Ibtida, by Tanvi Singh Bhatia and Anubhav has quietly grown from a niche, music-led gathering into one of the most intriguing cultural movements of the moment. They started this almost seven years ago as an attempt to bring back the intimacy of courtyards, heritage spaces, and live performance, which has, over the years, shapeshifted into a universe that holds music, storytelling, performing arts, and now culinary heritage in the same breath.
This year they have some exciting stuff to introduce this year starting with Qissa and Archival Season 3, which are reframing the platform as a bridge between audiences and culture. Tanvi spoke to us about introducing conversation-driven formats with legendary artists whose knowledge feels too precious to lose. She also explains the new culinary direction, where forgotten recipes and lesser-known regional khanas share space with music in carefully curated 'jugalbandi' experiences.
As Ibtida looks ahead to the next five years with plans to spotlight performing arts, nurture independent talent, and step onto the global stage, it’s clear this is no longer just a series of events; it’s a growing community that’s reimagining how we listen, taste, and truly experience India.
How has your narrative and platform evolved from when you started to where you are now, with Qissa and Archival Season 3?
We first spoke about this in 2024, but the journey actually began a couple of years before that. A lot has happened since then, including the pandemic. When we started in 2019, the core idea was to bring people back for the spectacle of Ibtida and to revive the culture. At that time, it felt very new and fresh. The culture, the music, and the idea of celebrating India were just beginning to evolve.
We began with that process, went through the entire COVID situation and then, when we launched again, we had to revive everything almost from scratch. Over the last two or three years, the biggest change has been the audience. Numbers have grown a lot, even for ticketed shows. People are more open to culture and more willing to listen to music, even if they do not know the form of the art. They come because they want to learn and experience more.
Over time, we have become a platform that tries to bridge the gap between audiences and cultural experiences. With Qissa, now in its third season, we have moved beyond what Ibtida was first known for, which was mainly music. This year we decided to focus on good storytelling because narrative is a very important part of what we want to present. Qissa is centred on stories, especially the stories of the past and the stories behind each song that the artist sings. This season is heavily focused on storytelling, combining narrative and music. In the coming months, we are moving into more conversation-led formats, where it will be mostly about conversations and music will take a backseat. The idea is to deepen the narrative and create more space for a dialogue around culture and stories.
Could you share a bit about how you’re designing an experience to encourage meaningful dialogue around culture?
In the beginning, music was something that lived in courtyards and heritage locations. When we started, we wanted to bring that back and present music in different locations, which we managed to do. This year, we want to make those conversational series more relatable. For example, when we have a singer or a legendary artist, they carry so much knowledge that I feel a lot of people are not aware of. We want to have sessions with these artists, especially the veterans, because I feel that the knowledge they have will disappear in a few years. I always say this: we are the last generation that can still receive that information directly from them.
So that is one of the things we want to do. For instance, we might bring in a legendary sarod artist or a legendary sitar artist who has been around for decades and have real conversations with them, inviting audiences to come and listen. This year, we are planning to launch three or four such series in the new season, where we bring people from different walks of life, not only from music. We might have someone from the theatre or someone from an arts background as well. Again, the focus remains on culture, music, the environment, historical locations, and so on, which we see as the 'tree of Ibtida.' Until now, Ibtida has been mostly associated with music, but this year, culinary arts are becoming a big part of it. We also have conversations that bring out different stories from these legendary artists. So this year, the focus is on the wider spectrum of what Ibtida stands for: celebrating India and all the different branches of the tree, as we like to call it.
How do you curate the experience depending on which city you’re in?
For example, if something is happening in Bangalore, we try to bring in a little bit of the North. Even though Usha Uthup is someone Bangalore has heard, her songs this time are going to be completely different from what she usually does. She is doing a set that has a little bit of a North Indian touch to it as well. So when we program with the artists, we do a mix of what the city demands, which is rooted and regional to their palate and taste. At the same time, we bring a little bit of the North to them as well. In some cities, to be honest, you also have to adapt. For example, what we did in Hyderabad last year went well, but we realized that maybe a qawwali works better for the city. So sometimes, from a commercial point of view, we have to adjust a few things.
What new culinary experiences are you bringing to Ibtida?
I am a big foodie, and the culinary world is a huge part of what I love. For a long time, I have wanted to bring back lost recipes. I am half Rajput, and I want to showcase different khanas of India. People usually talk only about Rajasthan and two or three other states, but there are so many regions in India with beautiful recipes and rich culinary lineages. Highlighting these traditions is a major focus for me. Last year, my focus was on music and performing arts. This year, it is on culinary experiences and heritage locations. We are planning to launch a very curated series of experiences in the coming winter, which will revive old recipes and combine them with music.
We want to create a kind of jugalbandi between music and food. That is one of the main culinary projects we are curating this year. This includes reviving lesser-known spices and forgotten ingredients and bringing them back into use today. We want to do this in a way that feels accessible and relevant, not strictly old-fashioned or overly traditional. I will be able to share many more details once everything is in motion.
Do you have a five-year plan?
There are many plans for the coming five years. Some of these I will only be able to speak about by the end of this year, including something very interesting that is currently brewing on a much larger canvas for VIP. For the next three years, I can say that Performing Arts will be a major focus of what we do. Over the years, we have built a community of people who will now come to Ibiza even if there is an aspiring artist performing. The idea was to create a community and then offer a platform for the people who are going to come and listen. I feel Performing Arts is very underrated in our country, and there is a lot of talent that needs to be showcased. Another key focus area in the next two to three years is culinary experiences. International expansion is also essential because we want to put Ibiza on the international map. A big part of our vision is to take this globally, to cities where people are really craving music, as well as for other audiences. At present, there are two or three main pillars we want to focus on, and a fourth is aspiring artists. I want us to become a hub that promotes a lot of younger talent. There are many independent artists doing great work, and we have now become a community that supports and pushes upcoming talent, which is a wonderful way to give back. This is also a benefit for us. The time is right now; if I had tried to push this two to five years ago, it would not have worked, honestly. We needed that lineage of artists to be part of it first. Now, with this community, even if we present a new artist, I believe they will be given the recognition and respect they deserve.
Words Hansika Lohani
Date 7.3.2026
Ibtida - Ek Mehfil | Archival Season 3 will take place in Delhi on 12th April, Bangalore on 18th, and Hyderabad on 2nd May.
L: Tanvi Singh Bhatia R: Anubhav Jain