21st edition of the Indian classical music festival, with Hindustani and Carnatic concerts, free foyer performances, talks, yoga and wellbeing sessions and a pop-up bazaar.
Darbar Festival returns to The Barbican Centre from 24 October to 1 November 2026, its 21st edition. It's a big one this year, pairing Hindustani and Carnatic concerts with free foyer performances, family events, talks and wellbeing sessions. The Barbican has been the festival's London home for over a decade, and the two fit together well: the centre champions serious, boundary-crossing art, while Darbar brings rigorous, tradition-rooted Indian classical performance to global audiences.
The main concerts take over Barbican Hall. Sandeep Narayan headlines on 1 November, and the brothers Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash play on 31 October. That same night, Kala Ramnath and Jayanthi Kumaresh perform Midnight Ragas, and Ustad Irshad Khan joins Pandit Prasad Khaparde. Over in Milton Court, the programme runs throughout: Debanjan Bhattacharjee and Spoorthi Rao play on 29 October at 18:15; Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar performs Dhrupad on 30 October at 12:00; Sunanda Sharma and Ustad Shahbaz Hussain play on 30 October at 18:15; and Jasdeep Singh Degun and Sukhvinder Singh Pinky perform on 28 October at 19:30.
There are free foyer concerts too: Akash Parekar and Janan Sathiendran on 31 October at 12:30, Harrisan and Anushan Mohanarajah at 15:30, and Nadhaswaram & Thavil on 1 November at 16:30. The talks and demonstrations go deep into the music: Sandeep Narayan's A Voice Without Borders (31 October, 14:30), Sunanda Sharma's The Benaras Gharana (1 November, 15:00), Two Gharanas, One Musician with Ustad Shahbaz Hussain (31 October, 11:00), a screening of India's Vanishing Voice followed by a talk (1 November, 10:30), and a masterclass, The Singing Violin, with Kala Ramnath (1 November, 13:00).
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Beyond the stage, the festival looks at the link between music and wellbeing with raga meditation, breathwork and Hatha yoga accompanied by live esraj, led by Kanwal Ahluwalia, Jason Kalidas & Eartha Love, Lisa Hatton and Christina Hagon. A pop-up Indian bazaar with crafts, clothing, jewellery and independent vendors runs throughout the festival. The whole thing runs from 24 October to 1 November at The Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS.
