant cultural event in Kolkata’s winter calendar, offering an accessible yet high-quality celebration of Indian classical arts that resonates with both purists and casual admirers of the genre.

Saptak Festival of Ahmedabad

Another equally important festival of Indian Classical music and Hindustani Sangeet was held in the western part of India, the Saptak Festival, held at L.D. Arts College Campus, Ahmedabad, from 1st January to 13th January, two weeks or fourteen consecutive days with morning and evening session performances, morning session was for performing morning ragas which used to begun at 6:00 am and evening sessions begun at 6:00 pm. It was a great classical music fair, a great assemblage, a mahamela of artists, veterans, established and budding ones, all present and performing to enchant the connoisseurs of Indian Classical Music and Hindustani Sangeet with their outstanding and splendid performance.  Started in 1980 with blessings from luminaries like Pt. Ravi Shankar and Pt. Kishan Maharaj, the Saptak Festival has grown into a pillar of Indian classical music culture in the western part of India, drawing artists and audiences from across the country. While rooted in Hindustani classical music, the festival embraces a spectrum of vocal, instrumental, rhythmic, and ensemble performances, appealing to connoisseurs and newcomers alike. It offers a rare platform where legendary masters and young talents share the stage, fostering continuity and innovation within tradition.

A Galaxy of Artists in Saptak

A huge lineup of veteran, eminent maestros and virtuosos performed, enchanted, mesmerised, and won the audience's hearts. They were artists like: Ajay Prasanna, Puran Maharaj, Avantika Maharaj, Hemant Joshi, Nilay Salvi, Rahul Sharma, Yogesh Shamsi, Ramana Balachandran, Anantha Krishna, Rakesh Chaurasia, Ghulam Hasan Khan, Tanay Rege, Sumit Mishra, Ojas Adhiya, Umakant, Anant and Akhilesh Gundecha, Ankit Bhatt, Babar Latif Khan, Jayateerth Mevundi, Pandurang Pawar, Paromita Mukherjee, Vishwamohan Bhatt, Salil Bhatt and Himanshu Mahant, regaled and enthralled the audience.

The two weeks, from 1st to 13 January 2026, at the Saptak Annual Music Festival in Ahmedabad were marked by powerful renditions, rich musical dialogues, and venerable artistry — a celebration of Indian classical music and Hindustani Sangeet's depth and diversity that upheld the event’s decades-long tradition and cultural stature.