Pune-Place-IndianClassical.net

Pune

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Events
12
Venues
22
Artists

Upcoming Events

About Pune

Pune is a metropolitan city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It serves as the cultural and educational hub of the region and holds historical significance in the development of Hindustani classical music. The city hosted prominent artists and institutions that shaped the Gwalior, Kirana, and Agra gharanas during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Pune became a center for classical music patronage under the Peshwa rule (1713–1818), when rulers like Bajirao II invited musicians such as Ustad Nathan Pir Baksh and Ustad Chand Khan to perform in royal courts. The Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, an annual classical music festival, originated in Pune in 1953 to honor Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, a disciple of the Gwalior gharana. The festival features performances by artists like Bhimsen Joshi, Kishori Amonkar, and Zakir Hussain and remains one of India’s most prestigious classical music events.

The Bharat Ganesh Samaj, founded in Pune in 1905, promoted Hindustani music through public concerts and education. Pandit V.D. Paluskar established the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Pune in 1901, formalizing classical music training with structured curricula. The institution produced notable artists, including Pandit Omkarnath Thakur and Pandit Jasraj, who later contributed to the Mewati gharana.

Pune’s Aga Khan Palace, built in 1892, hosted concerts by Ustad Alladiya Khan (founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana) and Ustad Faiyaz Khan (Agra gharana) in the early 20th century. The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Pune, founded in 1999, organizes lectures, workshops, and recitals by contemporary artists like Shubha Mudgal and Rashid Khan. The city also houses the Pune Cultural Foundation, which archives recordings of performances from the Sawai Gandharva festival and other local events.

Instruments like the sitar, tabla, and harmonium gained prominence in Pune through artists such as Pandit Ravi Shankar, who performed in the city during the 1960s, and Ustad Allah Rakha, who collaborated with local musicians. The Pune Music Circle, active since the 1980s, facilitates informal baithak-style gatherings where emerging and established artists perform khayal, dhrupad, and instrumental ragas.

Contemporary contributions include the Pune Festival (held annually since 2010), which blends classical traditions with fusion genres. Artists like Kaushiki Chakrabarty and Rahul Sharma (santoor) have performed in venues such as Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha. The city’s FTII (Film and Television Institute of India), established in 1960, occasionally hosts soundtrack recordings that incorporate classical elements, though its primary focus remains cinematic arts.

Limited documentation exists on pre-20th-century performances in Pune, and some oral traditions from the Peshwa era remain unverified. The city’s role in preserving and evolving Hindustani classical music continues through institutional efforts and public engagement.

Highlights

Total Events

25

Upcoming Events

1

Venues

12

Artists

22

Last updated: September 4, 2026